PC POLITICS: Aissa Dearing, March For Black Students & George Floyd Vigil Organizer

Durham, NC – Aissa Dearing is passionate about her community and shows it with her actions. In this episode of PC Politics, Aissa talks about her work to make Durham a better place, whether that’s in the streets or in the schools. The 18-year-old Durham native is a 2020 graduate of J. D. Clement Early College High School, located on the campus of North Carolina Central University. She plans to attend Howard University in the fall.

She has spent the spring and early summer organizing in her community. On June 4th, Aissa along with Elijah King held a Candlelight Vigil for George Floyd in CCB Plaza to commemorate his life and continue the fight for justice. George Floyd was a 46-year-old African-American man who was killed by police during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, when a white police officer, knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, leading to his death. Protests in response to both Floyd’s death, and more broadly to police violence against black people, quickly spread across the United States, including Durham, and internationally.

Aissa says she planned the vigil to offer the community the opportunity to begin the healing process. The event included speakers, music, singing, spoken word, and attendees sitting on the ground for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time the officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck. Over 600 people attended the candlelight vigil.

On Saturday, June 13, Dearing along with Elijah King, Jennah Formey, and Jay Rahim, will hold a March For Black Students. The march is to highlight the negative effects that Student Resource Officers (SRO) have on Durham Public Schools students. they are asking Durham’s Board of Education to terminate their contract with the Durham Sheriff’s Department and remove SROs from Durham Public Schools.

Watch this episode of “PC Politics”, hosted by Phyllis Coley, and learn more about Aissa Dearing and the upcoming march. “PC Politics” – Real, Raw, Relevant – features politicians, candidates, voters, and issues that affect us all, no matter where you stand politically or are located physically.

Photographer/Videographer: Lawrence Davis