Auckland Sacco, Gilpin County. With the commencement of a new school year, the Gilpin County Amnesty Club is starting up again, but this time, it looks a little different. When Covid-19 struck in March 2020, the world as we knew it changed, suddenly things shut down, and everything became virtual. 

The move to virtual learning made it difficult for clubs to continue, and the Amnesty Club had to re-envision how they would work. Amnesty International moved their Annual General Meeting in San Diego to a series of Zoom workshops held over six weeks. Members of the Gilpin County Amnesty Club took advantage of these new online resources, and the members chose which of the 18 workshops they were interested in and attended them. 

The Club took a short break until May 25th, when George Floyd died after being arrested by police outside of a shop in Minneapolis, MN. The members of Gilpin County Amnesty decided to take a stance. Several of the Club’s members safely attended the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests to show their support and solidarity. All of the members signed petitions and demanded justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others who lost their lives at police officers’ hands. The members also worked to help educate the people in their community by sharing information. 

The Club is now officially starting up again, looking for ways to do things virtually and in-person. On September 21st, members of the Gilpin County Amnesty Club and members of other clubs around the nation are attending an introductory virtual meeting.  

This year the Club plans to focus on LGBTQ+ equality, racial equality, and immigration.  

For more information about the Gilpin County Amnesty please email Archer O’Brien at archerobrien72@gmail.com

(Originally published in the September 17, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)