Guillermo CastroIn the wake of the police killings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, thousands of protestors took to the Atlanta streets demanding justice and reform. For five consecutive nights, diverse bodies of people marched in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, lashing out a society and culture that many feel is systematically racist and inherently corrupt. Despite the sweltering heat and scattered confrontations with police, the demonstrations were largely non-violent with few arrests reported. This is a tribute to both march organizers and the spirit and legacy of our city as the seat of the Civil Rights Movement.
From last Thursday’s opening march from the Five Points station to Piedmont Park, to Monday night’s showdown at the Governor’s Mansion in Buckhead, Atlanta musicians have played a unique role in aiding and energizing the movement. One of the activists most responsible for organizing and spreading the word to the local music community was Christopher Hollis, an Atlanta musician, engineer, and a member of WRFG’s Labor Forum program, who has worked with Rise Up on campaigns to advance racial and education justice.
At the behest of march organizers, Hollis urged musicians through word of mouth and Facebook groups like ATL is Ready to join the protests and bring along any available drums and horns. A post in Creative Loafing’s Crib Notes helped the call go viral.
The idea was to offer music to the movement in order to energize the crowd and to show respect for the many black lives lost at the hands of the state. “Until this disease called white supremacy is eradicated,” Hollis says, “it will always be important for anyone to support black and brown lives. Atlanta musicians do not exist in a bubble outside of this context. We are involved in this world, with jobs, families, friends, wage discrepancies, poverty, privilege, and not to mention so many beautifully talented black musicians in this city. It’s important for all to join in on the movement and get plugged in with an organization or work, no matter your skill.
“But it must also be noted that these marches and protests the past five days have been made up by a coalition of members from grassroots organizations that have come together. Black Lives Matter Atlanta is one organization with members on the ground, but also Rise Up Georgia, AUC Shut It Down, Southerners On New Ground, Freedom University, Fight for $15, Women on the Rise, Atlanta Black Students United, and the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement.”
Credit: Ryan Vizzions / IG: @amodernghost
As the protests spread and grew, musicians began to take on an increased role in the demonstrations. Drumlines were formed to help provide a rhythm for the marches and to help galvanize the crowds when exhaustion would inevitably sink in. Songwriter Joshua Loner, who fronts the local band LONER, was one of the first musicians to respond to Hollis’ call, and participated in the drumline on Sunday and Monday. According to Loner, the kinetic motion that drumming provides helped to create a unifying atmosphere that lifted many people up and encouraged others to get involved.
“The beauty of music is that it can destroy communication barriers and help people to relate and express emotion and ideas,” says the guitarist and singer. “It is a medium of communication that does not inherently require linguistic or cultural similarity.”
Hollis concurs with that idea, while also pointing to how the power of music helped mitigate the anger and grief so many of the demonstrators were feeling. “Music is such a healing part of life, and these protests are organized healing and resistance.”
However, not every musician chose to utilize their artistic talents during the demonstrations. For some, such as Oubah Dougsiyeh of garage punks Cute Puke and Jonathon Merenivitch of Shepherds and Jock Gang, it was more a matter of exercising their First Amendment rights and showing support for the movement. Still others, like local artist Monte Qarlo, were already heavily involved with Black Lives Matter and put their energy into leading chants, engaging with other protestors and bystanders, or documenting the demonstrations on photo and video.
Credit: Ryan Vizzions / IG: @amodernghost
While all the musicians Immersive spoke with for this article expressed animosity for the politicians and institutions that perpetuate systemic violence and racism, the common thread uniting them was more a sense of obligation, a moral duty to speak out against hate and injustice and to hold perpetrators accountable.
“Musicians hold an interesting space in times of protest,” says Qarlo. “People listen to us. More so than government officials. Sometimes more than friends and family. There are people that put a lot of faith into musicians they admire. Knowing that, we have a responsibility to our communities to speak out against injustices if we can.”
According to Dougsiyeh, it is the responsibility of every activist to raise their voice against violence and oppression. But most protestors are not blessed with the kinds of platforms that can reach major audiences. For this reason, it’s critical that artists speak out forcefully, and use their voice to educate and unite their fans. “It is very important for artists, especially the ones with a large following, to support Black Lives Matter and address these issues regularly in order for their fans to be aware of the violence and killings black people are facing,” she argues.
Much of the media focus, especially that from outside the city, has focused on Friday night’s partial shutdown of the Downtown Connector. But most of the protestors I’ve spoken with have been more inclined to reflect on smaller, more intimate moments or the wave of conflicting emotions they experienced while marching. For instance, Merenivitch recalls the feeling of “…righteous anger and passion that fueled us, especially when we hit police barricades or even passed by them. [Then] there was a joyousness as we hit Peachtree and so many cars were honking in solidarity, their drivers holding black power fists out their windows.”
Credit: Kelly Truitt Photography / IG @kellytmarie
But for every moment of clarity and catharsis, there was also one of darkness and disillusion. By Monday night’s protest in Buckhead, organizers were garnering a fair amount of criticism for their lack of results. Opponents were calling the marches aimless and counterproductive. Unwarranted or not, the reality was their ranks had slimmed from over ten thousand strong at the peak of the demonstrations, to somewhere near a thousand.
