A group of around 50 local activists gathered in front of Long Beach City Hall to call for unity and action in the wake of the ongoing election.
Audrena Redmond of Black Lives Matter Long Beach criticized the city’s attempts of “reconciliation,” claiming that these attempts are not nearly enough.
“There are people who suffer because of systemic racism in this town, who suffer because of the way the police department targets their communities,” Redmond said.
Activists from Long Beach Forward, Democratic Socialists of America Long Beach and Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition were also present at the demonstration.
Sheila Bates of BLMLB said that the results of the election “don’t matter,” and there’s still work to be done.
Regardless of the results of the election, Bates said, white supremacy still lives on.
“We need to show up every single fucking day,” Bates said.
She referenced Proposition 17 which recently passed, returning voting rights to convicted felons and the election of George Gascon to district attorney as victories by grassroots organizers.
Measure J was approved by voters by a margin of 15% to reallocate at least 10% of Los Angeles County’s budget towards investing in programs as alternatives to incarceration.
“In other words, defund the motherfucking police,” Bates said of the successful measure.
Gyokei Yokoyama, minister of the Long Beach Buddhist Church, spoke about being raised in Japan and his experience with learning more about his diverse community members immigrating to Canada and the U.S. six years ago.
He referenced during World War II, Japanese Americans were detained in internment camps.
“I’ve seen all these community members growing up with this sense of resentment without being able to say much,” he said of the Japanese American community.
Knowing this history of discrimination against Japanese Americans, he said there was still more he is learning about the experiences of his Black neighbhors.
“What do I know about the depths of sorrow and pain, the struggles people have gone through in this country?” Yokoyama said.
Yokoyama said he feels like events like these bring a sense of community and that his innate ignorance will never truly go away.
“I feel like I’m finally starting to feel and understand who my neighbors are,” he said. “I feel like I’m learning, I’m just starting to learn.”
A fifth-year sociology major at Long Beach State, J Jimenez attended the rally representing Anakbayan Long Beach, a progressive Filipino youth and student organization.
Jimenez said they were there to support more than their organization.
“We want to have people be open to organize and want to convince more people to join our fight,” they said. “We also want people to mobilize and show up for each other.”
Sarah McNett, a member of the Long Beach Girl Collective, said they felt that no matter the outcome of the election, “we’re still here.”
“We’re still ultimately the source of our strength, of our connectedness and of our resilience, McNett said. “So, the work we’re really doing is in the community voting spine, but this is the work we’re really here to do.”
Jedi Jimenez, a representative on behalf of the Filipino Migrant Center, said the most important thing to do is get involved.
“The most important thing is that we have to get involved, get organized on the local level, organize around the local issues that are affecting you on a daily basis and address those issues,” he said. “Because at the end of the day, these presidents, they’re only going to worry about their own interests, and it’s been like that for generations.”
Jamilet Ochoa, member of the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition, said she felt “we must protect each other” during these times of societal unrest and work together to invoke systemic change.
“Our collective power will help us build a better tomorrow,” Ochoa said.
Rev. Melinda Teter Dodge said that “greater imaginations” for how to address issues like racial violence and climate change are needed to create real change.
“The fight is not over no matter who wins this presidential election…and it is a fight, we as a community need to work together to protect Black lives,” Dodge said.
LeAnna Noble, member of the Democratic Socialists of America, said the election has made it “very clear” that the problems the country is facing go far beyond who is in office.
“This election has made it very clear that an authoritarian, white supremist, that is killing people with COVID can still almost, as of the count now, get friggin elected in this country,” she said. “Let’s seize the moment.”
She encouraged the crowd to reconvene in front of Long Beach City Hall this Saturday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m for another rally in support of civil unity.
The group closed with a traditional ritual Assata, named after civil rights activist Assata Shakur, which is commonly used to close BLM demonstrations.