OSWEGO – Accept Oswego held a second peaceful protest today, June 14, on the campus of SUNY Oswego, joining the nationwide movement in calling for reform and a fundamental change to address the inequities related to the treatment of the black population at the hands of law enforcement.
Protest directors Omar van Reenen and Keonna Wren were speakers at today’s event, which began on the steps of Sheldon Hall at the SUNY Oswego campus.
“This is what the revolution looks like,” van Reenen said. “You all being here today are saying to the city no hate in our state, now, more than ever. We call for transformative change, and we call for structural change.”
An emotionally charged Wren spoke to the crowd demanding to finally be heard and demanding change.
“I’m tired of being silenced, of someone telling me you can’t speak and you have to conform to this. No, no, no, America I have been silenced for way too long,” Wren said. “People aren’t hearing me. When I say black lives matter, that doesn’t mean you say all lives matter, because my people don’t matter!”
Protesters then moved to Culkin Hall where a Black Lives Matter flag was raised amid applause and chants.
The campus Student Association sent the school’s president, Deborah Stanley, a letter regarding changes they wanted to be made in campus policies. The answers that came back are as follows.
- June 8, SUNY Oswego and the University Police amended their policy removing choke holds from the police handbook.
- Asking faculty to develop curriculum regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion that will be offered as early as Fall 2020.
- The Criminal Justice Department will ensure its material has courses related to systematic racism.
- Any speech or symbolic speech that threatens or produces violence or any unlawful behavior will not be tolerated on the SUNY Oswego campus.
- The system of reporting biased related incidents will be enhanced through the promotion of pervasive social media avenues.
- The college will recognize and celebrate Black Solidarity Day, the first Monday of November.
- Regarding the flag resolution, the flag policy will be completed by August 1, 2020. While waiting for the Flag Committee to issue its report the school will accept the Black Lives Matter flag for display on campus.
In a letter to students on Friday, June 12, Stanley said, “Across the nation, people of color and their allies are mobilizing to address structural and systemic racism. I pledge to you that SUNY Oswego will live its educational mission to the fullest, and with deep commitment and understanding, we will be unwavering in pursuing justice, equality and peace. We will not rest. I hear you, I am listening to you, I stand with you.”
Yesterday, Stanley organized to have a mural of the words Black Lives Matter in yellow painted on the driveway in front of Sheldon Hall in support of today’s protest. Today she showed her support during the protest as well.
“We can no longer be silent, and we can no longer consider this someone else’s problem; this is something we take on as our own, all of us together but you will lead the way,” Stanley said during the protest. “We will move forward. We will move for racial justice.”
After raising the flag at Culkin Hall, protestors peacefully marched down Route 104 chanting, escorted by police officers. When they reached the corner of 104 and West 1st Street, the protesters knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds in silence to show solidarity with George Floyd, the length of time a police officer knelt on his neck.
Protesters proceeded to the back of City Hall where they invited black professors, and health and human service employees to join them in raising the Black Lives Matter Flag.
The event ended with the protesters placing their signs on the back steps of City Hall to protest Mayor Billy Barlow’s absence at the event.
For more information about Accept Oswego, visit their Facebook page. A video of the protest and march can also be found on Accept Oswego’s Facebook page, here.
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