Meet Mia Spears, Colleen Temple & Noah Hawkins: the three masterminds behind the Black Lives Matter protest downtown this summer in response to George Floyd’s death
When Mia Spears saw the news about George Floyd’s death, she couldn’t sit still. The 16-year-old Baton Rouge Magnet High School junior felt hurt, saddened and obligated to be a voice for the Black Lives Matter movement. She began by speaking out on social media and signing petitions.
But she still wanted to do more. After seeing one of her friends post on Snapchat saying they wanted to protest locally, she reached out to two peers she thought could help make it happen: Noah Hawkins, a 16-year-old Baton Rouge High junior, and Colleen Temple, a 17-year-old University Lab School senior.
Together, Mia, Colleen and Noah organized a peaceful march in downtown Baton Rouge this summer in support of Black Lives Matter and George Floyd. With the help of community activist Myra Richardson and Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, the teens led nearly 2,000 people from Galvez Plaza to the state capitol.
People of all ages, races and backgrounds participated in the march. The streets were flooded with residents wearing black shirts and face masks, holding signs that read, “I can’t breathe,” “Black Lives Matter,” and a list of Black people killed by police officers, like Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland and Alton Sterling. The march was one for the books. Because of these three local teens, Baton Rouge Black voices were heard across the nation.
225 spoke with Mia, Colleen and Noah to hear their thoughts on the protest and plans for the future.
What inspired you to lead a Black Lives Matter protest in Baton Rouge?
Mia: “I really wanted America to know that Louisiana and Baton Rouge do not stand for police brutality and what’s going on in the country.”
Noah: “I wanted to share my voice and the youth’s voice on this situation. All we see is adults in the news talking about it, and then kids maybe get a special segment. We didn’t want to be a special segment, we wanted to actually do something and make a change in our community.”
How did it make you feel to see everyone come together?
Noah: “It was such a great experience to tell representatives our viewpoint as Black youth in the community. We just wanted to be heard.”
Colleen: “We thought maybe there would be like 30 to 50 people, but the flyer blew up on Twitter. I felt really, really proud of Baton Rouge, to see that many people of all different ethnicities and ages come together.”
How do you see your role in community activism going forward?
Mia: “People think the Black Lives Matter protests are slowing down, but they’re not. They’re just getting less coverage. I’m going to continue talking about it. Because if I don’t talk about it, then who [will]?”
Colleen: “I am on the diversity and inclusion committee at U-High, so I want to start small by making changes at the school, and then once I graduate, just keep reaching for bigger things.”
What are your plans after high school?
Noah: “I find behavioral science very interesting. I want to help the Black community as much as I can, especially with mental health.”
Mia: “My goal is to go to University of Louisiana at Lafayette to double major in child psychology and kinesiology, then get my doctorate in physical therapy.”
Colleen: “I committed to the University of Hawaii to play volleyball. I am almost certain that I will major in pre-law and become a lawyer. I want to defend people that need me.”
Why is it important for the youth to use their voice and get involved in community change?
Noah: “We are the future. We are the next politicians, doctors, presidents, etcetera. If our viewpoints aren’t being heard now, then there’s not going to be any change. History will keep repeating itself over and over again like it has been. By speaking our mind and getting involved now, we can start to make those changes now, so when we are in those positions 20 to 30 years later, we can progress even further.”
This article was originally published as part of the October 2020 cover story of 225 Magazine.
A parent’s perspective
Adonica Duggan, executive director of external affairs for New Schools of Baton Rouge, attended Black Lives Matter protests this summer with her daughter, Calla Duggan. Here, she shares what she and her daughter took from the experience, as well as her hopes for other families with teenagers who want to become active in the social justice movement.
—AS TOLD TO JENNIFER TORMO
A June 5 Black Lives Matter protest in Zachary, which Adonica Duggan attended with her daughter, Calla. Courtesy Adonica Duggan
“My oldest daughter is a sophomore at Zachary High School. She and I went together to the first protest this summer in downtown Baton Rouge.
As someone who works in education advocacy, I wanted to be there for the kids who were out there. I struggled a lot at first with whether or not I wanted to bring my own child, but it was really important to me that she would have an opportunity to find her own voice in this moment.
Later, our home was within walking distance of the Zachary protest, so she asked if she could have some of her friends come with us. I wanted to be with them at the protest, and have their parents feel safe dropping them off at our home.
My daughter made signs and has been very vocal on her own social media, and that’s really gratifying to me as a parent. But it’s not without concerns for the ramifications of that, and it’s not without safety concerns, particularly when you’re in an environment where you don’t know what to expect early on.
I had a lot of concerns about them knowing how to handle themselves in different situations that they had never been in as teenagers—like if they were confronted by people who had different opinions and were aggressive. I wanted to make sure they were well prepared and knew what to do if we got separated—who to call, what home base was.
The vast majority of protests around the country have been peaceful and respectful, and that’s what we’ve seen in our community—and we’re really proud of our community for that.
I am really excited about the role that young people can continue to play in this moment. I think parents and other adults who have been more active for longer periods can help create those spaces and ensure that younger people have the opportunity to have their voices heard. I think it’s important we create a space for a generation of people who are experiencing this differently.”
