By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
There’s no real organization. It’s just a group of mostly older folks from Yachats and Waldport who each Saturday morning show up along U.S. Highway 101 to hold up their signs.
“Black Lives Matter”
“Respect Black Lives”
“Stop killing Black people”
“Old hippie for Black Lives”
They show up when it’s sunny. When it has poured buckets. They’ve showed up when the wind has been so strong they had to hold onto light poles.
And since the first Yachats demonstration one year ago after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, 12 to 70 people have shown up at 10 a.m. for 51 consecutive Saturdays.
“There are a lot of dedicated people,” says Dave Cowden, a well-known Yachats musician who with his wife, Jonni Prince, has not missed a Saturday in the past year.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, they will show up for the 52nd week.
A full year.
“I’m relieved and gladdened that it’s still going on,” Prince told YachatsNews last week.
People who YachatsNews talked to are not sure of the impact of their weekly hour. It has helped some work through their own feelings on race. It has helped spur some discussion with people walking by. Others hope that cars or trucks full of locals or visitors – some who honk and some who display a middle finger – will take a moment to reflect on their own values.
“Hopefully it’s made some people think, ask and wonder,” said Morgan Brodie, who has stood along the highway with her sign for 49 of the past 51 weeks.
YachatsNews asked a sampling of demonstrators to put down in their own words why they spend an hour each Saturday with their signs along the highway.
Jonni Prince, Yachats
Question: Why did you decide to start?
Answer: George Floyd’s murder.
Q: What has kept you out here the past year?
A: I made a commitment.
Q: Are there times where you said, “Oh, it’s rainy, cold and nasty, I’ll skip it this week”?
A: Not once.
Q: Do you think the Saturday events have had an effect on people driving or walking through town?
A: I know they do. We’ve had people stop and thank us as they walked by. We’ve had people stop and ask us to explain to their young children what we are doing and why. We had a couple on their honeymoon who had read about the rallies, make signs and come join us. We get lots of thumbs up as people drive by. I especially am gratified when a person of color smiles and mouths “thank you” as they drive by. We do get thumbs down and occasionally are sworn at and flipped off, but that’s to be expected. We try to stay positive no matter what folks say.
Q: What do you think the weekly demonstrations say about this community?
A: I believe this community has a strong moral core and stands strong about matters of importance. I’ve been so impressed by people’s commitment. We are mostly seniors and we have our share of bad knees and backs, but being out there every week is more important than a few aches and pains.
Q: What have you learned the past year in participating in the weekly event?
A: I saw a quote recently from a new book called “Blinded by the White” by Jill Mesmer. It said “I thought the system worked. Then I realized it only worked for me.” This is what I have learned and continue to learn on this journey of discovery.
Dave Cowden, Yachats
Question: How long have you participated?
Answer: 52 weeks this Saturday.
Q: Why?
A: George Floyd’s murder and other racist events nationally.
Q: What has kept you at it?
A: A commitment to people of color in my family.
Q: Do you ever feel like skipping?
A: No.
Q: Do you think the Saturday events have had an effect on people driving or walking through town?
A: We have a very lop-sided positive response. Tourists have joined us, people roll their windows down and say “thank you.” A few have been near tears. People of color who drive by see that we “see” and support them, which is very gratifying for such a small effort on our part. I believe keeping this in the public’s conscience is only going to produce positive results.
Q: What does the protest says about Yachats?
A: Older demographic that has seen the effect of ignoring or doing nothing about culture clashes. Civil rights of ’65 is still pretty fresh to Boomers. We love it here because people care.
Q: What have you learned?
A: This is not an African-American or people of color problem. As a Caucasian of Scotch-Irish lineage, I only now have realized how huge white privilege is.
Dawn Keller, Yachats
Well, here’s the effect it had on me. Back in 2011 when the Occupy movement was happening, we were regular visitors to the Oregon coast. Driving through Yachats, I was so impressed to see someone in this tiny little town camped out on Highway 101 with a sign that said “Occupy Yachats.” I remember thinking, “I want to live in that town.” And here I am.
I went out to the first rally when I saw George Floyd murdered, and I have been there most weeks since. It is my favorite hour of the week. Peaceful protest is an important practice of democracy. I have learned a lot about how far some people in this town are willing to go to fix wrongs in our systems. My fellow protestors always inspire me to be and do better.
Cheris Kramarae, Yachats
My husband, Dale Kramer, and I have lived continuously in Yachats the past year and half. Before that, for 20 years we split our time between Yachats and Eugene.
I have participated in the BLM demonstrations for more than 40 weeks.
Joining the Yachats demonstrations helps remind me of what I think is important – vital — these days. And perhaps our activity also encourages other people passing by to think about issues important to them.
I have been participating in peaceful demonstrations since the 1970s when my husband and I took our daughters to Equal Rights Amendment marches in Illinois and Washington. Now, during the past year a visiting daughter and granddaughter have joined me for several BLM demonstrations in Yachats.
I have no illusions that even large-scale protests change things quickly. But my hope is that our Yachats demonstrations in the past year have helped keep in the air critical discussions of race and policing.
