By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
YACHATS – Jonni Prince and Dave Cowden have been standing along U.S. Highway 101 in downtown Yachats each Saturday since May 30, 2020.
That’s the Saturday after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, one of whom has been convicted of second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Now, after 81 weeks, the group informally organized by Prince and her husband, Dave Cowden, are discussing whether their one-hour demonstrations each Saturday have run their course – and if there are now other ways to bring their Black Lives Matter message to the public.
“A lot of folks have started asking the same question – why are we continuing and are we having an impact?” Prince told YachatsNews.
Prince, Cowden and 12 others got together Dec. 4 following their weekly protest to discuss their feelings and what, if anything, they should do. They decided to continue the Saturday demonstrations, but meet again at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18 at Yachats Community Presbyterian Church to continue that discussion.
“For the most part people want to continue,” Prince said, but demonstrators are also asking themselves “are there things we can do without standing on the street.”
At the height of the Yachats protests, Prince said 72 people lined the highway, waving homemade signs supporting Black Lives Matter and decrying racism. That number has now declined to 10-12.
“We knew it would trickle down during the winter,” she said.
Prince said one idea is to ask the Yachats City Council to authorize a social justice committee to work on education, outreach and projects that go beyond standing along Highway 101. And, there may be other ideas.
Still some visible protests will likely go on.
“We have committed to continuing, but some are finding other ways to contribute to the cause,” Prince said. “It started with George Floyd and that Black Lives Matter. We need to be out there to show that Black Lives Matter.”
Prince said Mary Deriberprey spoke eloquently during the Dec. 4 meeting of the racism her family has encountered and urged them to continue the Saturday protests.
“’I feel safer for you being out there’,” Prince said Deriberprey told the group.
The meeting this Saturday is open to anyone interested.
“It’s an open group,” Prince said. “We always encourage people to join us … and anyone is welcome to come to the meeting.”