Still, according to Hollis, enthusiasm was high as the march headed to Georgia State Route 400. At this point, the drummers had been moved up to the front lines, meeting police head-on while keeping their rhythms consistent with the chanting of the crowd. Everything was moving fairly smoothly until the protest hit Peachtree Street in front of Lenox Mall. It was at this point that the police made their show of force and snatch and grab arrests began to happen. Both Hollis and Loner describe their friend Ryder Seigle being yanked out of the drumline and slammed into the pavement by multiple officers. Some of the marshals who were assigned to keep protestors safe were grabbed by police, leading to further tension and chaos.
For Qarlo and others, the police actions were merely another confirmation of the shattered relationship between law enforcement and the black community. While the downtown protests commanded crowds far in excess of that in Buckhead, police there remained poised and controlled, making only a few token arrests. But Buckhead was something entirely different.
“As soon as it gets to Buckhead,” explains Qarlo, “as soon as you’re at money’s front door, that’s when shit hits the fan. They greeted us with police buses and excess security. Within the first hour, protesters were being snatched and detained from the march for nothing but exercising their First Amendment rights. They showed exactly who it’s their job to protect and serve. Not my black ass. The elite… it was disgusting.”
Eventually things settled down enough to allow the protest to reach the Governor’s Mansion. Once they arrived, however, the police quickly barricaded the streets and cut off the demonstrators from any supplies. No one was allowed to enter or leave their perimeter. At this point, many of the protestors had been marching for five days in the extreme heat with little sign of progress. Morale was sinking and there appeared to be no option to negotiate.
Despite the demoralizing atmosphere, the drummers continued playing. In Hollis’ mind they were fulfilling their purpose by helping to maintain the pulse of the protest and doing their part to uplift the spirits of the many exhausted protestors. Although the prospects looked grim, there was a collective determination building among the demonstrators to hold their ground and see things through. A siege-like mentality had set in.
After several hours, Mayor Kasim Reed and Atlanta Police Chief George Turner arrived with the intent of meeting with organizers. The two parties parlayed for some time inside a police truck, and when they exited the announcement was made that a meeting had been scheduled for Monday morning, July 18th, to discuss measures for police reform and safety in Atlanta communities. In addition, it was declared that the authorities would release those arrested on signature bail.
“You could feel the air ignite with excitement,” Loner says of the dramatic turn in events. “We had been heard.”
It was a victory, yes, but an extremely tenuous one. Reactions to the truce were mixed, and there are many protestors who believe it’s nothing more than a hush tactic. As Qarlo points out, the prospect of negotiations with city officials raises many significant questions.
“Who’s leading and attending these meetings?” he wonders. “When will policies discussed go into effect? Who decides the focal points? Will murderous cops be held accountable? How long will these meetings take place?”
Still, even with the specter of doubt and distrust hanging over the upcoming talks, Qarlo concedes that negotiations are a step in the right direction “as long as [they’re] completely transparent and genuinely beneficial to public interests.”
For his part, Hollis remains skeptical, but cautiously optimistic. There’s still much work to be done and a long way to go for the city to heal. He’s ready to do his share. But if discussions do break down or promises are broken, he knows he and many others will be ready to take back to the streets and march once again. Asked why, Hollis notes it all comes down to a single simple truth:
“When we fight we win!”
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AFTERWORD
One of the critical questions many people have been asking is what they can do to help. Protesting is crucial when necessary, but how can people and musicians better participate in shaping their communities and making a lasting impact against a system that has been entrenched for far too long. Here are some suggestions from Hollis.
“Until we as musicians get a little more organized and mobilized, so as to be on call when needed for marches, we can use our skills to serve the movement in other ways. Make proceeds of a show, or an album, go towards the Georgia Civil Disobedience Fund, or go towards an organization you believe in. We also have resources others don’t usually think of, like venue spaces and PAs that may come in handy during rallies. And, as many of us did from Thursday to Monday, bring your drums/horns directly to the where where your rhythm is needed and you’re bound to find at least one or two other drummers.
“Also, the issues with police brutality are connected to larger issues of systemic racism, so immigrant rights, prison reform, Islamophobia, education justice, housing justice, poverty, nutrient availability, and homelessness — just to name a few — are all very connected and in need of serious attention. Atlanta is full of many powerful organizations rich with knowledge and people power. Plug in where you can. These marches and protests are only battles, a lot of it is about making connections while you’re there as well. Most of the real work is done outside of these protests.”
Below is a list of organizations that are doing the hard work of combating systemic racism and oppression, speaking for marginalized voices, and fighting for justice and reform. If there is an organization you feel should be on this list, please let us know.
Black Lives Matter Atlanta
Rise Up Georgia
AUC Shut It Down
Southerners On New Ground
Freedom University
Fight for $15
Women on the Rise
Atlanta Black Students United
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement