Cakalak Thunder band marches while holding up signs in protest of police brutality. (above)

By Rebecca Harrelson, Staff Writer

Published in print Oct. 29, 2014

Tuesday, October 21 there was a rally encompassing all different kinds, walks of life and stories to be shared.

About 40 people came out to the Stop Mass Incarceration , Police Accountability, Community, Safety and Healing Initiative March which was held by the Stop Mass Incarceration Network (SMIN) of Greensboro.

Scott Trent, the organizer of the SMIN, spoke on the many issues facing Greensboro and the community.

Trent said, “Recent struggles over the downtown curfew targeting youth, “zero tolerance” policies in school targeting youth of color and tracking them into future incarceration through what many describe as a “school-to-prison pipeline,” show that this system has little future for a whole section of our youth, especially youth of color.”

The week of October 21 was especially critical in surrounding areas; UNC Charlotte, N.C. State, UNC-Greensboro and Guilford College all had rallies or marches in support for the issues.

“It was truly inspiring to see so many young people take the initiative to speak out against the national epidemic of police brutality, including everyone, but especially young Black people.”

Cakalak Thunder, a Greensboro radical street band, was present adding beats and motivation to those holding signs and speaking on issues of police terror, repression and the criminalization of a generation.

There has been talk of these forms of protest being “anti-white” or even “anti-police.”

Trent spoke about this common misconception stating, “law enforcement is really on the defensive in the wake of the mass uprising in Ferguson, MO after the cold-blooded killing of Mike Brown. This is as it should be. And let’s be clear: police brutality affects people of all walks of life, all races and nationalities.”

SMIN states that they are supportive of all races and nationalities over the years, yet it is quite obvious to those who read the statistics that the hardest hands fall on people of color.

Trent said, “All people of conscience, regardless of race or nationality have the responsibility to take up the struggle to end all these outrages, and we unite with everyone who seeks to do so.” 

As Greensboro and areas around the world are uniting in public fashions using social media, their college campuses and their networking abilities to cover issues, where does Greensboro fall on the scale of improvement?

Trent describes his feelings on those who came October 21 stating, “the moral clarity, passion and determination shown by the students on October 22 was a serious breath of fresh air at a time when it is sorely needed. We’ve got a whole society to change, not just Greensboro, but inspired action like the UNCG die-in, and the one that occurred simultaneously at Guilford College, definitely puts us firmly on the path to the kind of change we need.” 

The main question remains, will society be able to ban together regardless of skin color, life experiences and opinions to produce a productive change for the city?