Black-led Bellingham collective to host Fourth of July event, protest at Waypoint Park
A Black-led organization that is a collective of local artists, students, business people and activists is hosting a Fourth of July event and protest against systemic racism at Waypoint Park in Bellingham.
StandSpeakListen, which is described as a community-based, Black-led display of civil unrest, is putting on the event, Rhythmic Unrest, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the park at 1145 Granary Ave, Saturday, July 4. The event will have numerous Black, Indigenous and people of color speakers, including non-binary and queer speakers. The speeches will happen in between several other events, including music, dance and poetry performances and a drag show, according to StandSpeakListen co-founder Skai Johnson.
The event, which is free, is family-friendly and will also include some talking events and storytimes for children, Johnson said.
“We just want people to show up and be in solidarity with us and the rest of the world,” Johnson, who is Black, said in an interview with The Bellingham Herald. “We want to show that Bellingham is not just complicit with everything going on and there are people here that really care.”
Johnson said the event does not have a permit.
The event planned by StandSpeakListen is one that would require a permit and a facility use agreement, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the mayor’s executive order, the city is not accepting or processing any facility use or special event permits right now, according to Janice Keller, spokesperson for the city and Nicole Oliver, director of the city parks and recreation department.
The city sent the organizers an email Wednesday, July 1, encouraging the group to follow the current orders in place regarding social distancing and groups larger than five people, according to a copy of the email. The email said that on June 25, Whatcom County experienced the highest number of positive coronavirus cases during a seven-day period since the pandemic began. The email stated that city support of an event designed to attract crowds would potentially harm the health and safety of local residents.
Keller said a previous email was sent after an inquiry was made about holding the protest at Depot Market Square downtown.
In a prepared statement on Friday, Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood said “the city does not oppose this peaceful assembly, because they have a Constitutionally protected right to gather and express themselves on racial injustice in America. We recognize this is a momentous time — a time to seize this moment in history and make meaningful strides in racial equity.”
The Port of Bellingham said it was never asked by any of the organizers for permission to hold the event at Waypoint Park, but is not opposed to the event and is supportive of the rights of the people to peacefully assemble, according to Port spokesperson Michael Hogan.
When reached Thursday, July 2, Johnson said StandSpeakListen has received word from city and Port officials about the protest and the organization has no comment.
Johnson said StandSpeakListen has multiple co-sponsors for the event, and many donors, which is allowing the organization to fund the event and pay its speakers and performers. Johnson said Western Washington University has also committed to paying for four of the speakers.
WWU spokesperson Paul Cocke said the funding for the event was directed through the university’s Black Student Union to support their work with the event. He said it includes support from the Diversity Fund for some of the speakers, and logistical equipment such as a generator and portable toilets.
Johnson said StandSpeakListen would like to use any leftover monetary donations to create community pop-ups for multicultural art or donate it to other racial justice organizations.
Johnson said StandSpeakListen is expecting and hoping for about 3,000 people to show up. He said they’re concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic and are requiring that people wear masks and social distance. If people plan to come to the event, they should also be sober, according to a press release on the event. Johnson said the organization is aiming to create a comfortable space for uncomfortable conversations.
“We want people to understand it is a protest. We are protesting but we’re changing the narrative of what a protest is. Expression, music, art and dance is still a protest. We do not have to chant and yell and have anger for it to be a protest, though we will be celebrating Black, Indigenous, people of color, and trans and LGBTQ culture. It is a protest against what is going on,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the executive board, which is comprised of Black leadership, had the Fourth of July come up as a date when they were discussing when to hold the event. Johnson said the date resonated with many of them, because of the unhappiness felt in how the country has handled many decisions in regards to peoples lives. They’ve been planning the event for more than a month, he said.
“Much like Black culture, this event is something that you have to experience and feel to understand. So for any non-BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) people that are curious and want to further their understanding of the issues and traumas going on, show up with open ears and open hearts and allow the experience to fill itself in you. Listen and see what is going on without judgment and without biased, pre-thought out opinions,” Johnson said.
Filling a space
Johnson said StandSpeakListen was created in late May after he and fellow co-founder Ebony, who is Black and white, had a conversation about a different way of protesting.
George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd’s death has set off nationwide protests against systemic racism and oppression of people of color. Several local protests, demonstrations and rallies have been held in Bellingham. There has been no uniformed police officers present at any of them.
Johnson said StandSpeakListen has held several events over the past few weeks, including self-defense and situational awareness classes — which had a class specifically for femme identifying and non-binary people — Black music and dance education classes taught by Johnson, several community cleanups hosted by Ebony and most recently, a chalking event at Waypoint Park.
“I think the important thing to take away from our organization is that we have looked at the field of protests happening and we decided to fill a spot that didn’t seem to really exist, which is having the protest so centered about important issues and topics, but also having a reminder for people as to what they’re fighting for,” Johnson said. “A lot of the protests there is a lot of anger and demands and they get violent or peaceful and stay silent, but we don’t usually incorporate Black culture, art and music, and I think that is a huge factor on what is being destroyed when Black people are dying. It’s really important to remind people that we’re not just fighting for Black lives, because Black lives stand for something and mean something and there’s a whole history behind it.”
Johnson said for people who want to get involved with StandSpeakListen, the best way is to reach out to them on the organization’s Facebook or Instagram pages, and tell the organization what you’re passionate about and why. StandSpeakListen’s volunteer base, committees and board at large welcome all allies, according to a press release on the Fourth of July event.
“We listen so that we may learn. We learn so that we may teach. We teach so that we may all move forward together. It is not enough to say that there is a problem. We also have to offer comprehensive solutions,” Ebony, one of the co-founders, said in a prepared statement.
“Our aim is to create a constructive space for uncomfortable conversations. We recognize that all walks of life are different. We understand that we do not all share the same opinions, and we see these differences as an opportunity to learn so long as the intent is not rooted in hate,” the press release states.
Information about permit issues was corrected July 2, 2020.
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
