Thread by @asanderford

We @OWHnews will be out and covering today’s demonstrations in #Omaha, starting with one planned for Memorial Park. Stay safe, fam.

Follow me, @Jess_Wade_OWH, @MikeSautterOWH, @aliaconleyOWH, @eduff88 and @gaarder, along with the team @OWHpictures for more.

Here is today’s schedule at Memorial Park, for those interested. I’m speaking with organizers on site.

One organizer of the Memorial protest today is @Westside66 rising junior Elise Smith, 16, pictured, middle. She says she wanted to organize a protest that addressed her parents’ safety concerns and offered a chance to peacefully talk about issues of inequality, loss and change.

That’s her dad, Richard Smith, 57, in yellow. He says he’s proud his daughter and others are standing up for what they believe in.

Also attending today and hoping to speak is #JamesScurlock’s sister RaJeanna Scurlock, 20. She says she feels a responsibility to give people who support her brother a little of his voice, since he can’t use his own.

She says people need to know he was a good person, not the person some people make him out to be. She says he is the person she saw on the video of his shooting death trying to save people around him from a man with a gun.

She says it was important to bring her son Marquis, 2, to the protest today for as long as he can last in the 90-degree heat. She wants him to see change is possible, change in attitudes and change in action.

He’s in red.

Scurlock said of her brother, James: “I want them to know he sacrificed himself for other people. He wanted to disarm that man to help them.”

The folks @OmahaPolice are here talking to organizers about how to safely get them across Dodge to Elmwood Park for a brief march after a balloon release.

Among the police contingent here taking to a handful of protesters is Deputy Chief Ken Kanger, @OPDDCKanger, pictured here talking with Anthony Johnson Jr. of Omaha, 28. Johnson said he was pleased to see important discussions reach a wider community.

Many members of the Scurlock family have arrived, including two of his brothers, wearing memorial shirts.

One of the people in a tent handing out bottled water is @UNMC_DrKhan, in the back.

Handful of folks taking cover under trees. Most gathering near a tent.

Small but enthusiastic crowd so far.

Organizers and members of the Scurlock family fill balloons for a planned balloon release.

Omaha City Councilman @PeteFestersen is here.

Folks milling about waiting for the scheduled start.

Here’s a panoramic shot to give you an idea of the crowd size so far.

Nicholas Harden, one of Scurlock’s brother, speaks about how his family never imagined they would be put on a list of people who have lost their lives in such a terrible way. “This is peace and equality, and we need to reach it, and let’s reach it as a team.”

Scurlock started the rally, which has drawn about 100-150 people.

Balloons have been released.

Organizers let Marquis, 2, release the last one. He is Scurlock’s nephew.

Now @UNMC_DrKhan of @unmc is talking now about the need to speak up against institutional and systemic racism. He says he is a priveleged man who has faced uncomfortable comments and slurs. He has never feared for his life like black Americans, who fear for their lives daily.

Khan says nearly 7 million black Americans are currently locked up. He says there is no clearer evidence of systemic racism. When do we say enough is enough, that there will be no peace without justice. (He thanked the young organizer for hosting a family friendly event.)

Khan said it’s not a real protest if you’re privileged and you’re not uncomfortable. He said that protests also need chants. So Elise led one.

Khan says you can’t stop racism from your couch. Asks people to find an organization they support who does work on causes of equality. Says people can volunteer. Says it’s not up to their friends who are people of color to explain racism in America. Go and learn yourself.

A view of the crowd from the shade so I can tweet. (Phone was getting hot.)

Peggy English, 22, right, and Maddy Driscoll, 22, left, said they came Friday so their friends would know they support the cause of #BlackLivesMatter. English said she was tired of feeling helpless and wanted to do something. Driscoll said she wanted to support Scurlock’s family.

Festersen now talking. Says he’s happy to welcome people to his district, and he’s looking forward to marching over to Elmwood Park. Says the city hears them, that we must work on justice and equality together, and peacefully.

Now speaking is @karaforcongress, who says she’s running to represent all of the people here today. She says people have to realize the system suppression and racism because of a lack of political will. What you are doing in peacefully exerting our voices is working.

Says her race is one where showing up to vote could make a difference, in her race for Congress against @DonJBacon. Bacon attended a rally this week in North Omaha.

Organizer Elise Smith thanks people for coming to the event. She is the founder of the #BlackLivesMatter Omaha group. She said it was her dream to become a civil rights activist. The drive for change has never left my heart. I was daydreaming about the 70s.

Smith said she now sees that children and grandchildren will talk about the 2020s as a decade of change. Floyd’s death was not the start of this movement. He was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Smith: I don’t want another name on another list. I don’t want to fear every time I see a gun and a badge. I need this movement. My dad. People down the street. It’s way past time to see black lives matter.

Smith: Of course all lives matter. But when there is a clear inequality, something has to change. If you have one kid who scraped his knee and one who was hit by a car, who needs help first? That’s why black lives matter.

About to start the march.

While we wait I want to thank people for following along. I’ll try to post some videos during the march if my phone can handle the heat. If not I’ll do it when it cools down. #OmahaProtests

Here they go, led by a high school junior to be, Elise Smith.

Crossing Dodge, headed to the Elmwood Park pavilion.

Walk in the park. #OmahaProtests

Almost there.

Handful of neighbors cheering from front porches.

Smith thanks the crowd for helping gather and march for change.

This protest is over.

Between protests, I stopped at home to cool off. Just put an ice pack down my back and am charging my phone.

Cheers!