Oral History of Raynique Syas, interviewed by Grace Hall, 9 April 2021

Oral History of Raynique Syas, interviewed by Grace Hall, 9 April 2021

Charleston Area Justice Ministry organizer Raynique Syas was born in Los Angeles, CA, in 1985. She remembers growing up in Watts, a typical urban area of the city,  impacted by poverty, drugs, and violence. There, she also experienced a profound sense of community and the support of her family of strong women. Syas states that it was much later that she understood the systemic injustices that plagued her community and that awareness fuels her activism. Syas moved to Charleston, SC looking for better opportunities for her three children but was unprepared for the cultural differences and the racism she encountered in South Carolina. Finally, she talks about why she joined CAJM (Charleston Area Justice Ministry), first as a member and team leader and later, as an organizer. She reflects on one of the biggest CAJM efforts – the racial audit of Charleston and North Charleston police departments - and about how COVID impacted the organizing work.

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English

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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1651

Charleston (S.C.)

91 minutes

Grace Hall

Raynique Syas

Charleston, SC by Zoom