Community

WALKING TOWARD UNITY Tulsi Parikh, a rising sophomore at Memorial High School, attended the Bellaire Unity March. Pictured are (from left) Maya Bhavsar, Esha Bhavsar, Tulsi Parikh and Aria Parikh walking the final leg of the Unity March together. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Unity. Solidarity. Togetherness. On June 12 at 6:30 p.m., the Bellaire community congregated to shed light on events that our world needs to pay attention to.

Organized by the Bellaire Unity March Team, the walk stood as an active expression of justice for those who face racial, social and economic brutality. The goal was to promote peace, justice and equality. Discussion posters were planted throughout the route by volunteers from Families for Anti-Racism to initiate meaningful conversations.

As a high school teenager living in the Memorial area, I have been sheltered in a bubble from the depth of systemic racism that has become routine in this country.

This past month of heavy news headlines and dialogue with my family has sparked my desire to become informed and involved. This “unity walk” was a positive step forward. Attendees came with posters and motivation to take action into their own hands. The Bellaire activists, with the support of their community and police department, made sure their voices would be heard.

I now understand that it is our duty, as the generation who will soon be the face of this nation, to be part of the solution to the obstacles our country confronts. Racism and acceptance to cruelty are both intense topics. Young citizens have just as much of a responsibility to stand up and speak out when we notice oppression. Injustice and inequality have been embedded globally, so it is our responsibility to educate ourselves to help alleviate those prejudiced systems, advertise acceptance, and choose justice over ease every time.

“We the people” means everyone.

For more information and resources about anti-racism, search Families for Anti-Racism on Facebook. 

Editor’s note: For more details and photos on the march, see “Bellaire Residents Unite for Justice” by Pooja Salhotra. 

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