By EMILY JACKMAN, Special to InDepthNH.org
DOVER – Members of We Speak and Project Dream led the “We Can Stand The Truth Rally” on Saturday in opposition to House Bill 544, which would prohibit public employees such as educators from discussing ideas such as racism and sexism.
Nearly 80 people, including youth activists and educators, attended the rally in Henry Law Park in Dover early Saturday afternoon. Other similar events were held in Concord and Portsmouth and across the country.
Kayla Okoye, 10, is in the 4th grade at Horne Street Elementary School in Dover.
“If we don’t talk about racism and sexism all the things we fight hard to change will never go away,” Okoye said.
We Speak is a group of Portsmouth High School students that works to bring awareness to social justice issues. Project Dream is comprised of Dover High School students working toward equality and inclusion in New Hampshire.
There were 10 speakers representing various organizations such as Project Dream, We Speak, the NAACP and The Black Heritage Trail.
Harini Subramanian, a junior at Portsmouth High school, said: “It is important to know social justice is not a goal, it is a process.” Her co-speaker was Maya Mckinnon who spoke about privilege as a white person in society: “I benefit whether I want to or not.”
The last speaker was Reverend Robert Thompson, who is part of the NAACP and the Black Heritage Trail. He praised the youth speakers.
“This makes me feel hopeful and it should make us all feel hopeful,” Thompson said.
Barrington Middle School 5th grade reading teacher Lauren Katz, who attended the event, said the bill would take away her ability to share books.
“Books are the windows into the world we aren’t a part of,” Katz said.
Barrington Middle School Librarian Diane St. Jean spoke about how the bill would affect the books in the library.
“As a school librarian I will do everything I can do to fight that because students have a right to read,” she said.
Clifton West Jr., the co-founder of Black Lives Matter-Seacoast, also spoke at the end the rally, reading out the phone number to Gov. Chris Sununu’s office – 603-271-2121 – urging people to call him to oppose HB 544.
The gathering also sang Happy Birthday to Kayla Okoye, who had just turned 10.
Emily Jackman is a high school junior at Oyster River High School in Durham who is passionate about journalism.