Following a slur displayed on a Rochester bridge, the city's Black community demands change
Apr. 17—ROCHESTER — As the owner of the food truck Shell's Kitchen, Michelle Clark is thinking about no longer working near the bridge on East Circle Drive where a racial slur was prominently displayed over the weekend.
During a town hall meeting Wednesday night at Century High School, she told a panel of community leaders, as well as a room packed with community members, that she no longer feels safe in that area.
"I sit right underneath that bridge," Clark said. "It's offensive; it's intimidating. When I close at 9 o'clock, I'm by myself most nights."
Clark was just one of a myriad of voices that came forward to express outrage and disappointment at what happened. Others expressed frustration at the level of naivety in the community that would allow people to be surprised it happened in the first place.
The panel included Mayor Kim Norton, business owners Gabriel Green and Joe Phillips, Rochester Public Schools Superintendent Kent Pekel, Rochester Police Department Capt. Jeff Stilwell, Olmsted County Sheriff Kevin Torgerson and NAACP President Wale Elegbede.
Over the course of two hours, panelists responded to questions from both the audience and moderators about the situation: Why aren't there cameras on the bridge? Is it possible to determine who was responsible? Is it possible to press charges?
Torgerson said that in spite of the harm the message inflicted on the community, it would be difficult to press charges since it wasn't directed at anyone in particular.
"We have to have an intended victim," Torgerson said. "There has to be that part to it."
But the discussion at the town hall also went beyond the bridge itself. For many at Wednesday's meeting, the specific incident was just the latest in a litany of grievances spread over years of systemic injustice. Black business owners spoke about barriers they've faced. A former school employee spoke about complaints about racism in the schools being ignored.
Century High School teacher Romerse Biddle spoke about how a racist message on a bridge is actually worse than being directed at a particular person. He described it as a "calling card" and explained whoever did it felt confident that they wouldn't have significant consequences perpetuating racism in Rochester.
Dena Cage told a story from another community where a series of messages appeared, not unlike the one displayed in Rochester. She described how the authorities there too said they couldn't do anything about it since it wasn't directed at a particular person. And then Cage went on to describe how her cousin was assaulted not long thereafter.
"It started from words," Cage said. "I don't want to be here in Rochester worried about words, or people or anything."
With little faith in the existing societal structures, several others spoke about pursuing nontraditional avenues. Nashauna Johnson-Lenoir raised the possibility of creating a nonprofit to document instances of racism.
"I want a special task force for white supremecy," another speaker, Annie Mack, said during a prolonged speech to the panel.
Even if there is nothing that can be done about the message left on the bridge over the weekend, there was a resounding cry from one speaker after another at Wednesday's meeting to ensure nothing like it happens again.
"We don't need spectators. ... We want to see what that action is that you are going to implement that we can hold you to," Moderator Stephanie Whitehorn said. "Because otherwise, this is just another meaningless conversation. ... Either you're with us or you're against us."
