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While Wieden + Kennedy has spent recent weeks launching work for clients that supports the Black Lives Matter movementincluding for some frequently vocal brands like Nike and some surprising newcomers like McDonaldsthe independent agency hadnt released an official statement of its own until today.

In a video of animated text created for Instagram, the agency bluntly states that it will not work alongside clients, employees or partners who dont support Black Lives Matter.

Black Lives Matter. This is not a controversial statement, the video says. If you do not support this sentiment as an employee, you should find somewhere else to work. If you do not support this sentiment as one of our parters, we do not want to be affiliated. If you do not support this sentiment as a client, well gladly support you finding another agency.

Over its nearly 40-year history, Wieden + Kennedy has often been one of the agency worlds more opinionated players and has reveled in its role as a global independent.But in recent years, the agency has also been on one of its biggest growth spurts ever, winning A-list clients like McDonalds, Ford, Facebook and HBO.

Some of its clients have been more proactive than others in responding to Black Lives Matter since nationwide protests began in late May after Minneapolis police killed unarmed resident George Floyd by kneeling on his neck. Nike and HBO were quick to respond, with the athletic brand and W+K Portland creating a spot about racism and the premium network posting a message of support on Twitter:

Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind. James Baldwin

We stand with our Black colleagues, employees, fans, actors, storytellers and all affected by senseless violence. #BlackLivesMatter

Even McDonalds, traditionally a brand that avoids political or polarizing issues, launched a June 3 ad from W+K New York in support of Black Lives Matter, though some of the chains critics said the ad was hollow given McDonalds track record on income-inequality issues such as raising the minimum wage.

On June 5, Yum Brandsparent company of W+K Portland client KFCposted a letter from CEO David Gibbs announcing it would donate $3 million toward social justice initiatives. Gibbs ended his note by saying Black Lives Matter.

Wieden + Kennedys most polarizing client throughout the debate around police violence against Black Americans has been Facebook, which counts W+K among its roster of core agencies. Besieged by critics both outside his company and within, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg became a political lightning rod whenunlike Twitterhis platform declined to amend or flag posts by President Donald Trump, such as his comment that when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

However, even Zuckerberg eventually expressed support for Black Lives Matter in a June 5 note to employees. To members of our Black community: I stand with you, Zuckerberg said. Your lives matter. Black lives matter.

Sources at Wieden + Kennedy said its unlikely the statement posted today will result in the agency resigning any current accounts, given that most of its notable clients have come out in support of Black Lives Matter. But they do believe it will serve as a warning sign of sorts for any potential clients whove kept the movement at arms length to avoid backlash from conservative consumers.

In terms of timing and why the agency is posting its statement more than two weeks into the national protests against police violence, the agency sources said they spent that time discussing and addressing the issues of inequality through internal conversations rather than prioritizing a public statement.

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Wieden + Kennedy Says It Only Wants Clients and Staff Who Believe Black Lives Matter - Adweek

The Next Steps rally event looks to use the recent momentum in the Black Live Matter movement as an opportunity to educate people about change.

SEATTLE On Friday, state and local leaders will speak at Judkins Park in Seattle during a rally event called The Next Steps.

Rally organizers say Friday's event is an opportunity for people to listen and learn about ways they can promote change and help support the Black Lives Matter movement.

The event is organized by the non-profit Not This Time.

"People are now wondering what's next? Once they've done the marching, people wonder if this all that it takes?" said Andre Taylor, who leads Not This Time, "It's not all that it takes. There's a lot more than has to be done."

Following the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by police in Minneapolis, thousands in Washington state have come out to march in support of the Black Live Matter movement. Taylor believes it's time to take the momentum and use it as an opportunity to educate people about change.

He said Friday's event, scheduled on Juneteenth, will be about putting forth a united message.

"[Washingtonians] are leaders and we're going to have to act like that. In order to act like that you have to be conscientious about what's going on around you because anybody that's coming to disrupt our unity they are outliers," said Taylor, "We all need to take an important part in that process and make sure that no one is distracting us from the unity that Washington led in police accountability and the unity that we will lead in building upon that for the rest of the country."

