November 21, 2024
By Rachel Scofield

At 2 pm on December 14, folks will gather at High Street and Poplar Avenue to spread love and positivity as part of the “Short North Support Walk for Humanity”.

Per the event page on Facebook, “So many are feeling scared, ostracized & isolated right now and need to know that there are groups of people who DO care about them! To be clear, this is NOT about politics, this is about showing up to support our fellow members of the human race! With so much divide in our country right now, we need to unite and not only talk the talk of support for our peers, but also walk the walk.”

Participants are encouraged to share their positive messages through signs or other creative means.

Pickerington couple Kathleen and Michael Minor organized the march in response to the white supremacist demonstration held in the Short North on November 16. That event drew national attention after members of the Saint Louis-based “Hate Club” paraded along High Street bearing swastika flags and shouting racial slurs.

“When I heard about the Neo Nazi March in the Short North, I was in shock,” Kathleen said. “I couldn’t wrap my head around how it’s possible that we live in a country in a time when there’s so much hate that it could be displayed in such a way. The next day, I saw a clip with audio for the first time. I couldn’t stop thinking about how we live in a world that would allow this.”

Kathleen understands the right to free speech but believes the demonstration negatively impacted many people’s feelings of safety and security.

“I’ve been continuously wrestling with how to reconcile my feelings about this and my first gut reaction was to try to find a way to move out of the country to a country where kindness and care for others is predominant behavior and displays of hatred like this aren’t tolerated. But, this is OUR country, too!

I spoke with so many people who were feeling scared for not fitting into a straight white male bucket. There’s so much pain and worry. I needed to find a way to reach out to others to build a network of support and healing. We all need to hear that there are good people out there who love and support us right now. We all need to know that regardless of election results, we’re all still connected and united.

This is the UNITED States and I can’t remember another time in my personal history where I’ve felt like we’re more divided as a nation. We need to get back to basics and remember that we all came into the world in the same way. We’re all made of human DNA. This is the time for us to come together and find commonalities to draw us together instead of focusing on our differences.

I believe that we need to bring the good in this world to the forefront and to celebrate each other while also being open and eager to learn from one another. We have to start somewhere and where better than in the same place where hatred was spewed so vehemently?

I want to flood the streets with positivity and love to show that humanity is still good. We’re united with a common goal to support all who need support. It’s really pretty simple while also being a challenge to implement at times. Be kind and love one another, even when it’s hard.”

Parking spots can be reserved online at: Short North Parking.