On Fri., April 23, dozens of people gathered outside of East Liberty Presbyterian Church for a Racial Justice Vigil. Among those participating were members of East Liberty Presbyterian Church, the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus, Eastminster Presbyterian Church, as well as other community members. The protesters gathered in a line, holding up signs, and cheering as cars honked along South Highland Avenue. Bible verses, Martin Luther King Jr. quotes, and the names victims donned the signs of participants.
Upon arriving, I spoke with some of the vigil participants, including the head pastor of East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Reverend Randy Bush, who explained how his church is interracial and is committed to equality and racial justice. Last year, the church held a similar vigil in response to the death of George Floyd. After the conclusion of Derek Chauvin trial, during which Chauvin was found guilty on all accounts, Bush explained he wanted the message not to be lost in the headlines. The signs of many protesters, which read, “Still Work to be Done,” reflected this sentiment.
This article appears in Apr 21-27, 2021.
