South Orange and Maplewood NJ elected officials, clergy, law enforcement officers, business owners, civic organizations, students and residents have drafted a #NotInOurTwoTowns pledge.
The pledge, according to a message from Rabbi Jesse Olitzky of Congregation Beth El in South Orange, came out of a discussion between various town stakeholders at the South Orange-Maplewood Clergy Association meeting on Friday, July 8.
The pledge states that signers are committed to “ensuring that there is no place for systemic racism in our towns” and “facing and fixing local injustices whenever and wherever they exist” while “taking a stand against all forms of violence and do not affirm it under any circumstances.”
Notably, both the South Orange Police Department and Maplewood Police Department are listed as supporters of #NotInOurTwoTowns on its website, along with both townships, the Community Coalition on Race and major faith communities in the two towns.
#NotInOurTwoTowns was created by a group of five Columbia High School graduates: Sydney Scruggs (Class of 2013), Emanual Grant (’13), Felisha George (’12), Cory Hardy (’13) and Alfonso Spottswood (’13).
The group organized a protest march on July 7, followed by a candlelight vigil on July 8, as well as a community “sit down” at South Orange Middle School scheduled for tonight, July 12, at 6:30 p.m. at South Orange Middle School.
Read the pledge here and below:
Join the following individuals who have already signed on to our pledge:
List is in progress…
