A gathering slightly larger than the previous Thursday formed just after 5 p.m. Thursday afternoon at the gazebo in downtown Mineola.

Before they started north through town, Vanessa Blackwell addressed the couple dozen who had rallied.

“We are here today because this has been a state of emergency. This has been a state of emergency because we have lost too many lives: we have Breanna [Taylor]; we have Trayvon [Martin]; we have Chris Griffin; we have George Floyd.”

Martin was killed by George Zimmerman in Florida in 2012. Taylor was murdered by police in her Louisville home March 13. Griffin was shot behind the Mineola EZ Mart June 15,  2014 by Jason Walters who was acquitted of murder by a Wood County jury. Floyd died under the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25. Chauvin was charged with 3rd degree murder and 2nd degree manslaughter May 29, after several days of protests in Minneapolis. There was a public viewing Monday, June 8 in Houston, Floyd’s hometown.

Alyssa Cannon said a prayer before things got under way. “Lord, thank you for this day, thank You for all of our lives, thank You for everything that You do for us. Thank you for giving us the strength to walk all the way to Walmart.

“Lord, please bring peace to this world. And God, thank you for just letting us be able to do this and to come together as a community.”

Shortly before they headed off toward Pacific Ave., an angry white woman in a large brown pickup stopped at the intersection. She yelled obscenities at the crowd, to which several of them replied with, “God bless you,” “Have a nice day,” and “We love you.”

She grew more agitated, hollering, “It’s not about black people, it’s about everybody. We don’t love you.” She called the protesters pathetic, losers, flipped them off, then drove away.

If she had heard Blackwell’s words moments prior, perhaps they could have found some common ground.

“If there’s no justice, there will be no peace. No peace to me means that we will not sleep until justice is served –justice for everyone. Everyone’s lives – my life matters, your life matters. I have five black young sons that I am raising myself, and to me, their lives matter.”

“The reality part of it is, riots are happening today and have happened – and I do not condone it. But until something is done, we will not allow these things to keep getting swept up under the rug. Our voices will be heard. Until they’re heard, no justice and no peace.”

After walking out in front of the previous week’s march, Hunter Barr requested that a black man or woman lead the way this time. Kelly Wishart asked that he be right up there with her. “Actually you know what, I think it needs to be both, she said. “I think it needs to be both.”

So side-by-side, together they strode.

At the end of their march, the group congregated. Barr said, “I know that walk sucks, and it’s hot, but we can’t quit now.”

He continued, “We’re going to do this until we can stop doing it, OK?” to which several responded with enthusiasm, “All right!”

“As long as y’all are here, what can they do? We’re not going to stop.”

Another rally is planned 5 p.m. Thursday at the gazebo in downtown Mineola.