“What is really a revolutionary idea — that there is a space for people of color to assemble and share history and love of one another and bring that to walls outside of their own in a safe place,” said Travon Jackson, the executive director of the African American Cultural Center of the Capital Region.

As the governor calls for reform in police departments across New York State, the Albany County executive decries the 25 shootings in Albany since protests began three weeks ago and urges working together.

On June 14, over 100 people marched in Rensselaerville to support the Black Lives Matter movement and denounce racism nearly a month after George Floyd, a black man, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. The turnout left co-organizer John Arrighi “blown away,” and reflects the massive support for racial justice seen in predominantly white communities following Floyd’s death.

On Saturday, about 100 people marched in Altamont in support of Black Lives Matter. One marched as a Wobbly, another as a Jew, a third as a teacher, a fourth as a mother. At the end, they knelt together in silence for eight minutes and 45 seconds to honor George Floyd. 

ALBANY COUNTY — In a cathedral-like setting, prayers were offered Thursday morning for love and healing, peace and understanding.

Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen said of recent protests that “a large part of this anger is due to an underlying systemic problem that occurs across this country, and that is racism.”

The common thread in Alice Green’s life has been finding freedom, not just for individuals, but by working to change what she calls “structural racism.”

Likening the uproar in Albany Saturday night to “being in battle,” Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said, “I was as close as I felt to being in a war zone in downtown Albany — gunfire going, fireworks. It was pretty crazy. I said, ‘Man, I feel like I’m back in Iraq.’”

Impatient for change, Lynnwood Elementary parent Michelle Charles has moved her family to Boston, which she says is much more progressive. 

We encourage our local school districts, all of them, to make black history an integral part of social studies curricula as well as lessons taught in other subjects.