“16 shots.”
This was one of the many chants shouted at the protest for racial equality in Chicago on Nov. 27, which many ETHS students attended.
“It was a pretty unbelievable thing. Everyone was screaming about issues they had with people from Rahm Emanuel to the CPD,” comments sophomore Joe Frankel. “There were also other people just sitting and watching peacefully, taking it all in.”
A large group of students went to the protest because they want to make a change not just in Chicago, but the whole country. The Chicago protest was inspired by the recent release of a video showing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald being shot 16 times by a member of the Chicago Police Dept. This infuriated many and they wanted to do something about it.
The protest took place along Michigan Avenue on Black Friday. It covered the whole Magnificent Mile and, according to the Chicago Tribune, the protests resulted in stores losing 25 to 50 percent in sales that day.
“People were just chanting phrases like ‘16 shots, 13 months,’ and ‘Impeach Rahm,’ and would count up to 16, but it was overall pretty peaceful and organized compared to most protests,” comments Joe.
In the wake of these protests, a rally was held at ETHS to show that students stand in solidarity with students at various colleges such as the University of Missouri, Howard University and Yale University that are suffering from racial injustices. This rally was put together by students involved in groups like SOAR (Students Organized Against Racism).
“Being aware is the first step to resolving this issue. Keeping people in check about what they say is a lifelong duty,” mentions senior Whitney Giroux.
The ETHS rally was a positive environment for students to show solidarity and to voice their opinions. Students read poems, stories, speeches and more. Many students were able to speak about situations and problems they had been through as students of color.
“I have dealt with microagressions in my life and I know that it is a problem,” says Whitney. “I was called names like ‘oreo’ just because I am smart and play an instrument. I want people to realize that it isn’t just what they see on the outside that defines someone.”
Although ETHS is an extremely diverse school, there is a clear division among races. Many students want to see change in this area and these ETHS students are speaking out to make the change they wish to see in the world through these rallies and protests.