By Mike Kinney
Hundreds of honking cars lined up in a seemingly unending procession along 23rd Street in Richmond Tuesday as part of a “racial justice caravan and rally” hosted by Contra Costa College.
CCC students, classified professionals, faculty and administrators were among participants of the rally, which began at their San Pablo campus, proceeded down 23rd Street and ended up at Kennedy High for the rally. Occupants of passing cars held clenched fists out of windows, many shouting phrases such as “Black Lives Matter” and “Power to the People!”
The protest was among many locally and across the nation demanding justice in the wake of the killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. Protesters are demanding a stop to police brutality targeting black Americans and substantive change to combat systemic racism. “This community is fed up and there must be true change immediately in the system,” one participant named Shanda told us.
Contra Costa College District spokesperson Timothy Leong said the college joins its governing board and sister colleges in condemning racial intolerance.
“We must continue to work together with our community to provide a safe, inclusive environment for all of us,” Leong said. “It will take the will and commitment of everyone to stand up against bigotry, intolerance, violence, and injustice, to say enough is enough.”
