MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) Following the lead of cities across the country, Vermont’s capital city is making its support for the Black Lives Matter movement known through a street art display.
The words “Black Lives Matter” are now painted in large yellow letters outside the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier.
On Saturday morning, more than 100 volunteers showed up to paint the 20-foot mural.
“It’s definitely a huge message to write it in front of the capitol where legislators will drive everyday so they’ll just have to be reminded every morning and hopefully that will create some positive change,” said volunteer Bailey Sherwin.
Karen Hanron of Montpelier is also glad the painting is in a visible spot.
“This is a main street though town,” she said “Everyone’s going to have to see it and then work with whatever their responses are to that.”
Noel Riby-Williams, who organized the volunteer effort, says this is the first step in Vermont condemning systemic racism and supporting those affected by it.
“One day at a time and conversations at a time and actions at a time, so I really think this is a good statement to start,” Riby-Williams said. “It’s right in front of our statehouse, it’s in our state capital, so it makes a huge statement that Vermont is ready to start making change.”
The group of volunteers says actions still speak louder than words and they want lawmakers to show their support through legislation.
“We have to reckon with the things that we’ve done in our past. We have a chance to, using all of the tools at our disposal, to reinvent our country around this issue, around racism,” said Ben T. Matchstick.
“Acknowledge the damage and the devastation that’s been inflicted on African Americans and people of color. It’s just time. It’s over time,” said Hanron.
Riby-Williams says she hopes the next step state lawmakers take is making Juneteenth, the celebration of the end of American slavery, an official holiday.
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Community paints 'Black Lives Matter' on road in front of Vt. Capital - WCAX
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