A New Social Justice Group Forms After ‘A Lot Of Zoom Calls’ And Commits To Unifying Communities

The members of White Rose Kansas City huddled around the base of the Benard Powell statue in East Kansas City ready to engage in work the deceased community civil rights icon would support, cleaning up a park and uniting to fight for justice. 

“I came to help make our city and our community a better place to live,” said Brian, who works with some of the organizers of White Rose.

Only five months old, White Rose Kansas City began in the early days of the global pandemic and on the cusp of the most sustained social justice protests in a half-century. The members trace their inspiration to the White Rose Society formed during World War II and the courage of a group of college students who opposed the Nazi regime. And, although White Rose Kansas City is new to the social justice movement, devotion to the cause led some of its members to Washington D.C. for Friday’s “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” protest held on the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Wearing a straw hat to shield her from the afternoon sun, Kyharra looked around the park at the arriving members carrying rakes, trash bags, and bottles for the cleanup. 

“It wasn’t a difficult decision,” she said. “We know it’s a very important thing. If we could all be there at one time, we would. We just have work to do here in the community as well.”

Close by Marisa Richmond confirmed the group’s decision to maintain its hometown weekend plan. Richmond, who is Hispanic and married to a Black man, lives in the suburbs and acknowledges the undeniable significance of race in the American conversation and upcoming election. She cited the killing of George Floyd as a turning point for her and thinks it may have been for others as well.

“With the pandemic, you have more time,” she explains. “When you’re stuck in your house that gives you time to focus.”

Richmond offered her take on the growing involvement of white Americans in social justice protests, saying “people in the suburbs are not bad people” but may not always understand racism because it does not impact them directly.

“It’s essential [getting involved],” Richmond emphasized.

The group’s Facebook page highlights their presence in Kansas City. And, while they are newscomers to calls for social change, thanks to “a lot of Zoom calls and shared documents,” it seems they are poised to reach out to black, brown and white communities.

“At the end of the day, we are seeking equity for all people, and we want to show that all of us should be on the same level, and that it’s not hard to come together,” Kyharra stated. “We are very grateful to be able to represent so many different minority groups in this organization because we want to show that unity.”

Masked up and wearing “Defend Black Lives” t-shirts, a few members fanned out over the park, stuffing discarded paper into trash bags while Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody” poured out into the late summer air. A young man wearing a sports jersey and long shorts walked up and offered to help. A mother with her young children sat near a fountain, enjoying their laughter.

“We could do many other things [on this day],” Aurelein admitted. “But, I think in these times you know our society is so polarized and divided, I think it’s a wonderful event to just bring back people together to what’s really important and what’s important is community. And without community, we can’t live peacefully together so I think it’s a good start.”