Hundreds march against racism
A diverse crowd of about 200 people marched Sunday to Washington County Courthouse to draw attention to racial harmony on the first day of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
The march, which included religious leaders and politicians, began at Friendship Baptist Church on Walnut Street and continued for a few blocks south on Main Street in Washington, while participants shouted “all life matters” along the way.
“I’m so happy to see such a diverse group of people out here to declare that all life matters,” said the Rev. Steve Ramey, pastor of Mount Hermon Church in Amity, after the crowd reached the courthouse rotunda.
He said the event was a positive step in achieving unity in the community.
“It doesn’t matter what we look like, all life matters,” Ramey said.
The march to the courthouse was one of several to take place in the past year, partly in response the murder of 10-year-old Ta’Niyah Thomas who died when bullets where fired into her apartment as she ran to her mother March 31, 2014. Friends of Vincent Kelley, 46, of Washington, also joined the anti-violence movement to honor the man who was shot and killed in June 2013 as he attempted to stop a man who had robbed a bank in South Strabane Township.
Zhiere Patmon, a sophomore at Washington High School, was among the speakers at Sunday’s event.
“So much damage has been caused by racism,” the 16-year-old said.
Crime victim Sharon Kelly of New Jersey spoke briefly about her son, Jermaine Kelly, a homicide victim in Philadelphia.
“I’m here to say, ‘Stand up,'” Kelly said. “We can’t do it alone, but as a community we can make a difference.”
Those in attendance were urged to return to the courthouse at 6 p.m. May 7 to join in a service recognizing the National Day of Prayer.