Anti-racism banner raised in downtown Waterbury

July 29, 2020  |  By Lisa Scagliotti

Just over 50 people and a few dogs gathered Saturday for a brief ceremony in downtown Waterbury to raise a banner with the message "Waterbury Stands With Black Lives Matter." Photo by Gordon Miller.

They began with the idea to create a racial justice mural at the gateway to downtown but a first step happened Saturday when the new Waterbury Anti-Racism Coalition hung a colorful banner with the message: "Waterbury Stands With Black Lives Matter."

More than 50 people and a few dogs gathered as the banner was hoisted between the posts in front of the municipal offices near Dac Rowe Park Saturday morning.  

The group describes the banner as a placeholder while plans coalesce for a more permanent public art project that would make a statement of commitment to anti-racism in the community. “It would be a welcoming call to people who are visiting, a message to our youth, to our residents, to everybody that we’re a town that supports people of color, people in our community who want to address racism,” said Noah Fishman, a member of the group. “This is really just a first step. There’s much more work to do.”

In June, members of the newly formed group wrote to and met with the Waterbury Select Board to share their idea to paint a mural on one of the concrete abutments supporting the railroad bridge on North Main Street near the roundabout and Dac Rowe Park. The bridge already has a metal sculpture public art installation on it and the spot is prominent as a gateway to downtown. 

The group itself is a new endeavor that came together following the rally and march for anti-racism June 14 that gathered about 500 people from Waterbury and the surrounding area. 

The catalyst for all of these recent developments around racism was the May 25 death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer who held his knee to Floyd’s neck for over 8 minutes. The video of that tragedy touched off protests and demonstrations around the nation including Vermont. 

Maroni Minter reads some remarks at the banner raising ceremony Saturday. He and Noah Fishman (right) are organizers of the newly formed Waterbury Anti-Racism Coalition. Photo by Gordon Miller.

Waterbury’s march and rally was organized by members of The Children’s Room and Maroni Minter who works with the American Civil Liberties Union. They then took the next step to form a grassroots group to further the goals and aspirations expressed at the rally as community members shared experiences with racism and called for more discussion and action to address racism in the community and local schools. 

Soon after the rally, the Harwood Unified Union School District created a task force that will focus on addressing racism within the school system and, to an extent, in the larger community. That group will be led by Crossett Brook Middle School Principal Tom Drake and Thatcher Brook Primary School Assistant Principal Sarah Schoolcraft. 

At the school board’s last meeting at the end of June, it considered a request from the principals to fly Black Lives Matter flags at all of the school campuses starting this summer. A lengthy discussion ensued with the board ultimately voting to hold off on that action for a number of reasons around the timing.  

As all of these efforts percolate within the community, the action of raising a banner has become the first symbol to raise awareness around issues of racism even in a small town. 

When coalition members first approached the Select Board June 15 about the mural proposal, board Chair Chris Viens expressed some surprise saying he didn’t think there were incidents of racism in Waterbury. “I don’t have to deal with that at all,” he said.  

Those who attended the June rally, including other Select Board members told of how community members at the rally including young children and teenagers shared their personal experiences with bullying and discrimination based on race. They told of an incident where a passerby in a vehicle called out during a moment of silence “white lives matter more” illustrating the point of the event in real time. 

“The majority of Waterbury are good people,” Minter said. “There are a few among us who are racist.”

Viens wondered aloud about the impact of a mural celebrating Black people. “I hope this doesn’t make things worse,” he said. 

Minter suggested the project was an opportunity: “As a community we can stand and say we are not racist.” 

Three weeks later, members of the anti-racism coalition returned to the Select Board, asking to put up the banner as a short-term step to advance their message because the mural project will likely take some time to accomplish. They asked the board to waive a two-week rule regarding banners hung on the large posts outside the municipal offices so that they could fly their banner for an indefinite period. 

A number of supporters spoke in favor of the banner including Rotary Club members state Rep. Theresa Wood, D-Waterbury, and former Select Board member Don Schneider. The banner will take up one of four spots on the large frame that was built by the Rotary Club and given to the town. 

Viens challenged the purpose for the banner and Minter again advocated for the symbolic effort and statement. 

Eventually, the board agreed 3-0 to waive the banner time limit rule in this case. Select Board member Katie Martin abstained and Nat Fish missed the vote having left early that evening. He later said he supported the banner request and would have voted yes.  

The board did not take any formal action on the mural proposal. Given that the bridge is owned by New England Central Railroad, town officials have no role in authorizing such a project. 

The coalition members said they were mainly seeking the board’s support and input for the concept. If the group is successful in getting the railroad’s permission for the project, it would put out a call for artists to propose designs and fundraise for the effort.

Ultimately, the Select Board wished Minter and others in the group well with the project and asked to be kept apprised of its progress. 

For now, the banner is a first step, a reminder and a conversation-starter in a place of prominence in the downtown. Coalition members say they consider its “‘Black Lives Matter” message “to be a rallying cry for anti-racist efforts and the ultimate goal that every person fully experience freedom, belonging, and love throughout our community.”