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The Black Lives Matter movement is coming to Peoria this weekend.
A march will be held 4 p.m. June 20 beginning at Osuna Park in Old Town Peoria, and end at city hall.
Organizer Jacob Wise, 17, a Hispanic transplant from Michigan who is now a Peoria High School student, said he has always experienced racism and after silence from the movement in Peoria, he took action and started mobilizing. At first he was not sure if the event would take off, but people began messaging him glad a march was being organized.
“I am doing it because people witness racism here in Peoria. I had someone tell me, ‘Racism is alive in Peoria,’” Mr. Wise said. “I have had people contacting me telling me when it’s best to protest. I had someone message me saying they’ll have a rest stop on our route. I actually have people texting me saying they can support the cause.”
Donated water will be provided along the route. Hats, sunscreen and protest signs are recommended, and face masks are highly encouraged.
“This protest is meant to be peaceful. If you are thinking about rioting or looting, please stay home,” Mr. Wise said. “It would be amazing to see as many people involved as possible. You don’t have to march, you can provide supplies.”
Get to know more about the march and its organizer here.
Question: How long have you been a resident of Peoria?
Answer: I moved here last June.
Q: What brought you here?
A: I previously lived in Michigan so it was bipolar weather and my mom didn’t like the winter, so she decided to move here to Arizona.
Q: Would you mind sharing how prejudice has played a part in your life?
A: Ever since I started high school I have seen racism at its best. As a Hispanic, I have seen teachers favor one race over another. I heard of white teachers using the N-word towards students at my old school in Michigan. Ever since the 2016 election, I have been told to go back to my country, which ironically is the United States.
Q: That’s horrible!
A: Racism is everywhere and that’s the thing — we need to pull away from racism and make change. We need to not base people on the color of their skin. I feel like if we unite as one, we can make change. It can’t just be one group, it has to be everyone. We gotta help each other out. The Black Lives Matter movement is now going after ICE. Some protesters are still marching against police brutality. If we unite as one we are strong but if we are divided, we will see no change.
Q: Is this the first event like this you have organized?
A: This is the second march I have set up. The first march was for gun control.
Q: What would you say to someone who says you are too young to organize an event like this?
A: You’re never too young to set up a protest. You just gotta have some support to build the event.
Q: Have you gotten any opposition against this march?
A: When I first posted about the protest, I did get some negative comments basically telling me not to have the protest. But I did get a lot of support. I don’t pay attention to the hate. I pay attention to the support. If you pay attention to hate then you’re fueling them.
Q: What do you want people to take away from this event?
A: The goal is to let the city know that racism is alive here and we want change. Also we want to show the government that small towns care too.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
Philip Haldiman is a third generation Arizona native with brief residencies on the east and west coasts.
He has bachelor’s degrees in Theater and Journalism at Arizona State University, and is an award winning journalist with more than 15 years worth of experience in reporting and editing.
Most recently, he took first place for investigative reporting and third place for best sustained coverage or series at the 2023 Arizona Newspapers Association awards.
In his free time, he produces an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
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