Residents recount experiences with racism

For the past two weeks America has faced a reckoning over racism and police violence against black people after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 sparked continuing nationwide protests.

Among the largest in Elmont and Valley Stream was on June 1, when roughly 300 demonstrators took to the streets to demand equality. There, many black protestors spoke of not just the anguish Floyd's death — and other victims of racial violence — had brought, but also their own experiences with racism.

“It left me scarred forever, but it also motivated me and it pushed me to be the proud black man that I am today,” longtime Elmont resident, Jon Johnson Sr., 52, said as he recalled a moment in which his third-grade teacher referred to him using a racial slur, and told him he would amount to nothing. “America doesn’t want to talk about racism, but we need to face it head on, and talk, because that’s the only solution.”

As a black man Johnson said he often experienced racism in the classroom from his white teachers while growing up in Queens in the 1970s, and although it left him angry, he said he doesn’t believe violence is the answer to eradicating racism. 

“The solution starts with younger generations of all races talking and educating themselves about racism and the Black Lives Matter movement because they are the future,” he said. “Black Lives Matter is a beautiful movement, and more people of all races need to get involved because black people are still fighting for our civil rights.”

Alexa Pierre, 21, also from Elmont said she experienced racism recently when after she accidentally cut another driver off while driving to Kingsborough Community College, the driver proceeded to follow her to the school parking lot and park his car next to hers.

“He then rolled down his window, and he screamed, ‘you stupid n*gger, this is why I don’t like you guys,’” she recounted emotionally. “I just stared at him in shock and I wanted to be the bigger person because I was afraid of what could be.”

Pierre, who identifies as black, believes that the solution to racism is to continue the peaceful protests, adding that she felt loved while attending the June 1 demonstration.

“It’s emotional seeing so many people gathered here for this protest, and if we don’t do this who else will,” she said. “This is the change that people need to see and they can’t stop us.”

Others said they believed the size and energy of the June 1 protest was a good sign of things to come.

“It means so much that Valley Stream and Elmont can come together for this event,” Valley Streamer Cody Suffrant, 27, said. “Long Island doesn’t do protests very often and I just feel so loved and respected because so many people came to this protest to unapologetically be one.” 

“I’m an Elmont resident and I’m proud to be part of this event,” said Sybilla Douglas, 57. “We are the voices of those who have lost their voices to racial injustice.”

Douglas, said she too has experienced racism first-hand and thinks the key to combating racism is speaking up about the injustice.  
 
“I have been called N*gger and it makes me feel angry and frustrated,” she said. “It’s not an education issue. Hatred is a choice and love is a choice.”