KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As a working mother, Jalisa Davis doesn't get much sleep, even less so since Friday.
"Honestly, like the adrenaline and just the motivation is keeping me going," Davis said.
Davis, a 32-year-old teacher was among dozens of protesters who settled in for a fourth night on the south lawn outside City Hall in Kansas City, Missouri. She had never participated in a protest until the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis drew her to the County Club Plaza.
"Any kid is my child," Davis said. "I'm going to look out for children and for him to call out, ‘Mama,’ it was a cry for mamas and when I heard that I had to do something."
With her husband taking care of her children at home and the ability to work remotely, Davis joined the voices demanding racial justice and police reform.
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"That we uplift our community at this point, instead of continuing to police them and drag them down," Davis said.
The resurgence of an "occupy" movement began last week after cellphone video surfaced online of a KCPD officer arresting a pregnant woman.
This form of protest hasn't been seen in the Kansas City area since 2011, during the Occupy Kansas City movement. The group lasted six months near the Federal Reserve before police cleared them out. During that time, they were non-violent.
Rebecca Best, associate professor in the UMKC political science department, said having a "firm commitment" to non-violence is an important element.
"You don’t want to give the other side ammunition against you," Best said.
Experts also said clear messaging is important during the occupation.
"Even when groups don’t use violence, they are often going to be accused of using violence," Best said, "Or, if they’re using civil disobedience tactics, where they are non-violent, but they may be breaking certain laws, that will get played against them often."
That's where organizer Stacy Shaw comes in.
"There has to be somebody that stands in the gap," Shaw said. "There has to be somebody that is out here protecting these young people that are fighting for our freedom."
RELATED: Protesters begin 'indefinite occupation' of KC City Hall
KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas said there are no plans to remove the group. Council members plan to discuss what might happen next at a meeting on Thursday.
Davis said it will be vital for protesters to show they are "in it for the long haul."
"Whether it takes a short amount of time or a long amount of time, I think that it's going to be important for us to stand our ground," Davis said.