In 2018, Taylor said Washington state led the nation in police accountability by passing Initiative 940, which requires police training to de-escalate volatile situations and avoid the use of deadly force. Taylor believe this is one example of why Washington state can lead the nation in further police reform.

Friday's rally event will be at Judkins Park starting at 1 p.m.

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Black Lives Matter rally in Seattle will focus on educating people about change - KING5.com

On Monday I discovered that a photo of myself and my eight-year-old daughter has appeared in the Guardian. This is a first. I work in the arts but our life is private, quietly enclosed.

The photo of us forms part of a gallery of images taken this weekend at one of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in solidarity with both the American protesters after the recent death of George Floyd and the families of 437 Aboriginal women and men who have died in custody.

As the photos dissolve across the front page they are linked by a common thread: we are black, brown and Indigenous people in Australia at this flashpoint moment demanding an end to violence.

I wonder what people think of this photo of my daughter and me taken by a stranger. How can I claim it and call it my own? I think of the amazing 19th century African American activist Sojourner Truth who sold carte de visite portraits of herself inscribed with the words I sell the Shadow to Support the Substance.

My photo is currency. After all, weve been handpicked out of a crowd of 20,000 to represent the medias image of a global black protest movement.

But what really ties us together, beyond the colour of our skin and the event itself? Representation is everything in this hypervisual world and there are so many ways to be black. What is mine?

This has been a constant interrogation in my own family life growing up in Melbourne. My mixed heritage(s) of African American, Indigenous and Irish/Scottish ancestry has shown up irreconcilable histories that have led to the breakdown of my familys flow.

Unlike being the kid of divorced parents, having a black and white family is a complex set of often unspoken and traumatic conflicts playing out across generations. The forcible removal of my father from his parents in 1940s Carlton defined the tense atmosphere I grew up in.

We are black, brown and Indigenous people in Australia at this flashpoint moment demanding an end to violence

So much of my familys past is simply out of reach. I have recently discovered links to intellectual black cousins in North Carolina, whose pasts are rooted in black chauffeur history. A mystery Ngemba second cousin in Brewarrina and sealer ties to the Palawa community of Cape Barren Island have appeared out of the constellation of my ancestors DNA matter. I wonder what legacy I can best transmit to my daughter, whose fathers own family migrated to Paris from Cameroon in the 1960s.

Difficult conversations about displacement, miscegenation, stolen children, repeating racism and black diasporic expression inform much of my work, including an ongoing history thesis, my curatorial work and my film work. But my most recent collaboration as a member of the curatorial team at this years Biennale of Sydney was the first time I felt deeply connected through art to the specific ability of black, Indigenous and people of colour to creatively transform trauma into a powerful source of hope.

While Im feeling inspired by the momentum of demonstrations and statue-toppling, the biennale (re)opening this week is good news.

Thanks to the truth-telling vision of the biennales Wiradjeri artistic director and artist, Brook Andrew, and the work of the 100 or more local and international artists, we are being offered a means to transform our raw grief and anger of this last fortnight into a longterm reflection. This artistic event can serve as a much needed platform to challenge and inform this countrys current divisive conversations.

In the Art Gallery of New South Wales alone the biennale works of black artists Arthur Jafa, Karla Dickens, Barbara McGrady and the late Kunmanara Mumu Mike Williams (who has been awarded an OA as Im writing) all call out for the proverbial white knee to be removed from our necks.

For me it is Jafas provoking video work The White Album that specifically moves the white privilege conversation forward with his personal sequencing of digital downloads that challenge the flawed hypocrisy of white supremacy and its many nuanced forms denial being one.

This denial seems to be a constant in our governments response to the Black Lives Matter demonstrations and confirms to me just how much we need artists and art (and cinema, photography, performance, music) to make visible the very space that our leaders dont want Australians to see.

