Why July 13th?
July 13, 2020
The murder of George Floyd in May has had a tremendous impact on and has added to the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement. As such, it is important to recognize that the Black Lives Matter movement has been in operation towards making progressive changes in Black civil rights since 2013. We believe that it is imperative that the Livingston community aligns ourselves with this Civil Rights movement, just as we have already aligned ourselves with Martin Luther King Junior’s dream for racial equality through the annual MLK day of service.
The Committee for Diversity and Inclusion in Livingston has partnered with the GreenBinz Club and Black Student Union at Livingston High School to organize an annual Black Lives Matter Service Event on July 13th, the day that the Black Lives Matter movement was founded. This will be an official day to celebrate and ally with BLM and its efforts. With that being said it is important to recognize that this is a movement, not a moment. BLM service cannot be reduced to a single performative day, as it requires a continuous commitment to anti-racist advocacy in all spaces of one's life. The July 13th proclamation ensures that Livingston will continue to advocate for and contribute to the movement with longevity.
Given the circumstances of this year, we will be hosting this event virtually for 2020. Please see below for additional information regarding the details of the event this year.