After the death of George Floyd, Jovita, a member of Pax Christi, began a daily walk of several miles, alone, holding a Black Lives Matter sign in a community where many did not welcome the message.

Jovita shared:

“The racism and prejudice I witnessed, in the cold-blooded murder of George Floyd, goaded me into action to speak out. I used the polices’ obsession to make my sign: KILL RACISM AND PREJUDICE NOT PEOPLE. The other side was BLACK LIVES MATTER. My oath was to bring this message to my community, every day, until those police were arrested, charged, and sentenced.

“The community, a previous KKK headquarters, rejected the black lives matter message. They did not get it. So I spelled it out with another sign on my back: SO THEN, LET US TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT, DIGNITY & ACCEPTANCE. They threaten my life. They honk, to ensure that I see them giving me the ‘finger’ I respond with a wave of my hand and that infuriates them even more; they honk again and I responded with a wave again. This action has provided a way to give witness to the Gospel.

“So, we must act, and witness, as Jesus called, to be true disciples and real brothers and sisters for all.”

Jovita walked every day with her sign for over a year.