On Friday, close to 600 people will gather in Ferguson, Missouri from across the continental United States part of the Black Life Matters (BLM) Ride.
"The Black Life Matters (BLM) Ride is the Freedom Ride of our generation," explains co-organizer Patrisse Cullors to teleSUR. The BLM Ride comes out of the spirit and history of the 1960s Freedom Rides to Mississippi that aimed to end racial segregation.
LOVE THIS "@Meloniousfunk: #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/77uW8ZKYI9”
— Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter)
August 16, 2014
"The main objective is to be clear that Ferguson is not an aberration, but part of the fight to end state violence," emphasizes Cullors. Cullors and co-organizer Darnell Moore collectively coordinated their efforts after expressing mutual interest in going to Ferguson as news and protests unfolded after the murder of Michael Brown.
"The BLM Ride is a call to action for Black people across the country to come together and re-articulate our destiny," stresses Cullors.
The BLM coalition used social media networks along with organizational allies to recruit. People from California, New York, Tennessee, Oregon, Washington D.C. and other cities and states across the country will be participating. BLM intends to organize over three days of action in St. Louis to build a 'sustainable coalition of activists.'
Reinforcements are coming"@nurseniQ: Off to #Ferguson with @BlackRelevance and @Blklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/o0ZeAqUHiJ"
— Jdstl (@Jdstl314)
August 29, 2014
The #CA team is gassed up and back on the road! #BlackLivesMatter national ride to #ferguson. @Blklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/j8M8bgRaZy
— Dignity & Power Now (@PowerDignity)
August 29, 2014
Local St. Louis organizations such as Organization for Black Struggle (OBS) and Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment (MORE) are co-leading the efforts with BLM.
"The movement in Ferguson has captured not only the imagination of the nation, but the world. Now is a time that we come together for justice for Mike Brown and for all the Mike Browns across the country,” said OBS chair Montague Simmons. Riders will participate in a range of activities including demonstrations, teach-ins, healing justice services, as well as spoken word and cultural events.
Community organizations will provide a historical orientation for riders that contextualizes Michael Brown's murder and addresses the conditions facing Black Missourians.
More than 50 national organizations have endorsed the ride. BLM is calling for a national weekend of solidarity actions for non-rider participants.
"We believe that in order to move this country out of a cycle of destruction and trauma, we have to rise up, both locally and nationally. Ferguson represents both the repression that exists in Black communities, and also our immense resilience. Let’s not allow ourselves to go on with 'business as usual'," advocates BLM in their National Advocacy and Organizing Toolkit.
The #BlackLivesMatter campaign demands "justice for the family of Michael Brown and other victims of law enforcement and vigilante violence", the demilitarization of law enforcement as well as national investment in jobs, housing and schools in Black communities.
"State violence is not just about a white officer killing a Black person. Let's talk about intersectionality. State violence is also about the high rates of homelessness and unemployment in Black communities," emphasizes Cullors.