I just got home from Elizabeth City where #AndrewBrownJr was killed. I spent last night walking through the Downtown and talking with local residents. There was one thing I kept hearing.
People in the town - including protesters and folks on the sidelines - kept pointing out that the city didn't "burn" even though there were nightly protests. They wanted this mentioned.
A few of the people I talked with attributed this to how tight knit this community is. People are angry - and not everyone in the town agrees - but they didn't want to damage their town.
As evidence of how close the community is, Ernest Banks, the local shoe repair man, told me his parents had a rule when he grew up. If he was dating a girl from the other side of the bridge, he needed to know her family six generations back to make sure they werent related
Ernest and a local radio host, "Big Mike" Robinson told me that whenever someone from Elizabeth City goes overseas, they tell people theyre from Elizabeth City. They don't name the country or the state.
You can read a bit about Ernest and his homemade #AndrewBrownJr memorial in this story theuprising.info/p/an-exclusive…
Both Ernest and Big Mike were in at least their 60s and vets. They have both been out actively protesting after Andrew Brown Jr.'s death. I found that very striking.
This town has a special place in my heart. I want to go back under better circumstances.
Before I left today I had the best catfisb I have ever tasted at Pier 17. A white woman there was telling me she'd lost her best friend to drugs this past year. They died in a motel. She said issues with hard drugs are bad there.
It matters so much to me to report on places and issues that don't get enough attention. That's what I am hoping to do with @theuprising. If you value this kind of reporting, please consider signing up! theuprising.info
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