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“Stand Against Racism Walk” Inspires Hope for Change in Community "Stand Against Racism Walk" Inspires Hope for Change in Community

By Kyle Moreton

MORETON: The YWCA of Syracuse hosted their annual “Stand Against Racism” walk today. Dozens of volunteers embarked on about a mile and a half walk down to Syracuse City Hall, where they held a short, socially-distanced event with Mayor Ben Walsh and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon. YWCA Executive Director Fanny Villarreal says that an event like this truly galvanizes the community.

VILLARREAL: “When we think about the YWCA mission, which is eliminating racism, empowering women and girls, promote peace, justice, and freedom for all. Today is very important because we’re going to have a lot of people coming and supporting the mission.”

MORETON: Joseph Searles, who received an award from the YWCA at City Hall, thinks that social justice-inspired events like these are indicative of a progressing society.

SEARLES: “Every year, when we get together and we take a stand in a broad and public way, it’s just so affirming in terms of recognizing their work and knowing that there are many people from many backgrounds who want to engage, who want to get involved, and who want to see real change.”

MORETON: There will likely be another YWCA “Stand Against Racism” walk around this same time next year. For NCC News, I’m Kyle Moreton.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — The Syracuse YWCA held its annual Stand Against Racism Walk this afternoon; a one-and-a-half-mile march from Douglas Street to Syracuse City Hall. The event was supported by both Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, who joined the volunteer marchers outside of City Hall to hold socially-distanced discourse on racial equality.

The event was put on by YWCA Executive Director Fanny Villarreal, who first conceived the idea of a march for justice with a group of Syracuse University student volunteers in 2018.

They (SU students) were trying to figure out the best way to “make noise” and to do something powerful for the community to learn about the YWCA and the YWCA mission. And then we decided to do the walk.

The Stand Against Racism Walk had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the event made a return this year with the stipulation that attendees had to register in advance. Villarreal hopes that the march inspires conversation about racial equality. “When the conversation becomes uncomfortable,” Villarreal said, “it’s actually when we are getting into the meat and potatoes of what racism is.”

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