Nevel, Cainion seek to tie Charlottesville violence to local instances of what they call institutionalized racism

Eritha "Akile" Cainion, candidate for St. Pete City Council District 6, addresses the crowd moments before the march.Katherine SinnerFor the second time this week in St. Pete, a mass of people gathered to stand against white nationalism.

This time, it was on a humid Wednesday evening at City Hall. In response to the recent white supremacist uprising in Charlottesville, Virginia this past weekend, protesters were eager to make their voices heard.

This event was different than Sunday's, though. The organization behind it, Communities United for Reparations and Economic Development (C.U.R.E.D.), sought to tie overt acts of racism like those in Charlottesville with what they see as more subtle attempts to trivialize the lives of African Americans.

St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Jesse Nevel and District 6 City Council hopeful Eritha “Akile” Cainon, the candidates associated with the Uhuru movement, spoke to the crowd of protesters. They were joined by Gazi Kodzo, whose outspoken views have garnered internet fame and notoriety, and Kunde Mwamvita — the mother of one of the teenage girls who died after driving a stolen car into a pond during a police pursuit in 2016.

Activists march with signs down Central Avenue.Katherine SinnerNevel and Cainon focused their speeches on the concept of white nationalism and tried to connect the sentiments behind last weekend's events to the systemic racism they say has led to a dramatic lack of social and economic equality for minorities. They opined about how mainstream politicians (namely, their opponents in their respective races) keep the black community down and do little to help the poor.

“We’re going up against the system, because that’s in the best interest of the people,” exclaimed Cainion. “This is not a business corporation. This is the life of the people.”

Nevel discussed the city’s displacement of the black community over time. A prime example, he said, is how the city bulldozed the Gas Plant district to make way for Tropicana Field before the city even had a baseball team to play in the stadium. Acknowledging these wrongs, then seeking to right them, Nevel said, is how progress happens.

“It’s time to get uncomfortable because that is what change feels like,” said Nevel.

Mwamvita said her daughter Dominique Battle’s untimely death was due to what she sees as wrongful activity by the Pinellas County deputies who pursued Battle and her friends. She spoke passionately about the many black children who are criminalized and incarcerated at a young age.

“We must stand united and fight for our youth,” stated Mwamvita.

The march ends at St. Petersburg Police Department headquarters.Katherine SinnerFollowing the speakers, those gathered for the event assembled for a march toward the city’s police headquarters several blocks west on Central Avenue. Attendees carried signs with positive messages and chanted familiar refrains about social change. The group marched peacefully, attracting the support of several shop owners and restaurantgoers along the way.

The march ended at the police headquarters with a few final words from the speakers. The crowd stood in eager solidarity. Nevel and Cainon declared their support for black and poor communities once more, ending the night with a message of hope.