Cold weather and a pandemic could not stop Rockbridge County residents from filling the streets of downtown Lexington, VA to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On Monday the 18, hundreds of Washington & Lee students, RCHS students, business owners, families, and everyone in between gathered on  Main Street, Henry Street, Washington Street, Nelson Street, and Jefferson Street to participate in a “Stand-still parade.” This event was sponsored and organized by C.A.R.E (Community Anti-Racism Effort), and the purpose of the event was to “Stand Up” for justice, love, and equality.

The parade started with people filling the streets while safely socializing. People carried banners, posters, and garments with slogans or paintings to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and message, as well as the racial equality movements such as Black Lives Matter. The participants were asked to stay six feet apart not only to follow COVID-19 guidelines, but also to symbolically space out for the lives that have been lost due to the coronavirus and racial violence during the past year. When the streets were filled, local church bells started ringing, which commenced a moment of silence to remember those who have lost their lives.

Many RCHS students attended the celebration including Junior Susanne Mayock-Bradley, who hopes that growth in our school will lead to more education about diversity and the history of Lexington and how it relates to modern issues. 

“The parade was very different from in years past, and I missed being able to march side by side with everyone, but it was nice to see the community gather together,”said Mayock-Bradley. “Especially at this time in our nation, it was good to take a stand, even if we couldn’t march.”

Another student who came to participate in the “Stand Up” in hopes of seeing change in our community was Sophomore Carolina Dickovick. She hopes that people in her school and community can become more tolerant and accepting of others for who they are. 

“The parade was totally different from the ones in the past due to COVID-19. However, a lot of people were there to show their support, and the turnout was very high,” said Dickovick. “My takeaways from this weekend was that, in order to come together as a community, and in order to battle racism and hatred, we all have to stand up and actively fight.” 

COVID-19 has changed a lot for our community over the past year, but Lexington found a safe and effective way to honor MLK Day and “Stand Up” for justice, love, and equality.