JOSIE STANFIELD, 28

PRINEVILLE, OREGON

I knew that Prineville was like this. That’s why I did it, because it needed it. So I’m really not shocked at how many people came out to counter-protests. I think just I’m shocked that—I thought that once the community saw how many racist and dangerous people lived here that they would push back. But that hasn’t been the result. If anything, they’ve stayed more silent than they were before about it. And so I don’t want to say I’ve lost a little bit of hope for my community. But I think it’s gonna take a lot of meetings with people that are bigger than just the police chief here in town, you know, to get some real systemic change here. There’s a lot of work to be done.

NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG, 44

MINNEAPOLIS

There are so many of us who are committed to this fight for the long haul. Whether the world is paying attention or not, we’ll still be out there fighting and still be out there demanding change. So I feel hopeful about that, knowing that we have comrades who are serious about the struggle, knowing that there are folks who are new to the work of this movement who are saying that they want to be involved for the long haul. So we’ll see what their commitment is. Regardless of their commitment, we’re still gonna be out here pushing for change. We’re encouraging people to run for office who care about racial justice, and who have been in this movement. So that might be new, when the elections happen in 2021, to see a surge of folks stepping up to the plate and willing to take on incumbents who have not lived up to their responsibilities on behalf of the city.

I mean, it is promising that the legislature held two special sessions dealing with policing, they did pass a police-reform bill—the first time in history that they have actually taken this issue up in a serious way. Although the bills are watered down and it’s not nearly enough. That is some action that hadn’t happened before. Not to mention the fact that local governments around the country have since taken on police reform and have banned chokeholds and done other things that will hopefully help save people’s lives. So this is

89