Category: Racial Equality Now - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

John Lewis Tribute Rally - After Action Report

3/6/2025

John Lewis Tribute Rally - After Action Report

Liberty And Justice Movement

Several people from the recently created Liberty And Justice Movement, formed by Randy Flowers and Molly Regan, joined Progressive Action for the Common Good's weekly Racial Equality Rally at noon on Saturday to celebrate the late U.S. Congressman and life long civil rights activist, John Lewis, who fought for voting rights, civil rights, and racial equality.

The rally participants were encouraged by so many positive responses from passing motorists including waves, gestures of thumbs up and honks. It reinforced their belief that many Quad Citians are in favor of attaining racial equality and preserving our precious civil rights and voting rights, all of which have been eroded in recent times.

While the PACG Racial Equality rally is held every Saturday on the same corner from noon to 12:30 pm, PACG, the Liberty And Justice Movement, and other progressive groups in the Quad Cities, will be holding rallies and other events in the near future to bring attention to the importance of preserving our rights as well as to protect our Democracy in these uncertain times. We keep our community informed through this Progressive Action Update (PAU) and our website.

Caryn Unsicker (she/her)

John Lewis Tribute Rally - PACG Event

2/16/2025

John Lewis Tribute Rally
Saturday, February 22 at noon IN PERSON

Slumberland Corner
16th St. and John Deere RD
Moline, IL 61265 (map)

Liberty And Justice Movement and PACG Civil Rights Forum

News Release:

Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) and the Liberty And Justice Movement announce a rally to honor former US House of Representatives civil rights activist John Lewis on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at noon at the corner of 16th ST and John Deere RD in Moline. Members of Liberty And Justice will be joining PACG’s weekly Racial Equality Rally that has been ongoing since George Floyd was murdered in 2020.

John Lewis was a remarkable American who championed voting rights and civil rights. He lived with his parents and brothers and sisters in the house his father built. John took care of his family’s chickens and would calm them with his soothing manner of talking. He said this helped him as he grew to express himself calmly and nonviolently.

As a teenager, he recalled not being able to understand his parents’ acceptance of the way things were for Black people in 1955 Alabama. He was just a year older than Emmett Till who was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered that August in Mississippi. This death affected young John and influenced his actions the rest of his life.

In 1961 he became one of the original 13 Freedom Riders planning to ride interstate buses from Washington DC to New Orleans. He helped organize the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. John and others were beaten and arrested after crossing the Selma, Alabama bridge during the Selma to Montgomery March on March 7, 1965. He continued to advocate for civil rights, equality and voting rights throughout his life, including serving 17 terms in the US House of Representatives.

Join the PACG Racial Equality Rally this Saturday as we recognize and celebrate the birth of John Lewis. Bring signs or use ours.

As progressives, PACG empowers people to take action for positive change and social justice by coordinating a network of community forums and events aimed at educating and engaging citizens to work for the common good of all. Our core values are Social Justice, Empowerment, Diversity, Sustainability and Community.

For more information about this event, please visit the Progressive Action for the Common Good website or contact Randy Flowers at [email protected]

4th Anniversary of the Racial Equality Rally - After Action Report

6/11/2024

Celebrating Four Years of Standing for Racial Equality! - After Action Report Update Update

Civil Rights Forum

Members of the PACG Civil Rights Forum were grateful that all three local television stations as well as The Quad City Times covered the fourth anniversary of our Racial Equality Rally on June 8th, 2024. Glenda Guster remarked that "Letting people know about the rally may encourage more folks to join us. We always have extra signs and flags, and all are welcome."

Glenda Guster and Caryn Unsicker, along with a handful of other PACG members, began standing for racial equality and justice after George Floyd's murder in 2020 because they knew the press coverage would die down and they wanted to keep the conversation about racial equality alive. They have stood on the Slumberland/Party City corner of John Deere Road and 16th Street, Moline from noon to 12:30 just about every Saturday since then. Unsicker said they are encouraged each week by the large number of passersby of all racial and ethnic backgrounds who honk, wave and give them a thumbs up. They have vowed to continue their weekly rallies for as long as they are able in order to achieve racial healing and equality in this country.

