On June 30th, 15 black queer youths from Milwaukee, along with adult supporters, began the 65 mile walk to Madison to deliver demands to end gun violence and dismantle racism to Governor Evers. Despite significant hostility encountered along the way, 50 Miles More completed their walk and held a rally at the Capitol to announce their demands and testify to their experiences.
Tatiana from Black Radicals made clear her demands.
“I want reparations, I want the police defunded, I want my community refunded,” she said. “I want my black life and every black life out here to matter, and for it not be a political issue. At the end of the day, I’m not fighting with the system, I’m fighting to end the system. Because my life will never matter in this system.”
A speaker from Freedom Inc. talked about the importance of defunding the police and instead investing in the Madison community.
“The Madison Police Department gets $81 million annually. And yet, we throw pennies at housing, healthcare and quality transportation. Shame,” they said. “We know, that in order for us to have a just society, we must invest in the safety of our communities and in keeping each other safe. And we know what keeps us safe. Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe.”
On Saturday, the Fourth of July, 50 Miles More arrived at the Governor’s Mansion. There, they demanded that Governor Evers condemn the use of teargas and rubber bullets, hold special legislative sessions on gun violence and policing, release prisoners to reduce covid 19 transmission, act on the requests of BLM at school, fund violence prevention programs and support black women and the black lgbtq+ community.