• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Wellesley Square
  • School
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Charities/Community
  • Arts
  • Camp
  • Kids
  • Environment/Sustainability
  • Events
  • About us
  • Subscribe
  • Natick Report
  • COVID-19
  • Letters to the Editor
  • 2021 Town Election
  • Bulletin Board
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Boston Sports Institute, Wellesley

Wellesley unites against injustice

May 31, 2020 by Bob Brown 9 Comments

wellesley vigilwellesley vigil

Hundreds of people, many holding signs bearing the names of those killed in recent years while in police custody, lined Washington Street in Wellesley from Reidy Field past the tennis courts in a mostly silent vigil on Sunday afternoon.

The somber crowd, facing the road as honking vehicles drove by, urged justice for George Floyd and an end to police brutality.

World of Wellesley’s Michelle Chalmers, ringing a bell, spoke impassionedly about fighting racism as she walked the length of the crowd.

Wellesley Police kept a low profile at the peaceful event.

The vigil took place one day after a similarly sized crowd gathered on Natick Common in a demonstration focused on the same issues. Protests, some turning violent and resulting in curfews, continue to spread across the country.

 

View this post on Instagram

Hundreds of people unite in #Wellesley Mass to urge #justiceforgeorgefloyd & an end to police brutality #vigil #BLM #swellesley #peacefulprotest

A post shared by Swellesley Report (Wellesley) (@theswellesleyreport) on May 31, 2020 at 2:07pm PDT

wellesley vigilwellesley vigil

wellesley vigilwellesley vigilwellesley vigilwellesley vigil

MORE:

  • Subscribe to Swellesley’s daily email
  • Please consider contributing to Swellesley to sustain our independent journalism venture
print
Share

Filed Under: Neighbors

Comments

  1. Jackie's Girl says

    June 8, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    Thank you, Caroline, for your thoughtful recommendations for positive change! I hope the School Committee will listen to your recommendations and take action.

    Reply
  2. 100 says

    June 2, 2020 at 8:15 pm

    So they can organize a peaceful socially distanced protest, but can’t organize a peaceful socially distanced high school graduation?

    Reply
  3. Stephanie H. says

    June 2, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    Being one of the wealthiest communities in MA, I would encourage investing in eradicating racism as well. Some examples include investing in school systems in BIPOC communities (some schools don’t even have enough textbooks for each student), donating to bailout funds, divest from for-profit prisons, fund cultural competency and racial bias trainings for police and in organizations and companies. Please also read and have your children read BIPOC history from BIPOC authors. It’s not enough to protest without taking real actionable steps to change the racial climate and advance BIPOC.

    *BIPOC stands for Black and Indigenous People of Color

    Reply
  4. Dan says

    June 1, 2020 at 1:28 pm

    Lock your doors.

    Antifa is threatening the suburbs now. The threats were made via Twitter. Anyone have any other info?

    https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/antifa-warns-alert-f-the-city-tonight-we-move-into-the-residential-areas/

    Reply
    • SG says

      June 1, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      This article is about protesting the murder of black men by the police. Do you have anything to add to that conversation Dan?

      Reply
    • SG says

      June 2, 2020 at 10:16 am

      It was a white supremacist group posing as antifa. Lock your doors indeed – the skinheads are coming.

      https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/twitter-takes-down-washington-protest-disinformation-bot-behavior-n1221456

      Reply
  5. Caroline Fahey says

    June 1, 2020 at 12:28 pm

    Hello!

    My name is Caroline Fahey and I am a graduate from WHS Class of 2012.

    I attended this silent vigil and it was really amazing to see that so many people in this community care. It was very hopeful. I do think that it is super important to have a space where residents can vocalize their frustrations and anger in a peaceful way without being silent. Having uncomfortable conversations with one another is how we learn and how we start to make change.

    I am curious to know what the Wellesley Public Schools and organizations in this community plan to do to implement change, especially when it comes to education.

    While I am unfamiliar with the current academic programing, I do know that many WHS graduates feel that there was not enough programming done from an early age that taught us what white privilege is, black history, and how to be anti-racist. I also have a 16 y/o sister at the high school currently who feels similarly. We really should be re-thinking the way children develop behaviors from a very early age so that when they witness racial-injustice or in-justice of any kind they can confidently speak up and use their voice without feeling uncomfortable or nervous. This shouldn’t be one seminar, one class or one assembly every 12 years. And it shouldn’t happen only after racial incidents occur, which sadly happens too often in this town.

    I don’t have the perfect solution and I am not a teacher or work in the education system, but I do know that there are so many brilliant, powerful, caring and loving people in this community that want the world to be a better place. So let’s try to brainstorm together.

