In the biggest march the city has seen in a decade, an estimated 20,000 Wellingtonians turned out for the Black Lives Matter march on Sunday June 14. Here we share some photos and quotes from the speakers.

“Just as sexism isn’t something that women alone can address, racism is not something that black people and people of colour alone can address.”

Jazmen Rose, an African-American woman living in Wellington

“We might not see this in our generation, but we are going to be the seeds. And we are going to be the seeds that sow the fruit so future generations don’t even have this in their minds. Black people will be able to walk down the street and not even think, do I have to worry about someone putting their knee in my neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds?”

Nicole Inskeep, an African-American woman living in Wellington

“The future is hope. The future is change. The future is us.”

Chant

“The question must not be, ‘why are so many black, brown and indigenous people in prison’ - as if we put ourselves there.”

Laura O’Connell Rapira, director of ActionStation

“The stench of it has gotten so foul and so rotten that no one can ignore it.”

Jazmen Rose

“When you take down the physical structure, then it means choosing to take on the ideological structure that made it okay for that to be there in the first place.”

Dr Emalani Case, Pacific studies lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington

“A future where every black person, every indigenous person, every disabled person, every trans person, every black trans person, every queer person, every poor person, every Muslim, every refugee, every young person, every kaumātua and every person of colour is honoured, valued, safe and free.”

Laura O’Connell Rapira

“There is no room for difference of opinion when it comes to human rights.”

Dr Emalani Case 

“It may be difficult for some to acknowledge our history and come to terms with it, but for us to be able to move forward together, for us to truly able to heal as a country, we must recognise and face our history.”

Guled Mire, community advocate and founder of Third Culture Minds

“This is not a moment. This is a movement.”

Dr Emalani Case