Ive been singled out of a crowd of 20,000 protesters calling out for an end to violence against black people. I hope this photo helps you get to know this mother and child a little better. Before I vanish back to my private life I cant help but think of the anti-white-privilege poetry of biennale invitee, the African-Brazilian performance artist Jota Mombaa, whose voice resonates eloquently in my mind right now as I sign off:

We will infiltrate your dreams and upset your balance but its nothing personal.

Greta Morton Elangu is a freelance curator, historian and film-maker who divides her time between Sydney and Paris

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A photo of my daughter and me at a Black Lives Matter march made news. This is my story - The Guardian

Many brands are speaking out against racial injustice -- but not all of them are donating to the cause.

The killing of George Floyd last month while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers has set off a wave of protests and dialogue on racial injustice that has continued unabated for weeks. And many corporations, big and small, have joined the conversation, issuing statements vowing to stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. Some tech behemoths -- like Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and others -- have followed up on their supportive words with major donation pledges, too. Other companies have yet to put their money where their mouth is.

Below, we've rounded up major companies, from big box retailers to clothing stores, game publishers, fast food chains and more, that are giving substantial donations in the fight against racial injustice and systemic oppression. They're giving to organizations that include the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Equal Justice Initiative, among others helping to create change.

In addition to joining local protests, signing petitions anddonating time and money, the ability to "vote with your wallet" -- to patronize companies that are making substantive donations -- is another way to support the cause of equal justice.

Please note, however, that this list doesn't address any accusations of discrimination by various companies that have cropped up in media reports and social media in recent days as well. CNET encourages you to spend some time researching the companies you buy from to ensure they align with your values and ethics.

Many of the large tech companies in the US have donated substantial sums to the cause. Google has committed $12 million, while both Facebook and Amazon are donating $10 million to various groups that fight against racial injustice. Apple is pledging a whopping $100 million for a new Racial Equity and Justice Initiative that will "challenge the systemic barriers to opportunity and dignity that exist for communities of color, and particularly for the black community," according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Check out CNET's guide to learn more about how tech companies are supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

Walmart announced that it will contribute $100 million over five years to create a new center for racial equity. In an email to Walmart employees, CEO Doug McMillan said the center "will seek to advance economic opportunity and healthier living, including issues surrounding the social determinants of health, strengthening workforce development and related educational systems, and support criminal justice reform with an emphasis on examining barriers to opportunity faced by those exiting the system."

Target announced a $10 million commitment in an effort to advance social justice through supporting partners like the National Urban League and the African American Leadership Forum. The brand also committed 10,000 hours of pro-bono consulting for small business in the Twin Cities that are black-owned or owned by people of color.

Home Depot CEO Craig Menear announced a $1 million donation to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in a statement released on the company website. In the letter, Menear also said the company will work for change internally, "I have begun working with our associate resource groups to facilitate internal town halls to share experiences and create better understanding among us all," he said. "We are dedicated to supporting you and our communities during this time with the goal of emerging more united than ever."

EA announced a $1 million donation to improve racial equality, starting with donations to the Equal Justice Initiative and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund. The brand says it will donate to more partners in the future.

In a tweet earlier this month, Square Enix announced a $250,000 donation in addition to matching employee donations to the Black Lives Matter organization and other charities.

Gaming companyUbisoft tweeted that the company will donate $100,000 to the NAACP and Black Lives Matter organization and encouraged others to donate.

Etsy announced a total contribution of $1 million in an Instagram post. The company is donating $500,000 to the Equal Justice Initiative and $500,000 to the Borealis Philanthropy's Black-Led Movement Fund and will be matching employee donations.

Clothing retailer H&M is pledging $500,000 across three different organizations, according to an Instagram post by the brand. The groups are the NAACP, ACLU and Color of Change.

San Francisco-based clothing company Everlane announced two $75,000 donations to the Equal Justice Initiative and the ACLU in a recent Instagram post. Everlane employees also compiled a shared document with educational resources on how to take action and support the Black Lives Matter movement.

