East Palo Alto Peaceful Demonstration

I was honored to be invited by my niece Alanna Stevenson who organized this event in East Palo Alto. Nothing is as important as supporting our young leaders especially when it comes to such an important topic. Throughout my career, I have seen too many protests and demonstrations go terribly wrong because of the "Us v Them" mentality and rhetoric. The police and the public are a team. They are both looking for the same thing, peace. During this demonstration, the police department and the community worked together to create a peaceful atmosphere where communication could take place, and it did. Voices were heard and bonds were formed. To Alanna Stevenson, keep going. You are the difference we need. Do not accept simple diversity but insist on inclusion because it is the lynchpin for equality in our society. 

Quincy K. Ruffin