SUNDERLAND — For the fifth year in a row, three area advocacy groups will be standing out on the Sunderland Bridge to mark the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and keep the racial justice conversation alive in the region.

The Sunderland Human Rights Task Force, the Deerfield Inclusion Group and the Hatfield Equity Alliance Fighting Against Racism Together are welcoming all members of the public to the standout on Sunday, May 25. It will begin at the First Congregational Church of Sunderland, 91 South Main St., at noon, where a brief program will be held before folks walk to the bridge. Those who wish to make signs for the standout are encouraged to do so and supplies will be available.

Members of the organizing groups said progress on racial justice in the last few years has stalled, or even gone backward, and holding a standout like this can bring attention to the matter.

“It’s especially important to observe and acknowledge this year,” Deerfield Inclusion Group member Lu Vincent said. “Being in a really challenging political climate, it makes it even more crucial that we’re paying attention to the needs of everybody right now and not letting institutional practices run over people.”

This will be the fifth annual standout in Sunderland since Floyd’s murder, committed by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. Along with the annual standout, the Sunderland Human Rights Task Force also hosts weekly standouts for racial justice in downtown Sunderland each Monday at 8:30 a.m.

Sunderland Human Rights Task Force member Jay Baudermann said an underlying theme of the standout is accountability, as groups like these are key to ensuring people in positions of power are held responsible for their actions.

“What we want to stress and demand as we gather on the bridge this year is accountability, in addition to equity and justice. When these horrible things happen, are the police held accountable? Sometimes yes, but more often than not, nothing happens unless there is some type of public outcry,” Baudermann said. “We are part of that outcry. That’s why members of our community gather every Monday morning in Sunderland Center to insist that Black Lives Matter.”

While progress for racial justice has slowed, Vincent said local efforts have picked up a lot of steam over the last five years, although she added more work is needed.

“There’s a lot more community building that’s happening now than in past years,” Vincent said. “It is time for white people to step up more than ever because that is something that was missing in many of the last protests.”

The Rev. Randy Calvo, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Sunderland, said more work is needed to address social injustices in the country.

“We often hear people say to us that ‘all lives matter.’ Of course they do. That’s what my faith teaches me: each one of us is precious,” Calvo said. “The problem is, we don’t act that way. All lives can’t matter until and unless Black lives matter, too. Clearly, they don’t, as a glance at the headlines reveals. We still have a lot of work to do.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.