This past week and a half some from Schoharie County (rural Agricultural basin outside of/on the edge of the Capital Region of Upstate NY) sought to organize a protest. Here, like elsewhere, not helped by the media nor our current leadership, people are having a hard time distinguishing between protest and riot. As news got out, the immediate response of some was to threaten violence (there were talks of guns, ammo, and sniper positions that people would be posted to "protect themselves")... This was unsettling and very discouraging. The initial plan was cancelled and some of us tried to re-group to make the gathering still happen. Law enforcement were involved with helping plan (some were not happy about that), the location chosen did not make some happy (rural, not in any of the villages), and yet the event still went on.... I was one who was working to find a location and was denied by many potential locations. I had a community leader seriously tell me that "there is no racism in Schoharie County" with the "we have no need for that here." This of course, is surprising as more and more Confederate flags are flown throughout the county, let alone the stories I have and continue to hear from the very very minority people of color in the county. Anyway, the gathering happened. We had asked a well known musician to sing a song and he opted not to. He did give a prayer of lament though, and it was powerful. After the gathering, he made this and I offer it to you as inspirational!