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At 10 a.m. Monday a community unified against hate will rally at Springwood Avenue to send the message that Love Wins.

“A lot of us have been working really hard at planning something that can bring the whole community together so that we can stand against the hate that is being amplified in the country right now,” said co organizer Nicolle Harris via a live stream Facebook post Friday morning. “The main point is that we want to be unified on that day.”

Harris, a lifelong Asbury Park resident, activist and minister, joined forces with city resident Jess Alaimo, known for using comedy to organize LGBTQ and other social justice support and awareness events, to organize the Stand Against Hate Rally.

The women, who were in the midst of organizing separate events, were propelled into action following the violence that erupted during the Aug 12 ‘Unite the Right Rally,’ organized by white nationalists and other like-minded groups in Charlottesville, Va.

For Alaimo, the posting of Vanguard America ‘Hate Facts with Hitler’ posters along Cookman Avenue helped define the event’s importance.

“A few years ago, people wouldn’t have felt comfortable putting up those fliers in Asbury Park  and today they feel comfortable doing that now and we need to respond and let them know it’s not okay,” she has said. “This whole thing is about unity because we are stronger together, against hate. It’s really about bringing Asbury’s east side and Asbury west side together.”

In the past few weeks, the duo have been working with over 50 local groups, churches, city leaders and officials to organize the peaceful event.

“The group of people are diverse in our backgrounds, in our ideas and culture,” Harris said in the Facebook live stream. “The one thing that we cannot allow is hate to win. Love has to win or we all lose.”

Thousands are expected to attend the peaceful event that will feature a host of speakers and an entertainment lineup includes Desiree Spinks of Des + the Swagmatics, Mychal Mills of Konscious Youth Development & Service [KYDS] performers, Crystal McGhee, teen superstar Makayla Serrano, and a few surprise guests, said Joe Grillo, a BOE member and head of the local Democratic club, who is helping with the behind the scenes organization.

“We’ve brought together an inclusive and exciting roster of individuals and groups that will enable us, as residents, to not only amplify our united voice against Nazis and white supremacy, but venture outside of our respective comfort zones to listen to one another’s viewpoints. We may not agree on everything 100% all of time, but that’s the point. This is less about agreement, and more about alignment,” Grillo said.

The Stand Against Hate Rally will be held at 10 a.m. Sept 4 in Springwood Avenue Park, located between Union and Atkins avenues. The team has branded the event as a follows:

“Love is louder than hate. We want to remind the world that all are welcome in our America. This will be a peaceful, non-violent gathering that is PRO-LOVE, EQUALITY, AND FREEDOM. THIS IS AN ALL-INCLUSIVE EVENT. Please join us. NO RACISM, NO XENOPHOBIA, NO ANTI-SEMITISM, NO SEXISM, NO HOMOPHOBIA, NO TRANSPHOBIA, NOT IN OUR NAMES.”

For more information, visit their Facebook page, and to contribute to the planning and organizational costs, visit their You Caring page. Net proceeds from the event will be donated the Heather Heyer Foundation, formed after the 32-year-old was killed when a car plowed into the crowd of counter protesters who opposed the ‘Unite the Right’ rally of white nationalist and other groups. The Foundation provides scholarships to students pursing a career in social justice.

To understand the magnitude of the behind-the-scenes efforts, below is a list of contributors and participants:

The rally’s emcee will be Pastor Semaj Vanzant, Sr. of Second Baptist Church

The invited speakers include:

Congressman Frank Pallone and U.S. Senator Cory Booker, and while no confirmation of their attendance came by the time of this posting, both have been avid supporters of the community.

Rabbi Marc Kline of Monmouth Reform Temple

Asbury Park Mayor John Moor and BOE President Angela Ahbez-Anderson

Jennifer Lewinski, Community Activist

Dr. Rev. Gil Caldwell, Civil Rights Foot Soldier

Tyrone Laws, Community Activist

Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director of Garden State Equality

Hazim Yassin, American Muslim Action Network

Dallas Hlatky, Women’s March Asbury Park

Jason Dermer, Iraq Veterans Against War

Sue Fulton, LGBTQ Activist

Asbury Park Mayor John Moor will speak on behalf of the confirmed elected officials, which will include:

Asbury Park City Council

Asbury Park Board of Education members

Neptune Township Mayor and Committee

Neptune City Councilwoman Pamela Renee (D)

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty (D)

Freeholder Thomas Arnone (R)

Freeholder John Curley (R)

Senator Jennifer Beck (R)

Assemblywoman Joann Downey (D)

Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling (D)

Assemblyman Troy Singleton (D)

And below is a chart of those who have provided behind the scenes support, including Help Not Handcuffs Founder Randy Thompson: 

Asbury Audio	Audio Equipment Sponsor
Betty’s Icebox	Food Sponsor
Windmill Hot Dogs	Food Sponsor
Second Baptist Church of Asbury Park	Food Sponsor/Religious Insitution
Asbury Park Mayor and City Council	Government Entity
Neptune Township Mayor & Committee	Government Entity
State Assemblyman Troy Singleton (D)	Government Entity
State Assemblypersons Eric Houghtaling & Joann Downey (D)	Government Entity
State Senator Jennifer Beck (R)	Government Entity
Neptune City Councilwoman Pamela Renee (D)	Government Entity
Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty (D)	Government Entity
Asbury Park Education Association	Participating Labor Org
IATSE Local #21	Participating Labor Org
Monmouth & Ocean Counties AFL-CIO	Participating Labor Org
ACLU of New Jersey	Participating Org
American Muslim Action Network	Participating Org
Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce	Participating Org
Asbury Park Complete Streets Coalition	Participating Org
Asbury Park Democrats	Participating Org
Asbury Park Education Justice Collective	Participating Org
Asbury Park Housing Authority	Participating Org
Asbury Park Transformative Justice Project	Participating Org
Asbury Park/Neptune NAACP	Participating Org
Black Live Matters New Jersey	Participating Org
Boys & Girls Club of Monmouth County	Participating Org
CAN (Community Action Network)	Participating Org
Downtown Neighbors Association of Asbury Park	Participating Org
Food Not Bombs	Participating Org
Garden State Equality	Participating Org
Gays Against Guns – New Jersey	Participating Org
Iraq Veterans Against War (IVAW)	Participating Org
Jersey Pride Inc.	Participating Org
Monmouth County Democratic Black American Caucus	Participating Org
Monmouth County Democratic LGBT Caucus	Participating Org
Monmouth County Democratic Womens Caucus	Participating Org
Monmouth County Democrats	Participating Org
MURC (Midtown Urban Renaissance Corporation)	Participating Org
National Action Network (Asbury Park Chapter)	Participating Org
Neptune City Democrats	Participating Org
Planned Parenthood	Participating Org
Run College LLC	Participating Org
Run-A-Palooza	Participating Org
Vin Gopal Civic Association	Participating Org
West Side Citizens United	Participating Org
Women’s March Asbury Park	Participating Org
Ballard United Methodist Church	Religious Institution
Cathedral International Church	Religious Institution
Racial Justice Project of Trinity Church	Religious Institution
Temple Redeph Torah (Marlboro, NJ)	Religious Institution
Triumphant Life Church	Religious Institution
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County	Religious Institution
Cafe Volan	Supporting Business
Georgie’s Bar	Supporting Business
Nita Ideas	Supporting Business
Purple Glaze Donuts	Supporting Business
Rebel Supply Co.	Supporting Business
YES Graphics	Supporting Business
Anonymous	Water Donor

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