BROOKLYN — Twenty-nine months into the struggle for Kyam Livingston, murdered in 2013 by Brooklyn cops’ racist medical neglect in Central Booking Jail, an increased presence of high school students in the monthly rally represented an important step forward.  This advance didn’t happen spontaneously. Earlier in November, Kyam’s mother, Anita Neal, joined Natasha Duncan—whose sister, Shantel Davis, killed in 2012 by the New York Police Department—in visiting a local high school. Along with a focused effort by Progressive Labor Party youth clubs in Brooklyn, the two women helped introduce a new generation of young working-class fighters to this anti-racist fight.
This struggle is a fight against sexism on two fronts: exposing the racist, sexist murder of Black working-class women in Flatbush, and the fierce leadership given by women in the streets, as demonstrated by Anita, Natasha, and PLP.
Carrying signs and balloons, the protesters flooded into the center of Church Avenue and East 18th Street. The chants rang out: “We want Justice for Kyam Livingston, killed in a Brooklyn cell!”  All traffic stopped as CHALLENGEs and leaflets were distributed. Two or three police officers came running to the group to shoo us back to the sidewalk, but the protesters would not be moved. A sympathetic crowd gathered on the sidewalks, excited to see business as usual stopped by the demonstration.
Students from Brooklyn Tech, John Jay and Tilden high schools spoke at the rally.  A teacher painted a picture of life under capitalism, pointing out the deaths caused by this racist system. The teacher emphasized the common interests of the working class, and how we need a communist society to benefit working people and not just the wealthy.
Worker-Student Unity
As another speech was given in Spanish, many people stopped to listen to the words of unity.  Church members, neighbors, welfare workers, and retirees all spoke at the rally, attacking a capitalist system that allows workers to die slowly because we are denied the resources to save our lives.  We saw a worker-student alliance emerging in this fight.
Anita Neal spoke three times to describe her anguish and loss.  This is the third year, she noted, that she has suffered through Thanksgiving without her daughter. Money was collected for future leaflets and sound permits. People donated their nickels, dimes and dollars; the working class is ever ready to support the struggle against racism.  Many speakers thanked Anita for giving them the leadership that allows them to fight back. They understood that the death of one worker is an injury to all.
After the speeches in the center of the street, we let go of our balloons and watched them waft up into the clouds.  The demonstration then marched back to the corner for another 45 minutes of speaking and chanting. We will demonstrate again on Monday, December 21.  The struggle will continue!