BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10) - In light of several violent shootings around the country, the NAACP of Floyd and Montgomery Counties and the Coalition for Justice have come together to promote unity, compassion, and understanding.
For the hundreds who lifted signs, lit candles, and spoke Monday, the vigil was an opportunity to let out the confusion and anger felt by many following yet another shooting in Michigan Monday.
"The less people feel like they're being listened to, the less change there is in the Judiciary, the way the police police themselves without outside agency, then you're going to create a cycle where people are going to respond and it has happened again in Michigan and something has to change," said Margaret Breslau with the Coalition for Justice.
It was clear to those attending the vigil Monday in Blacksburg that change is already happening.
"We need to be here. We need to help folks express themselves in a safe and peaceful manner," said Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson.
It's that understanding that Blacksburg resident Marie Benson says she wants to share with others.
"We need to be educating ourselves, because at least for me, I grew up in Blacksburg, which is a predominately very white population, and so I had no idea of most of these issues, whereas people who are black are educated about this since the time they are children," said Benson.
It was rallies and vigils, just like this one, that Dr. Wornie Reed says inspired him to take a first step toward working with his police department.
"We decided to collect data on all traffic stops, so that we could determine whether there is any racial profiling," said Reed.
Between 2010 and 2012, that data showed that blacks were more likely to be arrested in Montgomery County than whites.
More data is being reviewed to determine if all of those arrests were warranted, but now, Reed meets with Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Montgomery County police every month.
"We look at all our numbers to see how we treat all our citizens, and you can't be afraid that the numbers tell you you've got to change something, then you just go fix it. So this group has been kind of an essential part of making that a reality," said Wilson.
Organizer Devon Lee says that cooperation is the heart of the vigil's message.
"The police aren't our enemy, they're a part of the solution," said Lee.
The group that meets once a month in Montgomery County, called the Montgomery County Dialogue on Race, is also monitoring how each police department racially reflects the communities it serves.
Reed says Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Montgomery County are the first departments in the state to keep these metrics, and it has already led to greater transparency and trust of the police in his community.
You can review the group's work at their website by clicking here.