HANALEI — Nancy Williams is channeling her feelings of grief and sadness, and asking others to join her tomorrow.
A Peaceful Paddle Out Memorial will begin at the Hanalei Pier at Black Pot at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with a short speaker service.
“We’d love for everybody to feel like they can come,” Williams said Thursday morning.
This is a family-friendly opportunity to raise awareness and memorialize George Floyd and other victims of violence.
Floyd, a black man, murdered in police custody after having his neck pinned to the ground by the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer for nearly nine minutes.
When she had the idea for a paddle out, Williams reached out to Kaua‘i County Councilmember Luke Evslin, who put her in contact with the Kaua‘i Police Department.
“This is really a healing event, and I’m incredibly grateful to the Kaua‘i Police Department and county,” Williams said. KPD Police Chief Todd Raybuck will also speak at the event.
When Evslin shared the Paddle Out’s post to social media, he offered canoes to those who want to get in the water. Evslin is the co-founder of Kamanu Composites, an O‘ahu based outrigger canoe manufacturing company. By Thursday afternoon, he reached a maximum of five requests.
Charles Woolfork will be on a paddleboard Saturday.
One of the memorial’s speakers, Woolfork is a success coach and trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Part of his job is helping others work through their experiences.
“We have to stay uncomfortable until we actually see a change,” Woolfork said. “We can outlast any system that oppresses minorities, whether they’re black, Hawaiian, Muslim, Asian.”
Williams, who is an outrigger canoe paddler, will be going out on her surfboard.
Since the event will occur on the pier, those who aren’t able to get into the water will still be able to participate. Social distancing measures will still be in effect, Williams said.
A Black Lives Matter protest at the Historic County Building will convene at 11 a.m.
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Sabrina Bodon, public safety and government reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
Source: The Garden Island
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