A smaller group participated in the weekly racial injustice protest in Jefferson Tuesday afternoon.

Co-organizer Dale Hanaman shared with the six participants another excerpt from the book “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson about empathy versus sympathy. He interpreted the excerpt to push individuals to be radically empathetic, meaning to be as knowledgeable as possible about racial issues, as well as listen and appropriately respond. Hanaman acknowledges that when they first started the rallies, there were as many as 50 people, but the crowds have shrunk to less than ten more recently. He argues they are still making an impact.

“When you bake bread, you need just a small amount of yeast to make a difference. What we’re doing is planting seeds and helping people realize that there is another way to look at our lives. That people that don’t have a voice, their lives matter.”

Hanaman adds that next week, anyone wanting to participate in the protests can meet at the Doreen Wilbur statue near the Greene County Community Center on Tuesday at 12:15pm.