On Monday morning, May 16, 2022, hundreds of tires were discovered slashed at Springfield’s Youth on the Move, a Black Female Owned, Indian Orchard business that provides transportation services for children and families with critical needs, including people with autism, physical challenges, and special needs. Their vans are used to transport children in wheelchairs to schools, doctor appointments, dialysis, cancer treatments, and other various medical appointments.
When Janice Brown, owner of the company, and her staff at Youth on the Move arrived at work Monday morning, they found 47 vehicles with slashed tires in the parking lot. “Who would do such a thing knowing these are handicapped vans,” Brown said. “It just doesn’t make sense.” Youth on the Move provides rides for more than 100 people a day due to the pandemic, gas prices, and inflation. Brown said she was shocked by the callous nature of the crime. “We help people in need,” she said. “How could someone be so cold?”
While the Police are investigating the incident, the community is stepping up to help. Youth on the Move employees had been at their Springfield facility for close to 12 hours following the surprising and extreme act of vandalism, working diligently to get the vans back on the road to the people who need them most. It was noted that at least 15 people in the community were without rides on Monday. The crew has been hard at work making sure the vans are back up and running as soon as possible.
“This incident was clearly a Hate Crime. Youth on the Move is a black-owned female business located in a community of color, serving predominately underserved black and brown persons” states Representative Bud L. Williams of the 11th Hampden District, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion. “With the current heightened state of social media propaganda, more and more persons of non-color buy into this so-called Replacement Theory, a white nationalist far-right conspiracy theory that claims populations are being demographically and culturally replaced with non-white people. This growing mindset has given credence to white people’s justification to vandalize, conduct modern-day lynching, and outright murder persons of color”
Williams referenced the recent Buffalo shooting where the shooter, only 18 years old drove 200 miles to target shoppers and workers at the Tops Friendly Market in a predominantly black neighborhood. Authorities are investigating this attack as a racially motivated hate crime based on a 180-page manifesto wherein it was stated that the shooter wanted to “terrorize all non-white, non-Christian people and get them to leave the U.S.” referencing “The Great Replacement Theory”.
“This is a white person, who had a strategic plan to kill, was armed, dangerous, and clearly a threat, but was talked down through de-escalation tactics and negotiations to surrender after he had just shot 13 people, 11 of whom were black and killed 10 people in total, and if he was not stopped was planning to kill more. Had he been a black man, he would have been shot dead on the spot!” states Williams.
“People want to deny that racism still exists, but we see it every day. We have been fighting for equal justice, civil rights, and inclusion for centuries. When a person of color is simply minding their own business, calls the police to help de-escalate a mental health situation, is mistakenly identified, or authorities get a tip that a black man, woman, or child appears to be threatening to a white person, there is no negotiation. Shoot first, use lethal force, and ask questions later. This is ridiculous! It is blatant, it is clear, it is wrong, and it must stop!”
Williams further states, “I know our people and our community are strong. In times of tragedy, sorrow, and need, we come together. Youth on the Move provides a vital service, they are a staple in our community. They are our neighbor and our friend. This incident was indeed unfortunate, but it will not defeat us. I am here to support them in any way I can and will continue to bring light to the injustices that plague our communities”.