The honking, waving and thumbs up are clear approval responses to our signs. Giving the finger, thumbs down and head shaking are, to me, murkier responses to our signs that say things such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Equality for All,” and “Justice for All”. Unfortunately, the moving traffic doesn’t offer opportunities for real discussions. We need community discussion and action groups as well as sign waving to learn what people are thinking and what kinds of changes (or not) people think valuable, and about what methods can best bring about positive social change.
Barbara Davis, Waldport
I have been participating in the Saturday event since last June.
I joined the Saturday event for a number of reasons:
- To visually demonstrate that not all white people in rural Oregon agree with the police brutality and killing of people of color and to show solidarity with BLM protestors everywhere.
- In hopes that, if enough comfortably privileged white people show solidarity with the BLM protestors nationwide, that some people might start to examine their position on the issue, to re-think and educate themselves on the true history of the U.S., how racism was an intentional, deliberate tool in the building of this country.
- Frustration with watching repeated, legalized murders of black people on TV/internet but not being able to stop it.
I’m not sure if standing along the highway for 52 weeks has made any difference. I believe we need a mass, worldwide movement to change things. It remains to be seen if cultures and policies have changed. Racism benefits corporations. Corporate cash is the currency that buys power. As long as our government continues to bend over backwards to appease the corporations I’m not sure that anything will change.
I imagine that the weekly demonstrations suggest that Yachats does not endorse racism and I have gained some like-minded friends this past year standing on 101 in Yachats. I’ve come to realize that the life-long conditioning (brainwashing?) that told me I was white, superior and possessed well-earned privilege is going to take a long time — daily reading and self-examination — to reverse.
Morgen Brodie, Yachats
I’m guessing I’ve been there at least 45 weeks out of the last 52.
The killing of George Floyd and Jamie Marie’s posting that she’d be out there to witness/protest were the impetus for me to show up in the beginning.
I’ve stayed because the problems of inequities in our society continue and because Black people continue to be victimized and disproportionately killed by law enforcement. We see fresh videos weekly, sometimes daily, and have to ask how many aren’t being filmed.
Yes, there’ve been times when weather’s made it tempting to stay home, but I recognize that as privilege. Other people don’t have the luxury of sidestepping these issues, so showing up to witness is a pretty basic response.
I know some people are annoyed that we’re out there. Some people are angry and yell at us, flip us off, or blast exhaust fumes at us. Other people stop and engage in genuine conversation about the issues. Many people give us thumbs up, peace signs or thanks. But it’s not about us — it’s about awareness of what continues to happen to Black people in this country, and witnessing that it’s unacceptable. Clearly that’s not the only injustice going on, but it’s the particular one we’re responding to at this time.
I hope the Saturday vigils say that this is a respectful community where people are willing to acknowledge social wrongs and work for resolution.
I think that it’s easy for just standing out there to be performance, and that it’s essential that our presence be just one visible part of continuing to educate ourselves and work for social change. Through study, conversations and learning from Black people and other people of color, I recognize more deeply that I’m part of the problem. I’ve benefitted all my life from privileges that accrue to white people and never really had to think about it, because the structure of this country supports that. Now I feel it’s a moral imperative to examine all the ways that my privileges have cost other people and to work for justice.
Joe Danko, Yachats
I started last July and have missed only a few since then.
The killing of George Floyd was a the tipping point for me. I have been focused heavily on social justice issues and social-economic-inclusion in my work and personal life.
What has kept me out there? We have so much work to do to identify racist ideas and policies and replace them with anti-racist ideas and policies. The systemic/institutional racism issues developed centuries ago and still pervasive today include, but are not limited to the criminal justice system, policing, home ownership for Black and Brown people, quality public schools, and access and funding for higher education.
The rain and cold will never stop me from protesting
Yes, I think the protests have an impact on people. How? By making each driver and their passengers think about social justice and trying to make America a more equitable country.
These protests let people know that Yachatians stand for Black Lives, working to change racist ideas and policies and find solutions for a more equitable America.
I have learned from my fellow protestors about social justice issues. I have also continued to educate myself on our nation’s real history and social justice issues.
Jennifer Little, Waldport
I don’t remember when I first went to the protest. I estimate I’ve been out there for more than 40 weeks.
Everyone needs to have the assurance that they will be treated fairly and equally. This is fundamental. How can we continue to ignore the voices of so many in our country? We all would benefit by learning to recognize inherent, embedded racism and working to eradicate it. I wanted to stand up for these issues and commit myself to learning more about them. Reading books, talking, listening, reflection, going to this protest seemed like a good ways to start.
I am inspired both by the others who show up week after week despite whatever is going on in their lives and by the people driving or walking by. Many of them react with surprise at seeing us out there and are very excited to hear what we’re doing and how long we’ve been out there. The joy in people’s faces and the exuberance of their waves and clapping and shouted “thanks for doing this” are added reasons to keep going.
I know we have had an effect on people driving or walking by. We have seen many people filming and photographing and have seen images from our small protest on social media. People have shown up to join us from other parts of the country because they heard about us from friends or relatives or just saw our images. People are taking this message and talking about it, which is what we want to happen.
Thank you to these dedicated people!
Yes, protesting and paint on the highway are viewed positively by everyone. It somehow makes Yachats more attractive. Thank you!