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Hours after former Vice President Joe Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States, over 100 demonstrators gathered outside Syracuse City Hall to celebrate his victory. 

Biden, a Syracuse University alumnus, earned at least 290 electoral votes to defeat President Donald Trump. He will be the first SU alumnus to serve as president. 

As activists with Black Lives Matter Syracuse and other local organizations addressed the crowd from the steps of City Hall, a common theme ran through their speeches: while the demonstrators deserved to celebrate Biden’s victory, there is still work to be done. 

“Do not underestimate the power of the vote,” said Yusuf Abdul-Qadir, director of the central New York chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union and one of the speakers at the rally. “When we unite, when we organize, when we show up, we can shake this system.”

This election was an example of democracy in action and was a win for all marginalized groups, including the Black community, one demonstrator said. Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, will be the first woman, first Black person and first Asian American person to serve as vice president. 

“I know that this is not the solution, and we have so much work to do,” the demonstrator said to the crowd. “But after this party, we will do that work. Right now, we deserve to be joyful.”

Activists with Black Lives Matter Syracuse and RebirthSYR gathered at City Hall on Saturday. Emma Folts | Managing Editor

The first speaker, a member of the Onondaga Nation, asked Indigenous people from the Onondaga Nation to stand in solidarity with the Black community. 

Students from Raha Syracuse, a Muslim youth-led group, also spoke about their efforts to remove school resource officers from the Syracuse City School District. The students have worked alongside Cuse Youth Black Lives Matter, a branch of the greater Black Lives Matter Syracuse group that’s led by high school students. 

Several speakers urged the crowd to continue to hold political officials accountable, including Biden.

“You need to keep paying attention,” one organizer said. “The fight has just begun.”

Abdul-Qadir, the last to speak at the rally, addressed the crowd by sitting down on the steps of City Hall. He wanted to feel closer to the other demonstrators, he said. 

“Syracuse, it is not enough that we rebuked Trump,” he said.  

Queen of Black Lives Matter Syracuse addresses the crowd. Emma Folts | Managing Editor

After his speech, Abdul-Qadir invited demonstrators to stay in front of City Hall and celebrate as long as they wished. Some began dancing together while music played from nearby speakers. 

While tonight was a night to celebrate, the fight against injustice will continue, Abdul-Qadir said. 

“This is a fight that’s going to keep on going,” one organizer said. “Long after tomorrow, long after 2024.” 

Published on November 7, 2020 at 8:26 pm

Contact Sarah: scalessa@syr.edu | @sarahalessan