Maryland's Eastern Shore NAACP Leaders Join Forces on BLM

Salisbury, Maryland
The wind didn't keep a large group of people away for the Salisbury Government Building in downtown Salisbury to hear from leaders of the Eastern Shore Branches of the NAACP. In all, leaders from Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Dorchester all came together to hold a press conference about racism and how to move forward on a local level. Mary Ashanti, President of the Wicomico County NAACP, says, "they are calling for solidarity, start an ongoing dialogue between citizens, law enforcement and politicians." Many in the crowd, showed support by wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and holding posters demanding justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Rayshard Brooks. James Pinkett, President of the Dorchester County NAACP, says he feels something is different about this BLM movement and that America is tired.
"We are tired of police killings, we are tired of our court system, and we just like to see an end to this," says Pinkett. Pinkett is hoping it ends with teens like Ta'Niya, who has been given the talk by her parents of what to do in case a police officer ever stops her. Ta'Niya says's "makes me scared, but my parents told me to be polite, put my hands on the steering wheel, and listen." She also admits of still feeling "shaky and scared," probably if it ever happens. Rev. Charles Bagley, President of Somerset NAACP, and Bishop Leon Wilson Criminal Justice Chairperson Wicomico County NAACP spoke about racism and bad policing. The conversation continued a five-minute drive away at First Baptist Church of Salisbury as law enforcement leaders from all counties and city leaders stood before residents to discuss the George Floyd case. Officers talked about how shocked and disgusted they were by what happened to George Floyd, the Minneapolis Black man who died after police officer, Derek Chauvin, put his knee on Floyd's neck, killing him. People sat in their cars to listen, on the grass in lawn chairs, and sitting on the curb to hear what local law enforcement had to say. Val Jackson says, "I like what I'm hearing but put it into practice and still killing Black men." Fay of Somerset County says she came out today because "I know one person can make a difference, and I believe in justice for all people." The leaders say they plan more talks, events, and discussions around racism and policing in the future.
As Mary Ashanti puts it, "we aren't going nowhere".