Five years after George Floyd’s death, a new photo exhibit spearheaded by Lookout Santa Cruz photojournalist Kevin Painchaud opens June 30 at the London Nelson Community Center, exploring activism around racial equality in Santa Cruz.
Thairie Ritchie
Posted inLatest News
Organizers to repaint Santa Cruz Black Lives Matter mural in fundraiser for Thairie Ritchie
A repainting event for the Black Lives Matter mural in front of Santa Cruz City Hall will take place on Saturday, a reminder of both the resilience of the racial justice movement and to honor and support prominent community activist Thairie Ritchie, who set himself on fire standing on the mural on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Santa Cruz Black honors activist Thairie Ritchie
In lighting his own flesh on fire in a seemingly placid and sunny seaside college town where unredressed racial violence lurks beneath the surface, Thairie Ritchie bore witness to a world that is on fire and hurtling toward the abyss, write activists at Santa Cruz Black. He self-immolated while standing on the Black Lives Matter street mural, which cars heedlessly drive over every day in front of city hall in downtown Santa Cruz. The group offers a tribute to him and his message.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: Santa Cruz Democrats, let’s honor Thairie Ritchie’s message
In a letter to the editor, the chair of the Santa Cruz County Democratic Central Committee calls on local Democrats to honor the dedication of civil rights activist Thairie Ritchie.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: After public self-immolation, activist’s friends demand transparency
Inside Santa Cruz County politics & policy via Lookout correspondent Christopher Neely.
Posted inLatest News
Thairie Ritchie vigil: Chants, remembrances and a demand for information
More than 300 people gathered Sunday to grieve and honor Thairie Ritchie, the prominent local civil rights activist who set himself on fire Jan. 20 atop Santa Cruz’s Black Lives Matter street mural. As Ritchie faces a “a long and challenging recovery,” several speakers recalled his activism and renewed demands for the City of Santa Cruz to release more information about the incident.
Posted inLatest News
‘This was a message’: Friends say activist’s self-immolation was an act of protest; plan Sunday vigil at city hall
Some friends of civil rights activist Thairie Ritchie say his decision to light himself on fire on Martin Luther King Jr. Day was an act of public protest. They say they want to bring attention to his message and are organizing a Sunday vigil in his honor at Santa Cruz City Hall.
Posted inLatest News
Prominent local civil rights activist set himself on fire near Santa Cruz City Hall; the motive is unclear
In a shocking public event, a local activist set fire to himself in downtown Santa Cruz, just hours after both the second Donald Trump inauguration and the well-attended MLK March in Santa Cruz. Little is so far known beyond what happened on the day itself.
Posted inInside Lookout
Reporting on a public tragedy: Why we chose to publish
News decisions can be tough and debatable. Lookout reported a story of a tragic incident in downtown Santa Cruz diligently and sensitively, balancing the public’s need to know with privacy concerns. Here is our thinking.
Posted inLatest News
In wake of SCPD cyclist arrest, speakers voice frustrations, push for public safety reforms in community forum
Local activists, social justice organizations and about 30 community members gathered Sunday in front of Santa Cruz City Hall to connect and begin discussing ways to reimagine public safety in the city in response to community complaints regarding the use of excessive force by Santa Cruz police officers in their arrest of a Black cyclist earlier this month.