Black Lives Matter rally draws hundreds in Lethbridge, another rally planned for Saturday

Hundreds rallied in Lethbridge on Thursday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Lethbridge — Hundreds rallied outside of Lethbridge city hall on Thursday to protest anti-Black racism following the death of American George Floyd.

The protest also aimed to serve as a reminder that racism is still a problem in Canada.

And many are wondering what happens next.

Protesters chanted "Black Lives Matter" as they took a stand against racial injustice.

Jordan Ledyit, one of the organizers, said the amount of support at the event was moving and even though Thursday's protest is over, people can still be part of change.

“Continue to say something, to open your mouth, to share things on Facebook, bring awareness and to take a stand against racism," she said.

"No matter where you’re from, who you are, Black, white, Indigenous, people of colour, anybody, say something.”

Ledyit said some of her extended family members are Indigenous and have had countless encounters with racism. As an interracial African-American, Ledyit says she has also experienced racism in Lethbridge.

"I was at the mall with my mom and I walked passed a table of white individuals, and they looked at me and they said, 'light skin,'" she said.

"That’s not OK. It’s not OK … We don’t say light skin … We don’t say half-Black. It’s not OK and that’s the kind of crap I deal with in the city. It happens every day.”

Ledyit said the first time she experienced racism was when she was in kindergarten and it’s become an unfortunate part of her daily life. She is also the organizer of a group called GUARD, which stands for the Lethbridge Group United Against Discrimination.

She said the group is exploring other initiatives to combat racism.

“We are focusing next on bringing awareness to police about people of colour again, as well as people with different neurodiversity‘s and disabilities," she said.

Ledyit says it’s time to stop pretending that racism isn’t a problem in Canada and that it’s time to educate, and move forward and become united together.

Another rally is scheduled in Lethbridge on Saturday at 10 a.m. outside of city hall.