Toms Shoes announced a pledge to donate $100,000 over the next several months to organizations that support the movement.

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(1/2) #GeorgeFloyd, #BreonnaTaylor, #AhmaudArbery, #TonyMcDade and countless others. We will not forget them, and we know that we need to be part of the change. Over the next three months, we are donating $100,000 to organizations that are working to combat racial injustice, starting with a donation to Black Lives Matter (@blklivesmatter). We will also continue to listen, learn, and act. Join us.

A post shared by TOMS (@toms) on Jun 1, 2020 at 6:41pm PDT

Women's lingerie brand Spanx announced a $200,000 commitment on Instagram. In the post, Spanx said, "We are donating $100,000 across national organizations focused on combating racial injustice: Black Lives Matter, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and The Minnesota Freedom Fund. In addition, we are committed to donating an additional $100,000 to organizations in our own home of Atlanta."

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"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. Desmond Tutu At Spanx, we always aim to be a source of bright light and positivity in this world. Today, we cannot ignore the injustices and darkness of our outside world. We are overwhelmed with sadness, frustration, heartbreak and anger over recent events. We want you to know that though you see us as a brand, we are made up of real people who care deeply about the justice and equality of everyone. We share your outrage and sorrow over the injustices that led to the tragic loss of the life of George Floyd, along with Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and so many more. Its time to not only stand up for what's right and speak out against racism, but to take action. We know that its in all of our hands to create a better world. Today, were using our social platforms to reiterate that we are committed to being a better ally to fight systemic racism. We will actively practice anti-racism through awareness and education, self-introspection and action. We are calling leaders, we are signing petitions, we are spreading ways to take action but there is so much more that can still be done. We are donating $100,000 across national organizations focused on combating racial injustice: Black Lives Matter, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and The Minnesota Freedom Fund. In addition, we are committed to donating an additional $100,000 to organizations in our own home of Atlanta. To be an ally is to speak out against injustice and to be ears to listen to the POC experience. To be an ally to us means having a heart for empathy for the oppressed and a hand to make change. The time for silence is over. Its time to learn, to grow, to change. #BlackLivesMatter #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd #AntiRacism Art/Image Credit: @quotesbychristie

A post shared by SPANX by @SaraBlakely (@spanx) on May 31, 2020 at 5:00pm PDT

Levis is donating $200,000 to the movement; $100,000 to the ACLU and $100,000 in grants to Live Free USA, an organization working to end mass incarceration.

Gap brands pledged a total of $250,000 in donations to the NAACP andEmbrace Raceon behalf of the brand that includes Athleta, Old Navy and Gap.

Eyewear manufacturer Warby Parker committed $1 million to fight systemic racism, although the brand didn't disclose which organizations it will give to.

Athletic wear brand Lululemon originally announced a $100,000donation to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, but due to an abundance of donations, "we have been asked to channel our resources into other foundations standing for change. We contributed a total of $250,000 to local Minneapolis organizations Rebuild Lake Street and Friends of Hennepin County Library (East Lake Library), as well as national organizations NAACP, Black Lives Matter and Reclaim the Block."

Nike promisesto donate $40 million over the course of four years to social justice organizations that support the Black Lives Matter movement.

Fast-food giant McDonalds is committing $1 million to the NAACP and the National Urban League, according to Business Insider.

Wendy's pledged a $500,000 donation "to support social justice, the youth and education in the black community starting with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund."

Coca-Cola released a statement titled "Where we stand on social justice," and committed $2.5 million in grants from Coca Cola foundation to the NAACP, Equal Justice Initiative, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Honest Beauty, the beauty brand founded by Jessica Alba, pledged $100,000 in donations to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Equal Justice Initiative.

Anastasia Beauty is pledging $1 million to various organizations, writing in anInstagram post, "This weekend, we began with a donation of $100,000 across the following organizations: Black Lives Matter, The Innocence Project, The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Black Visions Collective, and The Marshall Project."

