A walk for peace
Published 3:18 pm Friday, September 2, 2016
- CARSON REEHER | HERALD Hakeem Croom, right, gives a speech to peace walk participants as Karima ElMadany stands by.
On the same street where protests for integration took place years ago, the community came together once again to walk for a more peaceful future.
Wednesday evening, Hampden-Sydney College and Longwood University students, community members and local law enforcement met at First Baptist Church on Main Street for a program called “Am I Next: Debunking Stereotypes.”
Participants marched from the church down Main Street to the Moton Museum where a panel discussion took place.
CARSON REEHER | HERALD
Peace March participants show off posters remembering African-Americans and police officers whose lives have been lost during recent years.
The event was organized by Karima ElMadany, a Longwood University alumna, and Hakeem Croom, an assistant dean of students at Hampden-Sydney College.
According to Moton Museum University Liaison and Interim Executive Director Larissa Fergeson, 107 people attended the panel discussion.
Longwood Black Student Association President Deja Mills said members of her organization were happy to get involved when asked by Croom.
“We jumped in, all hands on deck, and just wanted to be a part of something that was monumental,” she said, adding just before the walk began, “We’re here to join forces and be together.”
“#AMINEXT embodies everybody,” ElMadany added, “it’s not about black, it’s not about white, it’s not about yellow, it’s not about red. It’s not about any of that. It’s about humanity. We all know the history of Farmville. If we want to make a change we have to start where we are.”
CARSON REEHER | HERALD
Hakeem Croom, left, and Karima ElMadany lead the peace walk down Main Street from First Baptist Church to the Moton Museum.
Taikein Cooper spoke up during the discussion following the march. He said, historically, he didn’t see good examples of police.
“It was us versus them,” Cooper said. “There was no such thing as coffee with the cop. I applaud the police department. I do think we can still push forward and get even better.
During the discussion, attendees were invited to watch three videos portraying different perspectives about the issues being discussed. Participants discussed what they would do in different situations police officers have to face. Officers in attendance provided their own perspective.
A five-person panel answered questions and considered a variety of perspectives. H-SC Police Chief Scott Williams, H-SC Assistant Professor of English Dr. Abigail Horne, Longwood Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Connie Koski, Longwood Assistant Professor of Counselor Education Dr. Quentin Alexander and H-SC Church Pastor the Rev. Keith Leach made up the panel.
ElMadany led the discussion, asking questions that required the audience and panel members to question their own beliefs.
“It was an absolutely beautiful thing to see people from different walks of life and for people come together for a positive cause,” she said later.
Croom said they wanted to keep building up a conversation that began during the summer with an event hosted by Commonwealth Attorney Megan Clark.
CARSON REEHER | HERALD
A participant in the march holds up an #AMINEXT sign.
Alton Coleman, a Longwood senior who participated in the event, said he joined the march because of an experience over the summer walking with Black Lives Matter in Richmond.
“It was good to see the march on a smaller scale and to see it on a college level,” Coleman said. “I heard nothing but good things.”
“We may have not have changed anyone … but we definitely started the thinking process,” ElMadany said.
“When you’re growing and learning it’s all about exposing you to different realities that may not be one of your own,” Croom added.
Croom and ElMadany said they are already beginning to think of follow-up events.
