Last June 3, following the killing of George Floyd, Roosevelt Island young people organized an inspiring Black Lives Matter March For Justice

from the Cornell Tech campus to Good Shepherd Plaza where they took a knee in silence for 9 minutes.

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Children, Youth & Education Committee Chair Adib Mansour was one of many very impressed with the young Roosevelt Island March For Justice organizers.

Last July, shortly after the March For Justice, Mr Mansour wrote:

I was very touched to see the youth of the island react to the racial injustice in our country; I was brought to tears to see the youth and the community taking the knee for 9 minutes on June 3rd during the March they organized.

I was born in Lebanon during the civil war there and I know what it feels to fear being in the wrong place at the wrong time, to feel fear in my bones when leaving the safety of my house. The March reminded me of a pledge I took long ago to fight for freedom, peace and love. I see a lot of parallels in current times, where black people are targeted and killed, even by the authorities that are supposed to protect them. I took the pledge again after the June 3rd March, and that this committee I chair will always be learning on how to bring change and increasing racial equity in our community and our city. As the chair of RIRAs Children, Youth & Education Committee I am making the commitment that we will be engaging in activities and actions that support our black youth and make sure that we are addressing systematic racial injustices.

Following the April 20 conviction of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, Mr Mansour adds:

Here’s are more scenes from the June 3 Roosevelt Island March For Justice

and the RIRA Zoom conversation with March organizers.