app NAACP President Saharra Bledsoe hopes that everyone who attended Saturdayapps rally on the lawn of the Allen County Courthouse walked away with a little more knowledge and understanding.
appThe NAACP is 100% guaranteed to be here for you,app Bledsoe said to the assembled crowd.
Saturdayapps Rally for Equality, Justice and Truth focused on challenges the Fort Wayne community faces app particularly issues of gun violence and police misconduct, and the need for equitable opportunities. Rally organizers also spoke about the need for joy and unity in order to come together and build a better community. Speakers Saturday included NAACP State Conference President Sadie B. Harper-Scott, local community leaders, and the families of people who have died while in custody or in police-involved shootings.
Five people have died so far this year in shootings involving police officers. Family members of some of those who were killed expressed sadness and anger in their remarks Saturday, and vowed to continue to fight for justice for their lost loved ones.
appTheyappre murdering us like dogs in the street,app said Samantha Caston, the daughter of Samuel Caston, who was killed by police on Sept. 16. appWe need to stand together and band together. Our community is suffering right now.app
Fort Wayne Police have said Caston, 59, was shot dead when officers responded to a domestic violence report at a home in the 5900 block of Hessen Cassel Road. Police allege Caston drove his vehicle into a squad car before fleeing down nearby Leith Street. During the pursuit, police claim Caston fired a weapon at the officers, who returned fire, striking Caston, who died at the scene.
Samantha Caston has said her father was unarmed when he was killed and on Saturday told the crowd he did not deserve to have his life taken that night.
On Saturday, Samantha Caston said that almost a month later, the police department still hasnappt appanswered any of my questions.
appThey want me to go under. They want me to be quiet. They want me to go away,app she told the crowd. appIappm not. Iappm going to continue to pop up like a hurricane. Iappm not going anywhere."
Itapps important to hear from people like Samantha Caston, Bledsoe said, because many appdonappt understand what weappre experiencing and what we represent, that itapps happening in our city, in our nation too much.
appI felt like not only did the people involved, the parents, the mothers, the fathers, the sisters and the brothers, the uncles and the aunts, need an opportunity since justice isnappt coming to them in the way they thought it should be, even the opportunity for justice in this city is unfair,app she said. appI felt like this was a great way for them to be able to be heard.app
Harper-Scott, the state conference president, stressed that the NAACPapps goal is to partner withthe community and local police to appmake things much better.app
appOur kids are struggling, and we have amazing kids, kids who do want to be police officers,app she said. appHow do we help them do that in a very decent way?app
The NAACPapps goal isnappt to simply highlight problems, Bledsoe said, but to also identify solutions and foster unity.
appWe can come to conclusions together, because that is the only way for justice to work and for truth to be known,app Bledsoe said, adding that the NAACP has room for everyone who wants to be a part of the solution.
appIf you havenappt experienced injustice, then somebody in your city is. Just reach out to the NAACP, become a member, become engaged, get involved,app she said. appWe believe that every step of the way, wherever people are involved and engaged, they need the NAACP, because the NAACP needs them and wants them.app
