By Edward Daubel, Zach Keuer, and Grace McGavin
Tony Ndege, Black Lives Matter Winston-Salem Coordinator, hauls a table, megaphone, and posters out to the sidewalk in front of the East Winston Center. Camera crews wait patiently as protestors begin to trickle in. The strong winds whip down the busy road, accompanying the blasts of vehicle horns in support of the group.
Nearly 30 people of different ages and races gather and wave banners near the street, being careful not to paraglide away. Ndege leads chants, calling them into his megaphone, and answers the questions of four different news crews. This rally, the day after the conviction of police officer Derek Chaurvin in the death of George Floyd, was one of many in Winston-Salem over the last year.
At the April 21 rally, Ndege said, “I’ve been an organizer since the 90s, so I’ve been doing this for quite a while. [We are] trying to get some new generations to organize.” Ndege believes persistence is key in the fight for justice.
“We must remain active, and we must remain present in any way we possibly can,” said Frankie Gist, founder of HOPE Dealers Outreach, which, according to the organization’s website, serves as “both an advocate and a resource for marginalized people in our community.”
Winston-Salem activists have marched and rallied throughout the past year for the Black Lives Matter movement, focusing on local instances of police brutality against people of color.
Two groups, BLM Winston-Salem and Winston4Peace, have led the effort. Most recently, both groups have been rallying for justice in the case of Andrew Brown Jr.’s death at the hands of deputies in Elizabeth City. The groups also want to change North Carolina law that requires a judge’s approval before body camera footage may be shared with the public.
Olivia Moore, founder of Winston4Peace, was an active voice at the April 21 rally. Moore founded the organization in response to the nation-wide BLM movement following the death of George Floyd. Moore engages the community with speakers, song, and collaboration with other progressives, she said. “I believe that is the reason Chauvin is in jail – because people came together and did more than ever,” she said.
Leaders such as Ndege, have been at the forefront of planning protests for the past two years. Ndege has been the co-chair of the North Carolina Green Party where he led several hundred events including rallies, marches, teach-ins, debates, speaker tours, campaigns. According to the Black Lives Matter Facebook page, the organization supports a peaceful response. Although some members believe in the defunding of the police, the organization does not project that belief.
Local activists are pushing for public access to body camera footage in the wake of the 2019 death of John Neville, a 56-year-old black man who died of a brain injury and heart attack at the Forsyth County Detention Center. While he was suffering from these medical issues, five guards forced him in a vulnerable position, causing him to die of asphyxiation three days later. According to the Winston Salem Journal, the body cams of the guards were held from the community and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office did not publicly acknowledge his death for seven months. It wasn’t until June 26th when the Sheriff’s Office released limited information after persistence from the community.
A coalition of community media organizations along with national news organizations such as the New York Times, petitioned a judge to release video footage of Neville’s death. Community members protested for six weeks throughout Winston-Salem, including one in July outside the detention center that led to the arrest of five people who were charged with impeding traffic, a misdemeanor.
As a result of the community’s persistence, the video was released on July 31st. Neville’s death sparked more daily protests in Winston-Salem. Two groups, Triad Abolition Project and the Unity Coalition, held all-day events at Bailey Park in downtown Winston Salem for weeksOrganizers with Winston4Peace, BLM Winston-Salem, and HOPE Dealers Outreach say they will continue to organize for justice and educate younger generations.
Winston4Peace has many youth members and allows for widespread education. “For me it’s about changing minds and educating people,” Moore said. “Because at the end of the day the most important thing is showing people that their voice matters and that, even if one person comes, as long as we can educate that one person and they leave feeling more knowledgeable than they were before, we’ve accomplished our goal.”
