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Youth Lead the Way in Renaming St. Louis Streets: A Stand Against Racism
Youth refuse to let George Floyd’s death be forgotten.
Inspired by George Floyd’s death, activists in St. Louis are fighting for change against systemic racism in local communities, encouraging youth to get involved in local government.
Don Fitz, the outreach coordinator for the Gateway Green Alliance and Green Party of St. Louis, organized a zoom meeting to discuss changing four street names in University City — Jackson Street, Pershing Street, Wilson Street, and Amherst Street.
Teens Taking Action in St. Louis were present at the meeting and had several representatives speak.
Michaela Flowers, a high school student at University City and member of Teens Taking Action, gave a passionate speech about renaming the streets.
Flowers said, “It is important to give value to black lives in the honor of George Floyd, and inappropriate to still widely tolerate streets named after confederate generals in parts of the city that are predominantly black communities. To openly accept this racism is embarrassing.”
Flowers suggested renaming streets after people who have made a difference in the African American community with science and social justice.
