Fox Valley Church Urges Members To Display Black Lives Matter Signs

A Fox Valley church is asking its members and the community to display Black Lives Matter yard signs in a show of support.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Appleton has had its own Black Lives Matter banner stolen or damaged three times this year. The last time the banner was stolen was July 17.

“The first time it was vandalized, and then it was stolen the second and third time,” said Marie Blohowiak, the church’s congregational life coordinator. “We will continue to put it up. In fact, our plans are to put up another one next week.”

Now, the church is asking members and the larger community to put out Black Lives Matter yard signs for solidarity. The church is asking for a $10 donation for the signs.

Blohowiak said she’s heard from people who are harassed based on their race, including students at Appleton’s Lawrence University.

“We believe there is systematic racism,” she said. “We believe that those in our congregation, which is a majority white congregation, have white privilege and we need to learn what that means for us in our own lives but it also means that we need to stand up for people of color who are saying that something needs to change.”

If the banner is stolen again, it will be replaced as many times as needed, Blohowiak said.

Police have no leads on who has stolen it, she said. The Appleton Police Department spokesman wasn’t available for comment.