Watch our network coverage here: 6 KWQC and WQAD 8 ABC

Caryn Unsicker

4th Anniversary of Racial Equality Rally - PACG Events

5/26/2024

4th Anniversary of the Racial Equality Rally
Saturday, June 8 at noon

Civil Rights Forum

PACG Weekly Racial Equality Rally marks 4th Anniversary

George Floyd’s murder on May 25, 2020, sparked huge local and nationwide
protests against the alarming rate at which black Americans were being killed by police. Two
local women, Caryn Unsicker and Glenda Guster, were concerned that all the news coverage
would fade away in short order without any solutions. So they decided to enlist members of
their local Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) group and others to join them in
holding ongoing rallies to honor George Floyd and the many other victims before (and since)
and to advocate for racial equality in our country.

On June 13, 2020, three weeks after Floyd’s murder, they gathered from noon to 12:30 pm on
the Slumberland/Party City Corner across from Southpark Mall in Moline. Holding signs such as
“Honk for Racial Equality” and “Black Lives Matter,” the group has continued to meet almost
every Saturday for the past four years and plans to continue indefinitely until racial equality is a
reality in America. Unsicker states that, despite an occasional detractor, the large number of
honks they get each week from passersby of all races is encouraging. “This tells us that most
people want to keep the conversation about racial equality alive and active, and that many
people acknowledge that we need solutions so we can heal as a nation.”

Because June 13 is on a Thursday this year, the group decided to mark its 4th Anniversary of
advocating for racial equality and justice on Saturday, June 8th. Please join us between noon and
12:30 pm at our regular weekly location to help spread the word about this important and
ongoing effort. We have extra signs and all are welcome.

Caryn Unsicker

Racial Equality rally Third Anniversary - A Message from the Board

5/29/2023

Celebrate the 3rd Anniversary of our weekly Civil Rights rally
Saturday, June 24th at 12:00 Noon

Slumberland Corner
16th St. and John Deere RD
Moline, IL 61265 (map)

Civil Rights Forum

Ever since George Floyd was murdered in 2020, a dedicated group of people have been rallying at noon every Saturday in Moline to advocate for racial equality and justice in our country. Knowing that the nationwide rallies and press coverage would soon die down, PACG Board member, Caryn Unsicker, called her friend, Glenda Guster, (who is now the PACG President) to see if she would join in to ensure that public awareness of the issue survived. The first rally was on June 13, 2020, and Caryn and Glenda have rarely missed a Saturday in the past three years! They - and the others who join them - are greeted each week by many passersby honking and giving a thumbs up to indicate they are willing to keep the conversation about racial equality and justice going.

Please join us at noon on Saturday, June 24th to help commemorate the 3rd Anniversary of this Civil Rights rally. Bring a friend! We have extra signs. You can come for the entire half hour or only part of it, as your time allows. We hope to see you there.

Caryn Unsicker

Second Anniversary of Racial Equality Now! rally - After Action Report

6/22/2022

Second Anniversary of PACG Racial Equality Now! Rally - After Action Report
Saturday, June 18th at 12:00 pm

Civil Rights Forum

Members of PACG gathered to mark the second anniversary of the Racial Equality Now! rally started by Caryn Unsicker along with Glenda Guster. After George Floyd's death, Unsicker knew the local and national press coverage as well as all the huge rallies would die down and things would return to normal until the next black person was killed. She called her friend, Glenda, and others who agreed to help start a local rally that would go on indefinitely until racial inequality in our country is no longer an issue.

The group has gathered from noon to 12:30pm almost every Saturday since June 13th of 2020. They have extra signs and always welcome anyone who wants to stand with them for racial equality.

Unsicker says she is encouraged by the many positive honks and waves from passersby of all races. It tells her that many people realize there is racial inequality embedded in our society and that they are willing to talk about it.