    Thanks,
    Caroline Fahey

    Reply
  6. Michelle Chalmers says

    May 31, 2020 at 7:23 pm

    Thank you Deborah and the Wellesley community and our neighbors. My son said he wished he could have asked everyone who came a question,”Why did you come?” It would be amazing if people would share their answers.
    Peace,
    Michelle Chalmers
    World of wellesley

    Reply
    • Bob Brown says

      May 31, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      Hi Michelle,

      Your son asks an excellent question. Our answer in part: To help those who couldn’t attend get a feel for what took place.
      –Bob

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Linden Square, Wellesley
Fran's Flowers
Clearhaven Recovery

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to [email protected]
Wellesley Square ad
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Admit Fit, Wellesley
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Fay School, Southborough
Wellesley Theatre Project
The Moving-Pictures Company
image of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
covid vaccine
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click here to read our Natick Report

Natick Report

Most Read Posts

  • Newton-Wellesley Orthopedic Walk-In—no appointment needed
  • Wellesley Give & Take update
  • Wellesley Board of Health recap: Prom off; latest COVID & vax numbers; after-school conundrum; mental health resources
  • Wellesley Police log: Sneaking into stables; pricey check scheme; neighbor throwdown
  • Beyond Wellesley: Swellesley goes to Eastie

Events Calendar

« April 2021 » loading...
S M T W T F S
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
Wed 21

Wellesley Select Board online office hours

April 21 @ 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Wed 21

Select Board office hours

April 21 @ 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Thu 22

Ben Franklin, The Early Years: Wellesley Historical Society online lecture

April 22 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Sat 24

WellesleyRocks concert: Shira Doron & Patrick Hayden; Bigfoot acoustic

April 24 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Mon 26

Virtual lab tour, pooled COVID testing

April 26 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Pages

  • Guidelines for Letters to the Editor
  • How to submit your flyer for the Community Bulletin Board page
  • Wellesley Community Bulletin Board
  • Wellesley coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads
  • Wellesley, Mass., fishing spots
  • Wellesley Choral Society
  • Wellesley College Notable Alumnae
  • Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass.
  • Wellesley outdoor art gallery
  • Wellesley restaurants offering take-out and delivery
  • Wellesley, Massachusetts restaurant — Amarin of Thailand

Recent Comments

  • Abby on Beyond Wellesley: Swellesley goes to Eastie
  • CH on Beyond Wellesley: Swellesley goes to Eastie
  • Donna on Wellesley weathers April snow
  • Maria T on Wellesley Give & Take update
  • Haihong Li on Wellesley Give & Take update

Links we like

  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Taquitos.net
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (21)
  • Animals (388)
  • Antiques (48)
  • Art (544)
  • Beyond Wellesley (31)
  • Books (345)
  • Business (1,382)
  • Camp (1)
  • Careers/jobs (46)
  • Churches (73)
  • Clubs (211)
  • Construction (282)
  • Dump (114)
  • Education (2,921)
    • Babson College (244)
    • Bates Elementary School (14)
    • Dana Hall School (29)
    • Fiske Elementary School (6)
    • Hardy Elementary School (33)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (34)
    • MassBay (49)
    • Schofield Elementary School (20)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (1)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (9)
    • Upham Elementary School (30)
    • Wellesley College (600)
    • Wellesley High School (895)
    • Wellesley Middle School (195)
  • Embracing diversity (52)
  • Entertainment (729)
  • Environment (680)
  • Fashion (134)
  • Finance (13)
  • Fire (144)
  • Food (328)
  • Fundraising (565)
  • Gardens (137)
  • Government (426)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
  • Health (761)
    • COVID-19 (153)
  • History (361)
  • Holidays (367)
  • Houses (121)
  • Humor (45)
  • Kids (819)
  • Law (3)
  • Letters to the Editor (12)
  • Media (63)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (3)
  • Morses Pond (97)
  • Music (546)
  • Natick Report (28)
  • Neighbors (252)
  • Obituaries (62)
  • Outdoors (589)
  • Parenting (60)
  • Police (704)
    • Crime (358)
  • Politics (545)
  • Real estate (294)
  • Religion (127)
  • Restaurants (306)
  • Safety (143)
  • Scouts (1)
  • Senior citizens (111)
  • Shopping (123)
  • Sports (907)
  • STEM (107)
  • Technology (159)
  • Theatre (383)
  • Town Meeting (22)
  • Transportation (212)
  • Travel (12)
  • Uncategorized (1,212)
  • Volunteering (319)
  • Weather (169)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (259)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (5)
RSS Feed Icon Subscribe to RSS Feed

© 2021 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login