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Public Employee Press
Marching for Justice &
Unity African American
Day Parade A host of city officials and dignitaries joined
thousands of African Americans including more than 1,000 DC 37 members
Sept. 17 at the 38th annual African American Day Parade in Harlem.
This year we had one of our largest turnouts, said DC 37 Black
History Committee Chair Kevin Smith, who is also president of MTA Clerical Employees
Local 1655. Each year this celebration gets bigger and better. Large
groups from locals 371, 420, 1549 and 1655 and the Retirees Association strengthened
the DC 37 contingent, which was coordinated by Cynthia Chin-Marshall, co-chair
of the unions Black History Committee. For the second consecutive
year, DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts was named Grand Marshall of the
Harlem community event, which draws hundreds of thousands of cheerful spectators
of all races. U.S. Congress member Charles Rangel, City Comptroller William Thompson
and the Rev. Al Sharpton were among the leaders as participants paraded 31 blocks
up Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard from 111th Street to 142nd Street. They marched
under the parades banner message of Unity, Justice, Dignity and Economic
Empowerment. Members and their families celebrated African
American heritage as they waited their turn to march, enjoying food, games and
music presented by DJ Debonair, who excited the crowd of parade observers along
the route. The DC 37 locals joined more than 300 community and professional
organizations that included TWU Local 100, SEIU1199, the NAACP, the Vulcan Society
of African American Firefighters, 100 Black Men, 100 Black Women, the National
Society of Black Engineers and college fraternities and sororities. The marchers
came from 12 states, representing a vast cross section of African Americans. Additional
grassroots groups marched for justice in war-torn Darfur and for political prisoners.
The parades colorfully clad dancers, drummers and glittering floats
eclipsed the brilliance of the day. As the wide spectrum of African Americans
municipal workers, business owners, professionals, churches and fraternities
streamed by with dignity and cultural pride, Smith said, DC 37 can
be very proud of its role in this years parade. Best
of all we had our future labor movement members children and grandchildren
holding our union banners high, Smith said. The children wore
T-shirts that read, We are on the move! That was really impressive,
it was something to see.
Diane S. Williams | |