A group of around 50 people gathered on the back steps of Manitowoc’s City Hall last evening (April 5th) for a rally they called the “Rally Against Racism”.
There were several speakers at the event, which was MCed by Bryan Pfeifer of the Wisconsin Bail out the People Movement.
First up was Pastor Matt Sauer, who channeled Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who had been murdered in Memphis Tennessee 53 years ago on Sunday.
I dream of a nation, a world, a community, that chooses to put the common good above individual privilege,” he told the crowd. “I dream of a world where siblings are siblings because we are human, not because we look the same, sound the same, or think the same.”
The Lakeshore’s United Visionaries, or LUV organization’s President, Sonja Vasquez, and Vice President, Natasha Khan, also took to the microphone, as did current 7th District Alderman Aaron Bailey.
Bailey spoke about the systemic racism in America, namely in the education system. He recalled growing up in the South, and dreading Black History month, because, in his words, they only taught about slavery.
Bailey said, “I know how they got here, how much they sold us for, what they fed us…but we never learned about how we empowered ourselves. We never talked about the accomplishments we have.”
Ron Kossik from the Crusaders of Justicia closed out the rally, where he called out several city and county leaders for what he called overt acts of racism.
“Our own Sheriff’ right here in Manitowoc, is joining the ICE partnership program, called 287G Program, against immigrants in our community. That’s pretty overt racism,” Kossik stated. “Our own Council President [Eric Sitkiewitz], right here, provided anonymity for an accuser, against a Councilperson, who just happens to be the first and only black councilperson that’s ever served on the City of Manitowoc.”
Kossik was referring to the investigation into Bailey regarding his address, due to the fact that he had two addresses on file.
The rally was peaceful, and there were no counter-protesters in sight.
