SANFORD (WGME) — Black Lives Matters protestors gathered at Gowen Park in Sanford on Saturday.
It was similar to other protests in that it was peaceful and vocal. The majority of the people who showed up were students from Sanford High School.
During the protest, members of the black community shared their stories of when they’ve experienced racism in their community.
Deante Campbell moved to Sanford from Jamacia when she was 10 years old. She is now a senior at Sanford High School.
“I did not know I had to come and fight for my life,” Campbell said.
She told CBS 13 she didn’t expect the racism she faces in school every day.
“I was so used to that harassment that I didn’t go to my school administration because that’s how I thought that was the normal way of being treated as a black kid at my school and that’s not OK,” Campbell said.
“Being in an all-white community and having three or four colored friends in our school it’s hard,” said Campbell’s friend Skyla Leighton.
Both of girls say there need to be more black and ethnic studies in school.
“We need to educate people,” Campbell said. “My sister is five-years-old. I don’t want her to go into the school system to face harassment, discrimination, racism that I had to face in school.”
“The fact that we don’t feel welcome where we live at our own home it sucks,” said Leighton.
“There’s just so much hate going around,” added Reverend Jeffery Mcilwain who was also there to stand up for people of color.
It was because of Campbell and her friends that he came to Sanford.
“To see the young people coming out, standing up for peace and justice having a seat at the table for people who haven’t had a seat at the table to try to make a difference I have to come out,” Mcilwain said.
Mcilwain has been protesting for the black community for 40 years. He said this is a step in the right direction, but there is still more work that needs to be done.
“It’s about doing the right thing. It’s about treating each other with respect. It’s not hard. It’s not rocket science,” he said.
Sanford’s city manager declared an emergency curfew for Saturday from 10 p.m. – 5 a.m.
The city says it is to prevent late-night rioting and to protect property from being damaged.