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Anastasia Beverly Hills stands in solidarity with the Black community. We are pledging 1 million dollars towards the fight against systematic racism, oppression, and injustice. This weekend, we began with a donation of $100,000 across the following organizations: Black Lives Matter, The Innocence Project, The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Black Visions Collective, and The Marshall Project. We are taking the time internally to discuss new initiatives that will financially support Black owned businesses and artists in the beauty industry. When the details have been finalized, we will announce the process for submission or nomination, and we will update you monthly on recipients. We vow to remain constant and vocal supporters of equality. We vow to use our platform and our privilege to amplify the voices of marginalized groups that deserve to be heard. Thank you to our community for being a continued source of inspiration and accountability. #BlackLivesMatter

A post shared by Anastasia Beverly Hills (@anastasiabeverlyhills) on Jun 1, 2020 at 12:45pm PDT

Beauty brand Glossier plans to donate $500,000 to organizations that are "focused on combating racial injustice," and will donate an additional $500,000 in grants to black-owned beauty brands.

Health care giant, UnitedHealth Group announced a $10 million commitment to support George Floyd's children, and Minnesota businesses impacted by civil unrest. UnitedHealth is giving $5 million to the YMCA Equity Innovation Center of Excellence. UnitedHealth employs 20,000 people in Minnesota and is headquartered outside of Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed.

Whoop announced a $20,000 donation to the Equal Justice Initiative in an announcement by CEO Will Ahmed on Instagram that outlined other ways the fitness tracker company will work to improve diversity and promote racial justice.

Peloton announced a $500,000 donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in a social media post that encouraged others to donate and contribute to the Black Lives Matter cause.

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These are the major brands donating to the Black Lives Matter movement - CNET

Governor Gina Raimondo, who showed up at the State House rally around 9:15 p.m., encouraged the crowd to stay peaceful, promised to work for change, and asked them to join her in prayer. Some hecklers booed and yelled, Do something. Someone yelled, How does it feel not to be listened to? And when someone asked her if she would still be there when they started getting shot, she replied, No one is going to shoot you for being peaceful.

The rally was held to protest the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes while he was being detained.

The protest, led by students from Providences Central High School and Veterans Memorial High School in Warwick, was more than double the size of the Black Lives Matter rally held last Saturday.

That wasnt the only difference between then and now.

On this night, they marched from Central High School past the barricaded Public Safety Complex and past downtown buildings that had been boarded up after looters hit them late Monday night. The crowd packed the area outside City Hall and marched up Francis Street, chanting as they walked past the Providence Place mall, which also had been looted on Monday night and was now guarded by armed members of the National Guard and Humvees parked at the entrances.

Providence police stood in clusters along the streets, state troopers stood watch on the State House steps with Guard members, and a helicopter from the Massachusetts State Police slowly circled overhead.

This was the heaviest police presence for a rally -- about 145 troopers, 170 to 200 Providence police, 200 National Guard, 30 sheriffs deputies, and 25 Capitol police on hand.

Some of those boarded-up windows had been painted over with murals honoring Black Lives Matter and Black people who suffered from police brutality.

This is the generation that has been robbed by COVID-19 of its graduations, proms, and regular school events. . So thousands of young people came out Friday to take their cause back, bringing an energy that the city hasnt felt for months since the coronavirus shutdowns.

I feel like this whole movement -- the racial injustice -- has gone too far. We need to take over, said 19-year-old Destiny Monteiro, who is Cape Verdean and lives in Pawtucket. Its unfair to all of us, especially those coming here to make a better life. Other people dont realize, its our daily life. People are still being profiled. People are still losing their lives.

Several hundred people remained at the State House past the 9 p.m. curfew, booing as the State Police told them to leave. They remained in place, holding a moment of silence for several minutes, the amount of time it took Floyd to die.

Raimondo appeared with her husband, Andy Moffitt, and National Guard Adjutant General Christopher Callahan after she had called State Police Superintendent James Manni to ask if it would help if she came down to talk with the protesters. He and Callahan both said yes; later Manni said her words helped de-escalate the situation, despite the heckling.

