‘The question is, when is it Aurora?’ Rally held at town hall in response to mass shooting in Buffalo

Mass murderer targeted Black people on May 14

Yorkregion.com
May 27, 2022
Laura Broadley

Phiona Durrant gets emotional when speaking to a crowd gathered outside Aurora town hall.

The local resident and president of Aurora Black Community Association spoke at a rally on May 19 organized in response to the mass shooting on May 14 in Buffalo, N.Y., where a shooter targeted Black people.

“The work that’s required for equity, diversity and inclusion around equality and making our community safe against racism is ongoing,” Durrant said.

Durrant said it’s important that town leaders take positive steps forward, above and beyond raising a Pan-African flag at town hall. “We wanted to stand here at our government office because this is a centralized place where decisions and policies are made where support can be given or not given,” Durrant said.

It’s important for leaders to take action before atrocities happen instead of afterwards. “Why do we always react instead of having a strategy that’s ongoing? That’s why we’re here today, to bring that awareness,” she said.

She’s considering showing up to town hall every month to bring awareness to the issues. “Just showing up to say, ‘OK, since we always wait until somebody dies, I’m going to continue to show up.’ So, that’s what we’re doing here. Just showing up to let them know that these things matter and we should not keep waiting for another person to die. I don’t care if they’re white, pink, Black, nobody should have to be murdered by hate,” Durrant said.

Pointing to the number of shootings in Aurora this year, she said shootings are a problem even close to home. “At least seven have happened in Aurora for 2022. Guns and violence are right here,” she said. “The question is, when is it Aurora?”

Shruti Kalyanaraman, a board member of Aurora Black Community Association, said she came to the rally to support the Black community. “I’m here today because I’m a person of colour myself, but this is about the Black community. It’s about the Black families in Ontario, in Aurora. I just want them to know that I’m here. I’m from a different culture, but I’m there for you,” she said.

Kalyanaraman said she wants to support any way she can because she’s a member of the Aurora community. “Whatever affects them also affects me. I’m a safe person for them,” she said.

Kalyanaraman wants to give back to a community who supported her as a newcomer. “Phiona has done a lot for me as a newcomer, when I was a newcomer to Aurora,” Kalyanaraman said. “She does a lot for non-Black people of colour and that’s why I’m here today.”