JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dozens of people marched through the streets of Jacksonville Saturday morning in response to the racist mass shooting that left three people dead at a Dollar General three weeks ago.
As part of the ‘Take Back the Mic” campaign, the group is calling on elected officials to end policies and stop rhetoric they say is divisive.
“Talk is cheap, if you want to make a difference you have to actually show up and do something," Lashan Wright-Kitchen, a concerned community member, said.
Chanting and marching in the crowd were religious leaders, community organizations and concerned citizens. Members from organizations such as Repairers of the Breach, March for Our Lives, the League of Women Voters, Moms Demand Liberty, and Mad Dads were part of the crowd.
The group started at The Bethel AME Church and ended at city hall, where organizers spoke out against politicians and state policies that they say are divisive and spread hate.
"Violent language, violent imagery, and the demonizing and dividing others truly has an effect, violence breeds more violence," Donna Cooney, a Revered with the United Church UCC-DOC, said.
The group held a prayer for the victims of the Dollar General mass shooting Angela Michelle Carr, Jerrald Gallion, and Anolt Joseph Laguerre Jr.
The organizers are behind a letter delivered to Governor Ron DeSantis asking him to cease and desist what they call divisive language. The governor publicly responded to criticism from a veteran during a press conference last week, saying he will not be "accused of committing a crime" in connection with the mass shooting or state gun laws.
That veteran was Timothy Robinson, who was part of this crowd Saturday and are still asking for the governor to change his view.
"They’re posture needs to change, how you present yourself, how you talk, it encourages either peace, open conversation, or it encourages divide in the state one group against another group. So I’m hoping to see change," Robinson said.
“We need to stick together because what happens to one, happens to all," Wright-Kitchen, said.
The group is calling on state leaders to address issues like low wages, gun laws, voter rights and health care access.