Maria Zambrano speaks at the conclusion of the event at the train depot parking lot, and spoke about the ongoing violence happening to people within the military such as harassment and sexual assault. (Kezia Setyawan/The Enterprise)
ONTARIO – About 40 cars lined the Westpark Plaza parking lot in Ontario Sunday night for the Cruise For Justice #vanessaguillen event.
The gathering was in support of Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier who was murdered in April, her family and victims of sexual assault and violence in the military.
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Teresa Figueroa and her daughter add finishing touches to the car before the start of the cruise by. (Kezia Setyawan/The Enterprise)
Teresa Figueroa and her children decorated their car with signs saying “Justice 4 Vanessa Guillen” in preparation for the cruise by through town. Figueroa said that it was really important for her to be out here with her family to show up in support for any marginalized community. (Kezia Setyawan/The Enterprise)
Originally planned as a walking protest, the organizers pivoted to a cruise to be mindful of rising Covid cases in Ontario. (Kezia Setyawan/The Enterprise)
A police escort blocks the street downtown as cars pull up into the depot parking lot for a few words from the event organizer. Around 40 cars participated in the event. (Kezia Setyawan/The Enterprise)
Rosa Corona and Andrea Turner pose for a photo in front of a painting done Eddie Melendrez. For them, it was important to show up as mother and daughter to events like this that support the community. As for the painting, Melendrez used symbolism like the red handprint that represents missing, murdered Indigenous women, as well as illustrating other Latino victims to police brutality.(Kezia Setyawan/The Enterprise)