Mass protests have been breaking out across the country and the rest of the world. Hundreds of protesters filled the streets the past week and weekend in Springfield, marching with the rest of the world in the wake of the May 25th killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis by police. As the days have gone on, calls for change across the nation, beyond justice for Floyd, have become more clear. Many have demanded a reallocation of funding for police departments to areas such as education, as well as other measures to address systemic racism within the criminal justice system and beyond.
In Springfield, solution-oriented discussions specific to the city are ongoing, and activists both old and new are promising to band together for change. Officials are taking note and joining their ranks, alongside many people of all walks of life, including Manny & Dalesha, one of Springfield’s local celebrities who run the hit YouTube channel show ‘Dalesha’s Life’.
The pair, who are a legally blind couple, have for the past year been sharing their day-to-day life, achievements and sometimes struggles of being one of the America’s only legally blind interracial couples. And being blind and interracial in these times has pushed them to the center of conversation amongst these life-changing protests.
The pair, who stand for equality, unity and justice for all, were seen marching alongside hundreds of others hoping their presence and voices/signs would help create a change too. Whether everything everyone is doing will create a long-lasting change is yet to be determined, but with the passion and Black Lives Matter message stronger than ever, hope for a better future for all right now and moving forward hopefully will happen!