Powerful stuff from Booker T Washington seniors supporting #blacklivesmatter#tulsa#TerenceCrutcher@tulsaworldpic.twitter.com/ycgFuUtD6P
— Jarrel Wade (@JWPrairieDog) September 23, 2016
What looked like a normal high school pep rally quickly turned into a powerful peaceful protest at Booker T. Washington high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The band played and students cheered on one side of the gymnasium, while the other side stood stern and quiet draped in black as they awaited their opportunity. Suddenly as the band briefly paused, they all rose with their hands up in unison in remembrance of Terence Crutcher, who had his hands up when he was killed by Officer Betty Shelby . And just like that, a pep rally turned into a moment of silent protest for Terence Crutcher and all of the victims of police violence in the past few years.
As the camera panned through the crowd, I noticed people of all races standing together with their hands up in protest of injustice. It created some powerful images that may be a sign that our next generation will be the ones that figure out what true equality is, and tear down the systems that deny it to all citizens.