BLM Rally Inspires Los Gatos Grassroots Movement

LOS GATOS, CA — At the conclusion of a recent South Bay Black Lives Matter protest, there was a sense among organizers and demonstrators that their work wasn't anywhere near done. They felt like they were just getting started.

The moment marked the beginning of a new grassroots movement.

About 60 current and former Los Gatos High School students who rallied in support of racial justice at the school on July 11 formed the Anti-Racism Coalition immediately afterward.

The group's Facebook page had 141 members as of Monday.

The group aims to address systemic racism in Los Gatos, and to serve as a forum to discuss social justice issues and mobilize for action, co-organizer Jeff Suzuki said.

"I organized the demonstration to raise awareness of racial injustice on a local level, and connect concerned residents of Los Gatos. Seeing many enthusiastic people turn up was inspiring. My hope is that the protest was the origin story of visible change in our town rather than the culmination of my community’s support for the movement, "Suzuki said.

"Historically, the pressure necessary to motivate change in power is often well beyond the impact of a single rally. Nevertheless, I organized the event with the conviction that even if there was only a 10% chance of a substantial and positive outcome, then it was still worth my time. Something had to be done."

At the Los Gatos High School protest, demonstrators pushed the school to address systemic racism that they say is embedded in the school's curriculum.

Suzuki, 22, graduated from LGHS in 2016. He completed his economics degree from UC Berkeley earlier this year.

Alex Coady, also a LGHS alum, co-organized the protest with Suzuki.

The protest wasn't officially sanctioned by Black Lives Matter, but Suzuki said the Los Gatos BLM chapter provided contacts, guidance, and equipment for the rally.

Suzuki spoke at the rally advocating for the adoption of a curriculum that better illustrates the role of systemic racism in American history.

He had three specific demands in a speech that's been posted on YouTube.

Suzuki noted historical events conspicuously absent from the LGHS curriculum and at high schools throughout the country such as the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 and Rosewood Massacre of 1923, events in which hundreds were killed and thriving self-sufficient Black communities destroyed.

He cited teaching the role of the FBI's counterintelligence programs to infiltrate, undermine and criminalize leftist Black activist groups such as the Black Panthers as being integral to understanding systemic racism in our country.

Suzuki also advocated for the inclusion of black authors in literature to describe the Black experience, noting that their stories are told almost exclusively through the lens of white authors such as Mark Twain ("The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"), Joseph Conrad ("Heart of Darkness") and Harper Lee ("To Kill a Mockingbird").

"All three of these demands can be achieved within a year if LGHS acts with any substantial urgency. We implore the administration of LGHS to bring forward these changes with all musterable speed. We don't want to hear calls for civility, patience, or delay. We want justice now."

Suzuki said many at the protest expressed their interest in participating in a sustained effort to press for change.

He asked attendees during to rally to text him their contact information to start the grassroots Anti-Racism Coalition. The response Suzuki got gave him hope.

"I am optimistic," Suzuki said.

"As many of us are aware, the largest obstacle to change in Los Gatos is indifference. People have told me that they are worried that the movement is losing momentum—the trend is fading. And they have every right to be worried. The truth is that we are fighting against the clock.

"If our effort cannot be sustained, those in power can afford to ignore our demands for change. The Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition is intended to convert the movement in Los Gatos to a consistent social and political force actively coordinating around the clock. If it can successfully get off the ground in the coming weeks, I would consider it a highly significant outcome."