Urban League of Rochester Speaks Out Against Racist Party

Rochester – The Urban League of Rochester (Rochester, NY) is demanding that the community do more to combat racism.

This demand comes as reports of a racist party, thrown in July at the mansion of Nicholas and Mary Znidarsic-Nicosia, comes under fire.

The party, attended by firefighter Jerrod Jones at the urging of his supervisor, contained several racist stereotypes and tropes.

The Nicosias admitted to throwing the party and its racist theme. They apologized to the African American community, but the Urban League is not satisfied with this apology.

Seanelle Hawkins, President and CEO of the Urban League, states that an apology isn’t enough to fight racism, the city needs to do more to actively combat it.

“We have to put anti-racist policies, practices and behaviors in place. So here’s an opportunity for that couple and their attendees, and every other leader that is on a board, or those particular boards that they serve on. In fact, I urge ever board member to take a look at their own practices and policies and do their work.”

Hawkins is urging the couple who threw the party and their attendees, to attend the Urban League’s Interrupt Racism summit in September.

“Every person has to bear the responsibility of changing practices, not normalizing, not saying, ‘Oh, its just them,’ because those ‘them,’ those individuals are making decisions about our community. Ans so this is not a one-off. This is a call out to our community to say we must do something.”

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