WQAD8 (ABC) acknowledged our efforts on the news! Read the short article and watch the broadcast here: For 2 years, rain or shine, a local group has protested for racial equality

Caryn Unsicker

Racial Equality Now! Rally continues - No Hate In Our States

3/22/2022

Racial Equality Now! Rally continues with warmer weather!
Saturdays from 12:00 noon - 12:30 pm

The Slumberland/Party City Corner of
John Deere RD & 16th ST
Moline, IL (across from South Park Mall) (map)

Note: We continue to gather every Saturday unless the temperature is a wind chill of 20° F or below, if there's been a recent snow or ice storm, or if there is lightning or an active thunderstorm.

Civil Rights Forum

PACG's weekly Racial Equality Now! rallies have occurred each Saturday since June 13, 2020. It is our hope that the rallies will continue until racial equality and justice are achieved for people of color in our country.

With the warmer weather, we hope more people will be able to join us. Stand with us. Carry one of our signs or bring your own. The 30 minutes you spend with us will be a bonding and soul-lifting experience and will give you hope for our future.

We believe that all lives will matter only when Black Lives Matter.

See more images from January 29th's rally here. Read previous blogs about this weekly event on the PACG website here.

Caryn Unsicker
Glenda Guster

Racial Equality Now! Rally Continues - What You Can Do Now

1/30/2022

Racial Equality Now! Rally continues despite the cold!
Saturdays from 12 noon to 12:30 pm

The Slumberland/Party City
Southwest Corner of
John Deere RD & 16th ST
Moline, IL (across from South Park Mall) (map)

Note: We will continue to gather every Saturday - unless the temperature is a wind chill of 20° F or below, or there has been a recent snow or ice storm, or there is lightning or an active thunderstorm.

Civil Rights Forum

PACG's weekly Racial Equality Now! rallies have occurred each Saturday since June 13, 2020. It is our hope that the rallies will continue until racial equality and justice are achieved for people of color in our country.

Stand with us. Carry one of our signs, or bring your own. The 30 minutes you spend with us will be a bonding and soul-lifting experience and will give you hope for our future.

One of PACG's Founding Mothers, Cath Bolkcom, took some fine photographs of our January 29th rally. You can read more on our Facebook page here.

We believe that all lives will matter only when Black Lives Matter.

See more images from January 29th's rally here. Read previous blogs about this weekly event on the PACG website here.

Caryn Unsicker
Glenda Guster

Racial Equality Now! Rally First Anniversary

6/8/2021

Join Us to Celebrate the First Anniversary of Our Racial Equality Now! Rally
Saturday, June 12th at noon

Civil Rights Forum

Slumberland/Party City
(Southwest) Corner of
John Deere RD & 16th ST
Moline, IL (across from South Park Mall) (map)

Note: We will continue to gather every Saturday - unless the temperature is a wind chill of 20° F or below, or there has been a recent snow or ice storm, or there is lightning or an active thunderstorm.

PACG and community members have been gathering each Saturday for the past year on one of the busiest intersections in the QCA to demonstrate our support for Racial Equality Now!

We encourage others to join us this Saturday for our first anniversary from noon to 12:30 pm.

Although we have extra signs, we invite you to bring your own. Slogan suggestions include "Honk for Justice," "Black Lives Matter," "I Can't Breathe," "No Hate in Our State," "No More Deaths," etc.

Bring your family and friends to join an empowering and unifying experience.

PACG received some excellent press regarding our Racial Equality Now! rally. I was interviewed by KWQC Channel 6 TV on the anniversary of the death of George Floyd to explain why I started our weekly rally. Here's the link to the coverage.

Caryn Unsicker

Racial Equality Now! Rally in the News

5/26/2021

Our Racial Equality Now! Rally in the News

PACG received some excellent press regarding our Racial Equality Now! rally. I was interviewed by KWQC Channel 6 TV on the anniversary of the death of George Floyd to explain why I started our weekly rally. Here's the link to the coverage.

Join us every Saturday from noon to 12:30 pm to demand a more equitable world!

More details are available at the Racial Equality Now! link on our Home page at www.PACGqc.org.

Caryn Unsicker