More than 50 people attended a Solidarity Event Monday evening at the Donley County Courthouse as a call for unity and a memorial for George Floyd, who died in police custody last month in Minneapolis, Minn., sparking outrage across the nation and overseas.
The local event was the idea of four local young ladies – Rosie and Lillie Dale, Brianna Martin, and Kira Weatherton. The purpose, Weatherton told the Enterprise, was for the community to come together in prayer.
“Prayer is a way to unite a community,” she said. “It’s very powerful and helpful in situations like this.”
Weatherton said the event drew more people than she expected and said some folks did not understand what was going to happen.
“A bunch of people said we were going to start a riot and throw bricks and stuff,” Weatherton said, “but that wasn’t it. It was super peaceful and quite, and everyone was so attentive.”
Mary Ann Moreno was one of the first to speak Monday night and addressed past discrimination and how things are different now locally.
“Times have changed,” Moreno said. “We have a good sheriff.”
Moreno also said more needs to be done to bring homeownership to young people.
Martha Daohenang spoke of her love for the local community and the love that has been shown to her.
“The whole community – black, white, brown – helped me when I lost my son,” she said. “Recently, I had a flat tire and a highway patrolman changed my flat tire. We’re all children of God.”
Other speakers included Deb Dale, who encouraged voter registration and filling out Census information, and Latonya Wilson, who said her message was that “we will face our challenges but that we can win and succeed anyway.”
Several prayers were offered, and the highlight of the event was when those in attendance who were able and willing kneeled in silent prayer for eight minutes and 46 seconds. That’s the time that Floyd was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer’s knee on his neck.
Organizers thanked city and county officials for their support and also thanked local law enforcement who attended the event as well.
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