Joy : A Life in Protest
By Abby Bittner
Recently, protests throughout St. Augustine and neighboring communities have been making headlines. But for Joy D’Elia, speaking up for what she believes in is nothing new.
She has been active in St. Augustine protests for decades, even attending those in other states. From racism to environmental issues, the protest topics are not brand new to her. “I do find it somewhat amazing that after all these years people are still trying to change the very things that were being brought into light years ago,” the activist said.
Joy, who has been protesting for over 40 years, has seen groups of protesters evolve over time. “The current protests seem to be significantly different in that they reach across age, race, gender, and economic status,” she said. “It seems to be more grassroots and organic and not really having specific leaders or inspirations like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, or Nelson Mandela.”
She credits the Union Mine Workers strike on the Pittston Coal Company in Southwest Virginia as her most memorable protest. Knowing coal has many polluting effects, she was hesitant to support miners, but learned it was for the better. “I soon learned that the strike resulted from Pittston’s termination of health care benefits for retirees and disabled minors and the refusal of the company to bargain in good faith as grounds for their action,” said D’Elia, whose husband also joined the protest.
Not too long after protesting in Virginia, she found herself doing it all over again states away. “It was all pretty mind bending to see the very same protests taking place hundreds of miles from the mines and in my hometown”.
The experienced protester finds it powerful to see all walks of life speaking out on issues. “Young, old, black, brown, white, and all sexes have united to demand social justice,” Joy D’Elia said. “In past protests, I don’t recall so much support from all walks of life.”
One of the main struggles she has witnessed is people who are reluctant to change. “The major challenge is always closed minds and hearts. There are people who make up their minds about something and they are comfortable knowing what they know,” she said. “I’ve always tried to learn as much as possible about a subject and I’m glad to say I’ve evolved over the years.”
In addition to being an avid protester, she has been a prominent advocate for the arts, leading her to help start Recognizing Outstanding Women in the Arts (ROWITA) and the Jr. ROWITA Fellowship. “Trying to make a living in the arts can be hard, so recognizing those who have made contributions to our arts community was something that needed to be done”.
For those newer to protesting, Joy encourages people to keep an open mind. “Learn as much as possible about your cause and don’t be afraid to learn new information that might challenge your own ideas,” she said.
Joy’s photo was taken at a recent peaceful demonstration for Civil Rights