Austin Liberation Youth Movement Organizes March for Defunding Police
By: Christa McWhirter
AUSTIN, TX — Austin Liberation Youth Movement organized a march on Saturday, July 11, from the Texas State Capitol to City Hall in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The new organization, which came together in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, has recently garnered attention for their outspoken support of defunding the Austin Police Department and investing back into local communities.
The march began with several speakers, including Councilwoman Delia Garza, who spoke to the current demands of the movement. As many community leaders have been as of late, Garza called for unity amongst youth before ending with a request for the people to hold her accountable.
Despite the 102-degree weather, organizers began the march around 2:15 p.m. down Congress Avenue. Almost immediately, protesters called out many of the same chants people have heard across the nation — including a call and response of, “Black Lives!” “Matter!” as they walked over the “Black Austin Matters” street mural.
Upon arrival at City Hall, a hand-washing station was set up and organizers impressed the importance of COVID safety precautions.
ALYM had more speakers once at City Hall— including Chas Moore, executive director of Austin Justice Coalition. Previously, Moore has been clear in his stance to not attend any further rallies, however he expressed that he owed this to the Austin students.
“To the students here today,” said Moore, “we wouldn’t have this movement without any of you.”
After the speeches, organizers assembled a memorial for Breonna Taylor. The display included flowers, candles, heartfelt notes and teddy bears donated by a protester.
The day had an overall tone of impassioned anger and an unwillingness to accept less than the changes being asked. Despite the overwhelmingly peaceful atmosphere, it is clear Austin’s youth is fed up with the current policies of the city — particularly the overarching role of law enforcement.
“Obviously, we’re at a point where that’s not going to work anymore,” said Krupali Kumar, 16, one of Austin Liberation Youth Movement’s members who helped organized the march.
The teens are in no way disillusioned to the challenges they have, and will continue to face during this movement.
“We understand that in order for us to effectuate change, we cannot rely on older generations. We can not rely on politicians. We cannot rely on corporate leaders to make decisions for our futures,” Krupali said. “We understand that if we want to change the outcome of our future, we need to do that change. We need to demand that change ourselves. We can’t rely on anybody else to do that for us, because this is ultimately our future.”
The organization isn’t at all vague about their demands of Austin’s local government, either.
“Our organization is committed to defunding the police and investing in communities,” said Aaron Booe, 18, another organizer of ALYM. “Our ultimate goal is police abolition.”
Kari Brown, 17, also a member of the organization, expressed the rationality of their goals.
“What we’re advocating for and talking about is really not that extreme,” remarked Brown. “It’s just that within our society, like we’ve normalized police. Whether it’s in school or in our neighborhoods and communities so much that, that’s what people are used to.”
This is not the first time we have seen the youth — particularly in marginalized communities of color — rise up in America. According to Booe, Black and Brown communities have been pleading for the same thing since 1964.
“We settled for the civil rights act of ’64. Civil Rights was not solved, it was compromised on. And that’s why we’re here today.”
Over the years since the initial relief of the Civil Rights Act, tensions have risen to the point the country is seeing now.
“There’s a lot of anger that people have sort of been forced to compromise on and there’s going to become a point where people get very angry and that anger is going to push itself up and make a very, very dramatic impact,” said Booe. “We can’t just keep putting this off. We have to address it eventually.”
The group’s organizers impressed the importance of listening to Black and Brown anger and amplifying their voices during this movement.
“It’s really important to focus on amplifying Black voices right now,” said Brown. “Whether it’s with gentrification or, as we’ve seen, the police violence in Austin, time and time again, Black people are just not being heard.”
According to Brown, the youth today “really have the power and it’s really up to us to change and affect what we’re talking about with implementing these policies in society.”
Despite their age, this generation of youth is more informed than many older Americans ever had at the ability to be that age. With all the world’s knowledge at their fingertips, these young activists are clearly well-informed and are ready to take action.
“We’re not stupid kids,” Booe stated frankly. “We’re not silly kids. We have ideas and we’re willing to speak out and organize on behalf of those set ideas.”
*Edited 7/14/2020 to update an incorrectly spelled last name of a source (Boone to Booe.)
