BUFFALO, N.Y. — The March on Washington in the nation's capital is expected to draw thousands of people together to protest racial inequality. Among them will be a group from Buffalo made up of members of the local chapter of Reverand Al Sharpton's organization, the National Action Network (NAN).
The president of the Buffalo Chapter, Dr. James Lewis III spoke with 2 On Your Side's Karys Belger before heading to Washington D.C. with his delegation
When asked how the planning first started, Lewis said he was following the directions of the Civil Rights leader.
"Rev. Al Sharpton made the clarion call...and it was brought to his attention that we need to uplift Goerge Floyd and his legacy,' he said in an interview.
Sharpton gave the Eulogy at the funeral of George Floyd. The video of his death sparked demonstrations across the country.
Lewis says he's been working with his team since then to get people involved in the march which will also commemorate the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous 'I Have a Dream" speech.
His plans included making three stops in other cities to pick people up before making their way to Washington D.C.
"We’re filling up a bus between here, Rochester and Syracuse and then we're joining in with about 100,000 people registered at this time."
The central theme if the march is "Get Your Knee Off Our Necks". Lewis tells 2 On Your Side, the march is about more than addressing concerns about racial inequality. It's also about taking on the concerns he says are just as relevant now as they were in 1963.
The concerns include voter suppression, the lack of resources in communities of color and police brutality. When 2 On Your Side asked about how much progress has he seen since the original March on Washington, Lewis explained there has been a great deal of improvement. He still believes there's a great deal of work to be done.
Like many events, the COVID-19 pandemic will alter how it will look. There will be limited seating, and masks will be mandatory.
"It’s kind of amazing to live in this era and have to continue to fight," he said.
But Lewis also feels energized by the younger activists who he says are taking over and continuing the push for change.
"I mean, we have come a long way but we still have a long way to go."
When asked about what he plans to do to address concerns in Buffalo after the March, Lewis had a clear objective.
"We have to make sure we're counted. We have to go out and get out and vote. We also have to make sure we're counted by filling out this census."