The ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd have formed a new nonprofit in Montgomery County to mobilize residents. The nonprofit took to downtown Conroe on June 14 to protest and to register voters.

Organizer and President LaDon Johnson said The Good Brothers and Sisters of Montgomery County hopes to encourage Montgomery County residents to participate politically and economically in the community.

“The Good Brothers and Sisters of Montgomery County is about coming together, striving together, get economic wealth for my community and get everybody on an even playing field,” Johnson said.

Resident Andrea McWashington acts as the president of the nonprofit’s women’s chapter. She said the newly formed group is a “diverse organization.”

“It’s not just for black people; it’s for anybody that wants to be empowered and encouraged to grow for the community,” McWashington said.

McWashington said the group hopes to get residents to participate in local elections as well as state and federal ones. Johnson said the nonpartisan nonprofit will eventually endorse candidates depending on “who is for the people.”

Local activist Von Gardner leads the youth chapter of the group and said he hopes to turn online activism into real-world action.

“We appreciate everybody on social media—you know, 'Black Lives Matter' and this and that,” Gardner said. “I see you on social media, but I don’t see you out here. Come out. Let’s make a change, the change that you say you want to make on social media.”

The June 14 event focused on voter registration. Gardner said many of his peers were either politically inactive or were uninformed that even former felons can vote.

Johnson said the nonprofit will also hose a Juneteenth event at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Conroe. Details have not been announced yet.