#RacismIsAPublicHealthCrisis



 Thanh Pham

MPH Candidate’20

On Sunday, I participated in a CARAVAN FOR JUSTICE protest sponsored by both Nassau and Suffolk County NAACP. They called it the “New York State Conference” and everyone met up at the Nassau County Courthouse (Mineola) and drove to the H Lee Dennison Building Parking Lot (Hauppauge). I really appreciated the NAACP of Long Island organizing this peaceful solidarity to demand change and accountability. They emphasized protecting their communities by social distancing in a caravan for justice. Because unfortunately, we are currently experiencing 2 pandemics: COVID-19 and Racism. 

It really moved me seeing lines on top of lines of cars in the county courthouse parking lot. People were walking around asking to take pictures of your signs or they were taking their time and decorating their cars. One woman was walking around and asking people if they were registered to vote. I had a bunch of people ask my co-worker and I if they could take to take pictures of our cars. Everyone was extremely supportive and kind to one another. By the time we were leaving the parking lot, there were so many people on the side of the road holding up signs and saying “We Want Justice Now!” as we passed them. 

Everyone had their emergency blinkers on and was just following each other to Hauppauge. By the time I got to the H Lee Dennison Building Parking Lot, everyone was honking their horns and making noise. I was standing on sun-roof and listened to the speeches from the NAACP Board Members and Steve Bellone, Suffolk County’s Executive. It was great seeing everyone in unison, applauding, honking, making noise, and advocating for black lives. Tracey Edwards, the NAACP’s Long Island Regional Director said “We are telling you here today that we are done dying!” 

I went to the protest with my co-worker and we are both homeless service providers on Long Island. According to the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 52% of homeless families are black and 40% of all people experiencing homelessness are black.

Today and every day we are using our voices. I left the protest remembering something that one of the speakers said, “Find your niche and amplify your voice.” Because as we know, there comes a time when silence is betrayal.  #NoJusticeNoPeace #BlackLivesMatter #WeStandWithYou #RacismIsAPublicHealthCrisis 




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