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Upon recognizing need for a localized BLM resource, Rayyan Ahmed, 15, of Waldwick and Divyash Shah, 14, of Tenafly jumped to action -- bringing BLM NJ online last week.
Ahmed and Shah, both rising sophomores at Bergen County Academies, initially wanted to dive headfirst into the movement through active participation in protests and riots. That idea didn’t sit well with their parents, who insisted they prioritize safety in the midst of their activism.
“We believe that racial bias still exists around us, and it is important for us to recognize it, highlight it and act on addressing it,” Ahmed told Daily Voice.
“We saw the problems that are going on in America and we wanted to do something to help,” said Ahmed. “Obviously, as kids, our parents didn’t want to expose us to the protests as a risk of catching COVID-19, but we still wanted to make a difference in any way that we could.”
The website directs users to a number of fundraisers, petitions, informational articles, videos and other relevant activism resources.
A feature that matches people unable to attend protests with protestors who may not have access to poster supplies is what Ahmed and Shah called an essential component for improving the visibility of protests.
The students cite their own experiences with racism and discrimination as a major reason for their passion and heavy involvement in the movement.
Though the site is directed toward New Jersey residents, it includes information about protests from the New York City metropolitan area for maximum visibility.
Ultimately, Ahmed and Shah hope their site makes it easier for BLM activists to get involved in the way that’s best for them — whether it’s signing petitions, donating to fundraisers, creating posters for protesters, emailing government officials regarding new legislation, or anything in between.
“We think the movement, in its core, is all about treating everyone equally and recognizing that we need to all come together as one race," Ahmed said. "The human race."
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