Local residents honor the life of John Lewis
While a week of events honoring the late Congressman John Lewis were held across the country, some local residents gathered in Quincy, on July 30, the day of his funeral to honor him.
It’s estimated that about 40 people gathered in Dame Shirley Plaza to attend the event organized by Quincy resident Faith Strailey. A variety of speakers shared their thoughts on the life of the late congressman.
Later in the evening about 30 gathered in front of the courthouse to draw a chalk mural to honor Lewis and Black Lives Matter. Some in the group had participated in a similar chalk project at a bike path in Quincy a couple of weeks ago, but that artwork was subsequently removed by the county’s facilities department.
Amy Napoleon, one of the organizers, said that she worked with Supervisor Lori Simpson to bridge the gap with county officials and she reached out to facilities director Kevin Correira. “My goal is to raise awareness and start dialog in our community,” Napoleon said. “If we can come together and civilly discuss our views and current issues, then we are one step closer to building a stronger more aware community.”
Napoleon said that Tina Tarrazas “gave a wonderful speech directly prior to the chalking, on the life of John Lewis and his struggles to move equality forward.”
Local residents draw a chalk mural in front of the Plumas County Courthouse the evening of July 30, following an event to celebrate the late Congressman John Lewis. Photo by Mari Erin Roth
