What happens when marching season ends?

Pittsburgh City Photos: An exploration of the city through photographs

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CP Photo: Jared Wickerham

Trans YOUniting marches during a protest through downtown on Thu., Oct. 8, 2020

Thursday night's Trans YOUniting march through downtown from the City County building to Market Square and back was a fairly small one. Despite its size, the group didn't want to give up on mobilizing and marching. They wanted to educate those driving by, walking the streets, or out to dinner about injustices the Black and transgender communities deal with on a daily basis. Chants of "Mia Green, say her name" echoed down Smithfield Street, the name of a Black transgender woman who spent time in Pittsburgh, and was found shot in a car in Philadelphia on September 28th before succumbing to those injuries and dying at a nearby hospital.

"Marching season is almost over," said one of the organizers at Thursday's action. But what happens when the weather turns, the election is over, the pandemic continues, and people are still fighting for equality in Pittsburgh? I certainly do not have those answers, but I'm hoping that they exist. Some of these organizers at the grassroots level have shown incredible leadership and certainly deserve a seat at any table to bring diversity and educate others on how to be inclusive of so many who are often marginalized.

Having covered around fifty protests since continuous Black Lives Matter protests began in May, I've listened and realized how Pittsburgh isn't the same city for everyone in so many ways. Just because time passes, energy is depleted, and other stories take over the headlines, that doesn't mean that these issues are any less relevant.

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