The Cedar Grove-Verona Social Justice Group is hosting a virtual youth rally for action on Saturday, August 8. The online-only event runs from 3 to 5 p.m. and will include youth speakers from the community, music, breakout room discussions and prizes donated by local businesses owned by people of color.
There will be discussion of activism through the arts, privilege and action for social change, as well as anti-racist education and prison reform. Organizers say the event will be appropriate for those age seven and up.
For the organizers, I would say youth leaders in CGSD Education Reform, Verona for BLM and the Cedar Grove-Verona Social Justice Group (CGV SJ).
CGSD Education Reform is a group of Cedar Grove High School students and alumni who wrote a petition calling for diverse education initiatives within the Cedar Grove school system that they presented to the Cedar Grove Board of Education in July.
Verona for BLM is a group of Verona High School students and alumni who organized the Rally for Justice in support of Black Lives Matter in Verona in June. Verona for BLM also drafted a petition for racial justice in Verona education that they presented to the Verona BOE in July
CGV SJ is an umbrella group representing both towns that has supported youth leaders from CGSD Ed and Verona for BLM in their various projects, and plans to tackle broad social justice issues in our towns relating to housing, education, policing, and environmental justice, among other issues.
The virtual event will be held on Zoom and you can register for it here.
