A day before Father's Day, a group of protesters hit the streets to support Black Lives Matter and promote the role fathers play in shaping the next generation.
The Saturday demonstration in Crenshaw, called "Fathers & Children March for Unity, Equality and Justice," was smaller in size, but carried a strong message on leadership and teaching future generations how to fight for equality.
“It's going to take us being the example and showing other children,” James Mackey, the organizer of this march and a father himself, said.
He wants the Black community to know that it needs Black men to lead, and teach lessons that can be taught from a father or father figure to the youth.
“Fathers are the pillar in our community. And unfortunately within our communities fathers have been absent for one reason or another. So I felt that it was important to bring fathers together,” Mackey said.
The march was meant to remind men of their influence on kids, in order to teach them how to cope with racism, police brutality and inequality while also trying to better the world around them.
“It’s sad that being an African American that my message to my children about dealing with police officers and dealing with police brutality is different from everybody else's and it shouldn't be that way,” Officer London McBride said.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
He’s a father of five and a police officer trying to teach unity and love, and believes racism is learned behavior.
“Especially working in the profession of law enforcement, I am so willing to plant those seeds to do whatever my part is, just to make sure that this thing grows,” McBride said.
The Alanes family drove from Costa Mesa to LA’s Crenshaw district to show their teenagers the importance of standing up for what's right, and to show them the various ways to fight for equality.
“There's lots of ways to make change in the community, it doesn't have to be just marches. It can be donations, it can be more education, it can be your vote,” Kristi Alanes said.
Protesters called on fathers to be present as the effort to end racism will be a long battle.
“It's a continuous conversation. And you not only teach by your words but you also teach by your actions,” Mackey said.
