Ansonia Rally Issues ‘Call for Unity’

A year after Ansonia unveiled a bust of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in front of City Hall, a new generation of activists for racial justice gathered around it Thursday to issue a ​“Call for Unity” amid newly trying times.

Mayor David Cassetti called for the event in response to a wave of protests across the world, including a peaceful rally near the Ansonia Police Department on Wednesday, over racial injustice and the Memorial Day murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

Roughly 150 Ansonia residents Thursday showed up holding signs and passing out snacks and water bottles as they listened to Ansonia leaders speak. 

“The community needs to know where our leaders stand, and I want to make it clear we stand with you in outrage, in protest, and in rejecting hate and inequality,” Cassetti said. In his speech, he reflected on the importance of peace in order to drive out hate and injustice: ​“This morning we are united by the inspiration and example of Martin Luther King Jr.”

Cassetti then called upon Ansonia High School senior Maliqa Mosley-Williams, to speak. She told the crowd how she is constantly afraid of becoming a victim of racial injustice, losing her life, or losing a family member because of racial profiling and police brutality. 

“The issue of police brutality may not be an issue that is common in this town, but it is something that still needs to be addressed,” Mosley-Williams said. ​“Our officers are supposed to be officers. Their job is to protect and serve. Nowhere in their job description gives them the title of judge, jury, or executioner, yet it seems as if our fate is being put in their hands.”

Mosley-Williams said she wants Ansonia officials, teachers, students, and residents to spread awareness and to take action on addressing inequality and racial profiling in town. 

She urged fellow students to utilize whatever platforms they have for activism and to spread information. Mosley-Williams highlighted the need for students and all residents in attendance to sign petitions, speak out against injustices, and vote. 

“Although it may seem like our voices aren’t heard, they matter. Every time you post, every ballot you submit, every time you plead, there is someone listening to you. Don’t stop striving to have your voices heard.”

Five Ansonia religious leaders then came forward to speak on the mission for racial justice and peace.

“After centuries of discrimination and injustices, people are scratching their heads and saying this is 2020, and this stuff is still going on,” said Deacon Dave Gadison of Macedonia Baptist Church.

Gadison recounted a conversation with ​“a few non-colored” Ansonia residents who told him they thought racism no longer existed. 

For this reason, Gadison said, he is thankful for the role new technology and social media has played in exposing racial injustice and police brutality. ​“We have the opportunity to uncover some of the veil of secrecy of the rampant discrimination and injustices and hate that’s going on in this country,” he said.

Now that so many incidents have been uncovered, Gadison said, the community has to stand together to move forward and fix police brutality and injustice. He advised the crowd not to get involved in the ​“violence and chaos” of protests and riots in other cities. Instead, Gadison encouraged the crowd to engage with elected officials and vote. 

“As horrible as that incident was, we still have to be mindful our mission is to move forward,” Gadison said. 

Gadison underscored the significance of the MLK bust in front of City Hall as a symbol of collaboration to tackle hate and inequality.

“Even this bust that stands here took cooperation from people. The accomplishments and progress that was made during Dr. King’s time was made because of cooperation of all people. And in the state we are in today, it has to be the same way. The masses have to come together to stand up for what is right,” Gadison said.

After Ansonia religious leaders spoke, Valley NAACP President Greg Johnson called on local officials to recognize the injustices in Ansonia and to create legislative change. ​“I didn’t come up here to make nice. I didn’t come up here to say ​‘thank you mayor.’ I didn’t come up here to say ​‘thank you chief of police,’ because we’re not being treated nice. We’re not being treated equally. We’re not being treated justly. We are being treated less than, and it has to stop” he said. 

Johnson spoke about how racism has molded his and many other black men’s lives across the country. Johnson said his 5 year-old and 10 year-old nephews fear being harmed by police officers. He spoke about his 16 year-old nephew being unfairly punished in school. 

Addressing local elected officials, Johnson said, ​“Let’s make legislation to stop these hate crimes. Don’t come give us the lip service and then we don’t see you until election time, and then we have these types of tragedies and you come sing your sorrow and then go back to your corner and let another murder happen.”

“Our communities are angry and sad. We must take this tragedy and create strategy,” Johnson said. 

State Sen. George Logan, R‑Ansonia, told the crowd that when he was growing up in New Haven, he had an“absolute fear” of the police. ​“And now, after working with the police I realize that the police in our communities, particularly in the Valley, are trying to do better policing,” he said.

Logan said that while a vast majority of police are good, it is the responsibility of local officials to weed out the bad ones.