EDITORIAL: Now, more than ever, Fall River must unite, have pride, see the good

With the stigma surrounding recent events in Fall River, now more than ever we must come together as a city. We cannot submit to negativity and degrade the city that raised us- we must embrace it and bring to light all of the beauty within our community that too often goes unrecognized. We cannot change what has happened in this city’s past, but we can shift our focus towards changing our future for the better.

Our home is associated with drugs, crime, and other negative factors that only reflect a minuscule portion of our population. The truth is that our city cultivates passion and hope. We have people who are dedicated to doing better for their careers, families, and neighborhoods. Together we can promote more positive ideals and bring new words to mind when one thinks of Fall River: unity, camaraderie, and pride.

Last year, the “I am Fall River” T-shirt movement united Durfee High School students in their love of the city and inspired new, more positive, conversation among students and adults alike regarding the Fall River community. The movement was so successful that it reached people in the public that were not directly associated with Durfee. This year, this movement is to be continued with a focus on expanding the sense of pride to all Fall River citizens, no matter their age, race, gender, or school. There is so much to love about Fall River that goes unnoticed, whether it be the beautiful historical sites such as Battleship Cove, the education we offer – giving students an array of opportunities, our cultural diversity or the sense of community within its people. To bring more much-deserved recognition to these aspects of the city and promote a more positive reputation, we urge all citizens to come together and unite in their “Fall River Pride.”

-Durfee Student Gov.
Riley Caine, Noor Issa, Dorothy Baros and Rute Rodriguez