South Brunswick Man: Why I Organized The March For Justice

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — On Tuesday of this week, an estimated 500 people took part in this Black Lives Matter/March for Justice protest in South Brunswick, marching from Crossroads North Middle School down to Georges Road and Rt. 522 and back again.

The protest march was organized by a local resident, Timiir Summers, an African-American man who graduated from South Brunswick High School and is currently a student at Kean University.

Summers said he first marched in Franklin Township, and it was after attending that rally that he was inspired to start his own march here in South Brunswick. He has never organized something like this before, he said, and he was blown away by how quickly news of the march spread on social media.

"After seeing in the media about George Floyd’s death and uprising against police brutality, I marched in Franklin Township on May 31," he said. "After listening to all the motivational speakers and activists that attended the Franklin march, I decided at 1:30 a.m. on June 1 to create a March for Justice in South Brunswick Township."

His march was planned for June 2: He had 24 hours to get the word out.

"After posting all over social media, members of my community — mainly the youth — began to spread the news fast," he said. "On the evening of June 1, I had received several emails and messages, from the (school) superintendent and the police chief notifying me that the march I had posted had caught a bunch of peoples' attention."

That same night, a former classmate from South Brunswick High, Melhanae Pittman, "reached out to me asking if I needed any form of help."

"With the help of her and her father we put the event into action along with the assistance of the South Brunswick police department," said Summers. "The South Brunswick police department was so supportive and 100 percent behind me and my co-organizers."

March underway on Georges Road. pic.twitter.com/xVUQ53LpqE
— So Brunswick PD (@SoBrunswickPD) June" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/SoBrunswic... 2, 2020

Summers said he actually has plans to do more public events in the future: "Not only marches for Black Lives Matter. I am planning to organize a color run for my Township and a breast cancer walk for all the cancer survivors."

"All and all, in my opinion if it's one place to live in New Jersey it would definitely be South Brunswick Township," he said.