When Terry Willis, a 35-year-old man from Alabama, saw the video footage of George Floyd’s killing at the hands of the police on May 25th, he decided that he “had to do his part” to fight systemic racism and police brutality in the United States.
Willis is a black man and father to a 7-year-old boy, and he felt compelled to do something to change his and his son’s country for the better. “We’ve done so much talking. I’m going to let my actions do the talking.”
And so, he decided to walk. On June 2nd, he left his home in Huntsville, Alabama, and started a cross-country journey that will end over the next few days, when he reaches the spot where Floyd was killed in Minneapolis.
Source: FacebookWillis is averaging about 40 to 50 miles a day and streams live videos of himself as he treks along the 1,000+ mile route. Friends, family, and followers from all across the country comment on his posts to send their support and cheer him on.
He has expressed that he is no professional when it comes to long-distance walking such as this, but he is inspired to continue moving forward because of his strong conviction and ideals. In his initial Facebook post before starting the march, Willis wrote:
“ In 1965 MLK marched to Selma for us to have the right to vote. In 2020 I Terry Willis will walk from Alabama to Minnesota for our right to be seen as equals. 1000+miles. […] MARCH FOR CHANGE, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. MY Voice will be heard.”
Photo by Zirconia Alleyne – Kentucky New EraWith his reference to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Selma marches of 1965, Willis makes it clear that, although he supports other forms of protest for Black Lives Matter, he wanted to do something different in the hope of making a change in the US.
In order to support himself and his family during the time he’ll be walking, Willis has set up a GoFundMe account, but the proceeds will also go toward starting a non-profit organization called The Dal House, “focused solely on teaching individuals with a criminal history and juvenile delinquents a trade from barbering to carpentry […] a trade that will subsequently allow them to open their own businesses and employ others.”
