San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
YOUTH MARCH FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN EL CAJON
Event announced on Twitter to promote unity between Black and Latino communities
About 20 young people chanting “Black Lives Matter” and other slogans marched through several blocks of El Cajon on Saturday night, inspiring a few yells from detractors and cheers from supporters along the way.
The peaceful march was organized by Kassandra Mora, 17, and other local youths, who said the event was to promote unity between the Black and Latino communities.
“It’s important for all minorities to come together,” she said.
In a year when racism has been the focus of demonstrations and the forefront of discussion, Mora said it is important to call out the bigotry that can occur among people of color.
“Personally, people I’m around have said stuff that’s just as racist as anything I hear,” she said.
Daniel Lazaro, an Army veteran who at 43 was among the older marchers, said he also had witnessed bigotry in the community.
“I’m here because I’m reinvigorated by the youths’ motivation,” he said. “I like their motivation and drive for the movement and want to encourage them.”
The group gathered at a park around 4 p.m. While waiting for others to arrive, five pickups flying flags supporting President Donald Trump drove past the park’s entrance on East
Madison Avenue several times.
After leaving the park and turning south onto North First Street, a couple of the trucks passed by a few times, and some words were exchanged.
There were no incidents beyond the verbal exchanges, however, and El Cajon police officers kept an eye on the situation while driving slowly down the street at the marchers’ pace.
At one point, one of the men in a pickup yelled “Vote Trump” at the marchers. One of the marchers mocked him by yelling back, “Yeah, Trump 2020.”
As marchers chanted “Black lives matter” on the corner of North First Street and Main Street, a man in one of the pickups yelled, “All lives matter.”
Marchers passed restaurants along the way and were greeted by some diners who raised fists in support, while a couple of people yelled at them to shut up and go away.
After marching about a mile and turning north on Magnolia Avenue, one woman in a pickup yelled obscenities at the marchers and flipped them off.
Heading back to the park on East Madison Avenue, one woman came out of her house, applauded, and said she was proud of them.