Love Letter to Lexington Activists, Revisited
To say that 2020 has been a year of activism would be both an understatement and absurdly simplistic. George Floyd’s killing prompted nationwide protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Rapidly, the movement grew beyond its initial scope with calls for broader racial equity and its message that America remains fundamentally broken.
As has been the case with issues of gun violence and climate change, this activism made its way to Lexington—or more accurately, to its young people. In the past, Lexspects saw an article commenting on the curious state of Lexington’s student activism, but this summer warrants another look at how the young people of a wealthy, privileged bubble involve themselves in the great societal issues of our time.
Of course, there was the obligatory social media posting: infographics, grandiose statements of solidarity, the famous blacked-out profile picture. These posts have been buried under new status updates and Snapchat stories; blacked-out profile pictures have been replaced with the usual grinning portrait. Then there was the vigil in Lexington Center, a few days after Floyd’s death. Wading through gaggles of animated high schoolers elbow bumping and chatting, it was hard to ignore the sense that this was more a social event than a protest—an excuse for high school students starved of social interaction to convene during a pandemic.
After a month or so, it seemed as if youth activism in Lexington would follow the usual pattern: an activist-led movement comes to town, only to end a few months later with stagnation and boredom from its once ardent supporters.
But this time, something surprising happened.
A small group of high school and college students didn’t stop. On most days, you’d find them in front of the green, standing with their signs. Sometimes, they were there to counter-protest. Often, they were not. They weren’t creating fundraisers, weren’t organizing ambitious events. Instead, day after day, they arrived at that little triangle that splits Mass Ave and Bedford Street and held up their signs.
In a past Lexspects article, former editor-in-chief Kelly Hui posed this set of questions:
“What can one privileged youth really accomplish, in a bubble of the wealthy and white? What can come out of suburban liberalism? Can organizing in privileged communities ever really be effective?”
We might have an answer. This activism is not presumptuous. It is patient. It is dedicated, and it is truly genuine. Lexington Sunrise and Lex Says Enough, take note. These are the real deal.
These are Lexington’s student activists.
A couple of months ago, a friend told me that she had seen a young woman arrive on the green in front of a number of men waving Trump flags. “F*** Donald Trump!” she began to scream. Calmly, a student took her by the arm and led her into the group of students counter-protesting. She gave the woman a sign and invited her to join the students, quietly standing their ground. They absorbed her, huddled around her, and when she came out again she took a sign and stood with them.
In an environment in which we associate activism and politics with vitriol, is that not remarkable? To those activists, thank you. You are role models to all of us.
by IAN CARSON