Did you attend the school walkout? Would you like to learn more about how ERHS’ community is fighting back against the current administration? This video provides everything you need to know about the city of Greenbelt’s efforts and the effect it has on those who witness it. Through noisemakers like chants, megaphones, and karaoke machines, protests around the local area have implemented unique and empowering aspects to activism. Communities across the country have taken to the streets, bridges, and schools to create change, inspiring many more people to join in. 

Greenbelt has always been a city based around community. And now, with the recent threats and violent actions caused by the presidency, Greenbelters have come together to keep their community safe. Lesley Kash, a resident, has taken to the streets to protest ICE and the current administration’s actions with the help of those who share her incentive. Her main form of display is a weekly visibility brigade on the Spellman Overpass, a pedestrian bridge going over the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. This brigade, originally invented by a group in Paramus, New Jersey, is hosted every Friday, with interchanging messages and rallying support from those in cars and those on foot. Her brigades never encourage violence or forceful participation; instead, they spread messages of love and peace.  

Lesley Kash states that the brigade is “very community oriented because we have an active resistance in Greenbelt,” alongside support from ERHS students. She notes that the demonstrations always have snacks for students to make the event an “integral part of [the] community and [build] the momentum until the election.”  

Kash recalls her enjoyment of starting such demonstrations last summer. “If we don’t enjoy what we’re doing, we can’t sustain this,” she declares. Lesley Kash underscores the importance of preparing election votes, informing others about ongoing and future socio-political efforts, and having all required documentation just in-case, such as birth certificates and passports. 

Many students at Eleanor Roosevelt High School rely on this Spellman Overpass to travel to and from the school, and a few have even taken an interest in the brigade by showing their support as they walk past. 

And Lesley isn’t the only one taking action, either. 

The Greenbelt Resistance Network, a local group of advocates, has also dedicated themselves to the art of peaceful protesting and rallying for action. They have hosted a plethora of events and have spread awareness across the city in hopes of political change over the past two years–and they don’t plan to stop, either. The network has inspired others in Greenbelt to act in unique ways. For example, the New Deal Cafe, a popular local restaurant in Greenbelt, has begun to host a monthly open mic protesting event known as “This Machine,” The first session took place on February 1st. Representatives of the Greenbelt Resistance Network were there in attendance as they secured a table in the cafe full of information about their next events and motivations. The event was focused on bringing the community together through songs of protest, most of which were original pieces which the artists volunteered to play.  

All these actions have inspired those at Eleanor Roosevelt High School to join in as well. From February 9th to February 13th, the ERHS community promoted peace and change. Students and faculty participated in “Peace Week,” a period where the school community united and reflected on the importance of peace, kindness, and understanding, featuring daily inspiring quotes, specific color themes of the day, and tips to display random acts of kindness. The UNICEF club hosted a meeting on February 10th to make protest signs for the school supported walkout on Friday, February 13th, in tandem with many other school-based walkouts and protests throughout the country. The walkout was organized by about 60 ERHS students who were passionate about bringing change to their community. Five 11th Grade students–Divine Anamara, Nmesomachi Agoh, Axel Ramos Diaz, Kasiye Woubeshet, and Violet Ridge–actively worked together to organize the successful school walkout. In this video, the students communicated their insights, goals, and messages to the public to evoke an inspirational and outspoken atmosphere.