This week’s Hometown Heroes, presented by Hendrick Southpoint, are Emile Charles, Isabel Huesa and Niya Ferrington.
The three were instrumental in organizing Black Lives Matter protests around Chapel Hill in recent weeks.
“I think it is very important for us as students, as the future to stand up and demand this change and reform that we’re seeing across the nation,” said Fearrington. “People have finally got the idea that it’s a movement, not a moment. That’s something that has been constantly resonating in my mind.”
With many protests popping up across the United States in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, the three students took it upon themselves to organize similar movements in the local area.
What started out as a single protest in Chapel Hill turned into a handful more organized by different groups.
“Seeing a lot of these protests,” said Charles, “it’s hard to be in the center of them and hard to watch them, but it also feels inspiring, to see over a thousand people in our community, crying out and saying, this is wrong.”
— WCHL & Chapelboro (@WCHLChapelboro) June 3, 2020
The protests in Chapel Hill and Orange County have occurred amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but organizers encourage everyone to socially distance themselves and wear masks while demonstrating.
In addition to organizing protests, the three students are also active in talks with town leaders about their budgets and how funds can be reallocated towards different measures.
Huesa said this act of talking to local officials is the first step for anyone wanting to get involved.
“Do what they can locally and demand change from their local officials and have those conversations, those difficult conversations, in your family and in your friend groups because change starts small,” Huesa said.
Much like other protests across the country, the demonstrations in Chapel Hill were organized by students. Charles encouraged other students to come forward to carry on the movement.
“Myself, Niya, Isabel, we are all students who are invested, but we’re not the only members of the community that can do that,” he said. “Anyone can step up and organize something. So I encourage people to take that action. Don’t be afraid. Things may not go exactly as planned, but that’s all part of the process”
