Listen to Eric’s Story

“And I still wrestle with it. It was, you know, the day turned from optimism and, you know, togetherness to kind of a bad dream.”

- Dr. Eric Irizarry

Eric Irizarry 

My name is Eric Irizarry and I remember the morning of August 12th very vividly. You know, the picture brings back a lot of memories. At that point, I was in my first year as principal of the Charlottesville High School and we had just moved our family up from North Carolina right at a time where there was a lot of tension in our community. And, you know, I had to learn very quickly about the local history and what was transpiring. And the story of a Charlottesville High School student's petition and the controversy and the conversation that started right after. And it was the summer. It was a week before school started. And I felt, as a community member and to show solidarity in support of for some of the people that were on the front lines, that that I had to be there that morning. And as I was walking up to the church, I remember students coming up saying hello. And there was a sense of optimism and a sense of power and community walking into the church. And it was something that I'll never forget. Dr. West gave just a powerful, powerful sermon. And I remember being energized. I remember feeling like I was part of something or we were all part of something good and righteous. And I was just very proud to see young folks and young students, high school students from our area there, and especially some of the ones that were pivotal in bringing about the conversation in this community. As the day progressed and the tragic events happened, what went through my mind was was fear. Looking at all the faces in that crowd that day, wondering who was hurt, what students would be traumatized from seeing that, the vehicle and the people involved. We found out that there were some of our students were hurt at the attack. And I still wrestle with it. It was, you know, the day turned from optimism and, you know, togetherness to kind of a bad dream. You know, what's happening? How could this happen here in this town? And, you know, historically speaking, I don't think, reflecting on it, it wasn't surprising. But I think when you know the folks that were there and involved and that you were sitting next to that morning, that the fact that some of them were among the people that were hurt was something that will live with me for for a long time. There's not a day that goes by driving around Charlottesville that I don't think about the historical context of that morning and the day as a whole.

Music credit: Hushed / Once Upon / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com