Several local groups are taking a stand against racial injustice at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Smothers Park pavilion.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Owensboro Black Expo, Northwest Neighborhood Alliance, Dugan Best Neighborhood Alliance — alongside the Greater Owensboro community — are standing up for racial justice, peace and reconciliation.
The NAACP and its affiliates invite the community to support the fight against racial inequality and inequity on this “Day of Reconciliation and Peace.”
Rhondalyn Randolph, president of the Owensboro NAACP, said she has been working with county officials regarding the event and that Judge-Executive Al Mattingly agreed to be at the event to present an official proclamation declaring Thursday as a day of peace and reconciliation.
“I think there are issues within this community that we need to address, and this is an opportunity for us to state what those issues are and also to present some solutions,” Randolph said. “And also to show that we are united in this in combating racism, and we’re standing in solidarity to seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family and George Floyd’s family.”
City Commissioners Larry Conder and Pam Smith-Wright will also be speaking at the event.
Randolph said she hadn’t heard an official response from local leaders until the downtown protest happened over the weekend, which sparked a response from Mayor Tom Watson.
“I wanted to also give them an opportunity to voice their opposition to the unjust killings and also to speak peace to our community because now is the time where we need leadership and we need to work on reconciliation,” she said. “Even though we don’t have the problems that a bigger major metropolitan area may have we do have our issues nonetheless. We need to not just march and protest but we need to come up with some real common-sense solutions to tackle the problems that we face.”
A media release sent Monday states, “In the wake of the death of George Floyd — we are reminded that it’s imperative that we work together to address issues of racism in our communities. Please come in solidarity to hear the voices of your neighbors and friends. Learn how to be an anti-racist and how to take action to dismantle racism in all its forms.”
The NAACP asks that those in attendance adhere to the local social distancing guidelines and recommend wearing a mask.