Some left the State House and marched to City Hall, then around downtown and up into Federal Hill, while others remained on the State House steps more than an hour past curfew. The State Police ultimately left them alone. Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements Jr. and Public Safety Commissioner Steven M. Pare said that as long as the protesters were peaceful, they did not intend to enforce the curfew.

The marchers walked down Broadway, past the convention center. At times the crowd was agitated and yelling, the scene chaotic. At one point a scuffle broke out, which led to at least one arrest.

Eventually the protesters moved to Kennedy Plaza where the protest ended just after 11 p.m.

Throughout the late afternoon, the protest was largely peaceful.

Demonstrators chanted George Floyds name and took a knee by the thousands. They sang Happy Birthday to Breonna Taylor, a Black woman fatally shot by Louisville, Ky., police who were executing a no-knock warrant on March 13. Friday would have been her 27th birthday. They raised their fists as a 14-year-old girl shouted through a megaphone, We bleed the same blood. Raise our fists in unity. We pray for peace to stop the violence.

They demanded to know where their political leaders were. You want to speak about our pain, but you dont want to share it with us, said one of the teen speakers.

The Shabani family, immigrants from the Congo living in Providence, marveled at the scene. This is empowering, said 18-year-old Marie Shabani, standing with her mother, Aline, and brothers Popio, 16, Venance, 14, and Emile, 10. In Congo, we cant do this [protest], because you would be shot. This is unlike anything we ever experienced.

Doctors, nurses, and health officials, including Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, joined the teenagers in their protest. Providence resident Denisha Gibson, a dental hygienist at Thundermist Health Center, said she and her fellow employees had taken a knee while at work to support the cause. I am African-American, and Im tired of racism. I want it to stop, she said.

The movement was worldwide, said Nerea Paris, 16, an exchange student from Spain, with Chloe Probst, 17, an exchange student from Switzerland, who are both studying at Chariho High School. I think its important to speak what we think, said Probst.

Earnest pleas for change and stories of racism drew empathy from the crowd.

A Providence firefighter, Terrell Paci, spoke emotionally about being racially profiled by two Providence police officers as he sat, in uniform, inside a friends car outside the Messer Street station. The officers, with guns drawn, started yelling about a gun, and searched his side of the vehicle.

Paci said he kept saying that he was a firefighter: Im PFD. Im one of you. Dont shoot. But he said the officers never asked him for an ID.

Paci said although he received an apology from police officials, he has not heard from the officers involved. Firefighter union president Derek Silva later tweeted that the union stands by Paci and while we value our working relationship with the Providence police, and know that there are many officers working to change police culture, this incident proves that there is more work to be done.

Throughout the rally, the protesters shouted for the state police and National Guard to take a knee.

State trooper Roupen Bastajia, standing on the State House steps facing the crowd, knelt to cheers from the teens. He said he knelt to show the protests that he believes Black Lives do matter.

We shouldnt have injustice, Bastajia said.

The young men standing next to him thanked him, and one pointed to Bastajias state police emblem on his bulletproof vest. This doesnt mean hes racist, the young man said to another teen next to him.

Thank you, Bastajia said. And the young men had a moment, talking with the troopers, as people behind them chanted and shouted, some holding anti-police signs. The young men complained about leadership and injustice, and the trooper told them that was why they needed to vote and make their voices heard.

Nelson Baptista, 27, a Cape Verdean man living in Providence, admitted hed been leery about coming to the protest, worried that it could become violent.

But this was peaceful, and it felt like a moment in history, Baptista said. It made him think about the future.

He didnt have a child yet, but he hoped things would change, because I dont want my child to go through this.

Dan McGowan and Edward Fitzpatrick of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.

Amanda Milkovits can be reached at amanda.milkovits@globe.com

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Protest for Black Lives Matter in Providence is massive -- and peaceful - The Boston Globe