FERGUS – A group of young people took to the streets here on Sunday to draw attention to a number of social justice causes.
The April 24 Youth for Justice march was organized by Centre Wellington District High School students Abby Graham, Kyla Perry and Avaline Booth to highlight such issues as climate change and the rising cost of living, housing and tuition fees, as well as Indigenous rights, trans rights and youth mental health support.
“We just feel that, a lot of times, youth are left out of the political conversation, just the issues we face on a daily basis,” said Graham.
“And so we just wanted to organize something where youth could come out and talk about issues they’re passionate about and hopefully get politicians to pay more close attention to us.”
While organizers and participants are concerned about a wide range of issues, Booth said the various crises facing Indigenous people are “very important to me.
“Today, approximately 73 per cent of water systems on Indigenous reserves across the country are at risk for contamination,” she pointed out.
“One single water advisory can mean up to 5,000 people lose access to safe, clean drinking water every day. Forty per cent of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls cases today remain unsolved.”
Booth added, “But when we talk about what we’re scared about politically, I think about the cost of living and the fact we’re living in a world where one day … we’re not going to be able to live and do what we like, what we enjoy to do and what we need to do at the same time … you can’t afford to do anything anymore.”
Graham told the gathering Sunday’s march had its origins partly in a desire to show support for trans, gay, bi, Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized students after several transphobic and homophobic incidents occurred at their school in the fall of 2021.
“Centre Wellington has a community-like feel with a sense of compassion. But my image of my community was shattered … when an act of hate at my school left our rural town so divided,” she said.
“I never thought that letting people be who they want to be would be such a controversial topic.”
A Youth for Justice march was held in Fergus on April 24 to draw attention to a wide range of social justice concerns. Organizers Abby Graham, left, and Avaline Booth addressed participants at a rally before the march. Photo by Patrick Raftis
Graham said she believes lack of education is behind many divisive attitudes.
“For too long, we have allowed hate to nurture itself … without proper education in our community,” said Graham, who started an initiative known as the Kindness Pledge as a response.
“My goal with the Kindness Pledge was to provide my community with resources to become more inclusive for everyone.”
She added, “Education itself and being kind and inclusive is a lifelong journey.
“And we need to continue to evolve with the world. Don’t just educate yourself for your own personal well-being, but for the youth that deserve to be treated with kindness and to feel included in our community.”
Booth said young people are not asking for “long-term, out-of-reach solutions to problems that may never be fixed.
“All we need is ears to listen to what we have to say. Because if you do listen, you will find we have some pretty insightful things to say,” she stated.
Sunday’s march began in the parking lot of Melville United Church on St. Andrew’s Street, where several speakers addressed the crowd and participants could visit booths offering information about voter registration, the Kindness Pledge and other topics.
Participants then walked through streets in the downtown area carrying signs championing a variety of social justice causes.
