Educate and Advocate: Activists in Lafayette, LA, Lead Movement to Remove Confederate Statue, Confront Long History of White Supremacy

On December 18, 2020, the Southern Poverty Law Center forwarded a story about Move the Mindset (MTM) to 600,000 of its patrons. Statistical results indicate that roughly 80,000 patrons read the story. It is an honor to have had this number of individuals demonstrate an interest in MTM and our work in addressing the issue of social justice. We thank our members, supporters and the general public in assisting us in getting our voice heard. Now the judicial system must come forth and respond to our suit and issue a judgement that will allow the Confederate Jim Crow statue, a public nuisance, and symbol of white supremacy and division, to be moved from publicly owned land. The court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2021 at 10am. I pray you will continue to support our cause in prayer and spirit.

Read the SPLC article on Move the Mindset.

What We Do

Move the Mindset’s mission is to educate our community on racial and social justice issues through education, dialogue, the arts and direct action. Your donation will help to fund our endeavors:

• Moving the General Alfred Mouton Confederate Jim Crow statue off public-owned land
• Investigating and influencing how local schools approach the teaching of American history, especially the era of slavery
• Planning lectures and educational events about racial history and racial justice for our community’s enrichment
• Working with Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) in addressing the injustices in our criminal justice system
• Participating with the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in honoring those lynched in our parish (county) through the placement of Memorial Markers
• Developing educational documentaries about life in Lafayette during the Jim Crow era
• Teaching chess to local youth to help develop critical thinking

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MTM President Fred Prejean Receives Lafayette Civic Cup Award

MTM President Fred Prejean has been awarded the prestigious 2020 Lafayette Civic Cup award by the Community Foundation of Acadiana for a lifetime of activism and community service on behalf of the Lafayette community. Among the many accomplishments for which he is being honored is his leadership of the movement to remove the divisive Jim Crow Mouton Statue. Mr. Prejean will be feted at an award dinner on Tuesday, November 10.

Visit the Community Foundation of Acadiana website for more information about the award and how to attend the event.

Lafayette City Council Supports Resolution to Remove the Jim Crow Statue!

In a unanimous decision, the Lafayette City Council voted to support the Mayor-President’s resolution to remove the Jim Crow statue. The resolution generated a landslide of public support for removal of the statue. According to the Council clerk, 279 citizens signed up to show their support for the resolution versus only 9 citizens against. Everyone who attended or called into the Council meeting on this issue spoke in favor of supporting the resolution.

The next step is a court hearing on August 17 where a judge will decide whether to remove the permanent injunction currently prohibiting the moving of the statue. If the injunction is removed, the Mayor-President has a mandate to remove the statue. He has publicly vowed to do so, calling it a “Jim Crow statue that offends a whole class of people.”

Read more about the City Council resolution.

Events

MTM Calendar of Events