Black Lives Matter is coming to SunRail

This Friday afternoon (7/10) high school students will use SunRail for a Black Lives Matter march.

They will begin at the Meadow Woods SunRail station in south Orange County -- less than a mile from Cypress Creek High School.

After a rally and speeches at the train station, they plan to board a northbound SunRail train and ride to downtown Orlando. They will get off at Church Street station and march around the corner to Orlando City Hall for a rally with other activists. Then they will march to Orlando Police headquarters, which is about a mile from City Hall.

Marchers will return to the SunRail station at Church Street for the ride back to Meadow Woods at 3:50 p.m.

BLM protests have been held in Orlando for more than a month and they’ve been overwhelmingly peaceful.

SunRail provides an excellent way for students from all over Central Florida – from Poinciana to DeBary -- to join the movement that is being organized by the Cypress Creek High School chapter of Amnesty International.

The goal is for all the students to arrive at Orlando City Hall by 1:30 p.m. Friday.

“This event is family-friendly for all of those who want to show solidarity with the many lives lost due to police brutality and corruption of authoritative power,” said Shania Shahab, president of the Cypress Creek chapter.

Students from south Orange County are asked to arrive at the Meadow Woods SunRail station at noon on Friday to make posters for the rally. Organizers will provide art supplies. After opening comments, the marchers will prepare to catch a downtown train at 1:20 p.m. SunRail runs on a tight schedule, so don’t be late!

Organizers ask all participants to wear face masks and bring water to stay hydrated.

Participants will also have to buy roundtrip SunRail tickets. If you’re boarding at Meadow Woods, the roundtrip fare would be $4. (It’s easiest to buy SunRail tickets from a vending machine in the station with a debit or credit card). The fare could be more depending on where you board. For more information on the fares and train schedules, click here.

The BLM event is a won-won for SunRail because ridership has tanked due to the COVID-19 shutdowns and this is an opportunity for the younger generation to see how to incorporate public transit in their lives.

See you on The Rail!