TROTWOOD, Ohio– As Trotwood’s Black Lives Matter Community March got underway. Rap Hankins was out front leading the walk.
What You Need To Know
- Hundreds of people from Trotwood marched through the streets to show solidarity in the nationwide protest for Black Lives Matter
- An extended moment of silence was held in the memory of George Floyd
- Rally organizer Rob DeJene said as a predominantly black community, Trotwood had to stand up and rally against injustice
“I’m a Trotwood resident, I was on the city council for 16 years in our city,” Hankins said. “Trotwood is the largest dominant black community in the state of Ohio.”
Hankins is a spastic paraplegic from birth — but he’s never let that stop him before — and he says he wasn’t going to miss this important rally.
“As a person on crutches, I started in the front,” he said. “I’m a little slow, (so) I ended at the back. But when you start a fight, you have to finish the fight.”
Hankins was just one of the hundreds of members of the Trotwood community who showed up today for this march — and their message was clear.
“As citizens of Trotwood and as citizens of the great state of Ohio, if we’re going to finish this fight we’re going to make sure that every life is heard, that everyone is treated respectfully and the rights of people in this country and the world is going to be respected,” Hankins said.
Rally organizer Rod DeJene made intentions clear that this rally Saturday would be a self-policed, peaceful protest.
“A lot of people think that this will be a finger-pointing session at the Trotwood police, that’s not the case,” DeJene said. “I believe it’s our duty as a thriving black community to stand up for injustices for people who look like us throughout the world.”
And as the group marched for a mile and a half through Trotwood, they even showed their respect to local law enforcement. Something Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson says he loves to see.
“We have a great relationship with our community,” Wilson said. “And this was evident; I heard a lot of support for our department. Obviously, people are upset about the events that have occurred around our country. And they chose to exercise their first amendment rights. And we have no problem with that.”
He said this example is something we need to see more around the country.
“It’s respect,” Wilson said. “You know, respect the community, and demand that respect in return. I believe that’s the foundation for what we show and what we have out here. We respect our residents, and they respect us.”
Trotwood Mayor Mary McDonald was proud of the unity displayed by her city.
“We absolutely feel that we have to stand up against any injustice out anywhere,” McDonald said. “Our citizens wanted to do this, we opened the doors to make sure they could, and that’s what this was about today.”
When the march through Trotwood wrapped up — an extended moment of silence was held for George Floyd. Honoring the man who’s life was tragically taken away — sparking a national movement.
Hankins said at this moment we all need to stand together and do our part to make change a reality.
“As Ohioans, it affects every single one of us,” Hankins said. “I don’t care if you’re a republican, a democrat, or an independent like me. We need to stand up as Buckeyes; we need to join hands and fight for each other. And that’s the message. And if you’re not an Ohioan and you don’t stand with me, then shame on you. O-H!”
