'Unequivocally, Black Lives Matter': Raimondo

PROVIDENCE, RI — Ahead of a planned peaceful protest at the Rhode Island State House Friday, Gov. Gina Raimondo met with the leader of the state's Black Lives Matter movement to discuss the state's path forward. The governor said it's time for her and all people of privilege in Rhode Island to "listen with humility."

"Those of us who are white ... our experience of racism is an observed experience," Raimondo said. "It's not a lived experience. ... Our mission is to listen. And I mean really listen with humility."

Raimondo also said she is "heartened" by the young people of America, who will be the real driving force for change, she said. Their impatience is admirable, she said, because "we're out of time."

"I'm counting on them to hold us all accountable," Raimondo said.

The peaceful demonstrations seen in Rhode Island and across the country in the past weeks have reinforced that it's time for change, Raimondo said, adding that now is the time to "get to work" to make real change.

"We're here to say, boldly and unequivocally: black lives matter," Raimondo said, encouraging all Rhode Islanders to stand up and say the same.

Brother Gary Dantzler, a leader of the Rhode Island Black Lives Matter movement, said that African Americans have been absent from the narrative for too long.

"We just want to be heard. We want to be neighbors, truly neighbors," he said. "Certain issues are not being heard or addressed."

Dantzler also denounced violent demonstrations such as those seen in Providence earlier this week, saying he "understand[s], but doesn't understand the violence."

"There's a difference between hating police officers and understanding police officers," Dantzler said. "We have to trust in the law and the whole system that there will be reform."

Instead of hating police, Dantzler encouraged everyone to understand that there are deep issues within the police system that must be addressed to enact lasting change.

Raimondo said there won't be a "single silver bullet," instead that change must be made on each level. An "action plan" is needed, she said, citing the increased graduation rate of students of color at the Community College of Rhode Island since the RI Promise Scholarship was founded and the increased diversity in new classes of the state police.

"My hope is that this is a new era of change," Raimondo said.