West Michigan starts 70+ mile march against genocide to State Capitol – nears $10,000 fundraising goal
Grand Rapids, MI – Spirits were high on the morning of June 26, as 42 people embarked from Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, beginning the first leg of their five-day trek to Lansing, the state capital. The March Against Genocide, organized by Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids, is a fundraising effort for the nonprofits HEAL Palestine and Playgrounds for Palestine.
HEAL Palestine provides lifesaving interventions for Palestinian children by bringing them to the U.S. for surgery while building field hospitals and pharmacies in Gaza. Playgrounds for Palestine helps build the parks and recreational areas Palestinian children need – they even helped build a school in Gaza during the ongoing genocide.
At the time of writing, the marchers and their supporters have neared their $10,000 fundraising goal and are doing educational outreach to the communities on the way to the capitol – meeting people from all types of backgrounds.
One marcher recounted one such powerful interaction, stating, “We took a detour south of our planned route down a rural road, and a woman and her grandmother sitting on their front porch outside of Ionia gave us $120 in cash. They said ‘politics doesn't matter. I don't care where they're from – it's important to support children.“’
Not everyone the marchers have encountered have been supportive, however.
“Even though we've gotten our share of middle fingers and choice words from a few antagonists, morale in the group is high. On the second day of the march, a man threatened to come back with his gun. But we are determined – we are marching for a good cause. Palestinians experience far worse violence every day,” said Emerson Wolfe, a leader in the group and the chief organizer of the march.
Despite harassment, threats, and grueling conditions in the Michigan summer, the cause of Palestinian liberation is a source of inspiration for all people.
Travel between Grand Rapids and Lansing anytime between now and June 30 and you may see the group of determined marchers wearing bright “Free Palestine” shirts and waving the Palestine flag. On June 30 the marchers will be meeting at Noosh Afghan Cuisine in Lansing, to march the final three miles to the capitol building.
Follow the march’s progress at https://palestinesolidaritygr.org/, on Instagram @palestinesolidarity_gr, and on Facebook under Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids.
Donate to the march online https://gofund.me/ddb8c2fc