Tucson Responds to Charlottesville

On Sunday, August 13th local community activists organized “Tucson March Against White Supremacy And Racism” as a rapid response to events in Charlottesville, Virginia the day before. Tucsonans met at Hotel Congress and marched to the Islamic Center of Tucson, the African American Student Affairs Center, and the Hillel Foundation. Tucsonans then marched back to Hotel Congress patio stage for a rally, which is where I caught up with them.

The 30 Minutes broadcast included the following remarks made at Tucson’s March against White Supremacy and Racism. Joel Feinman is the MC. The first speaker is Reverend Owen Chandler of Saguaro Christian Church, followed by Zaira Livier of LUPE Tucson. LUPE is short for Lucha Unida de Padres y Estudiantes (United Struggle of Parents and Students), which is a grassroots community organization dedicated to the active struggle for immigrant rights. Speakers also included Lynn Hourani of the Islamic Center of Tucson, and Najima Rainey of Black Lives Matter Tucson and Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund.

Additional remarks at the rally were made by: MC and co-organizer Joel Feinman, Lena Rothman of Tucson Showing Up for Racial Justice, Jenny Culver-Hill (founder and director of Angel’s Purse, an organization that provides practical assistance for the families of children with autism), and Jim Byrne of the Tucson Anti-War Committee. You can hear the additional remarks here: Tucson Responds to Charlottesville Online Extra.

Xavier Omar Otero wrote a comprehensive piece about the event for the Tucson Weekly.

Recorded and produced by Amanda Shauger.