Justice Calls for Breonna Taylor as Her Killers Remain Free

Imagine dying in the comfort of your own home, in the hands of police officers and over something that you did not do. This is what happened to Breonna Taylor.

On March 13, 2020 Breonna Taylor, a 26-year old African American emergency medical technician was shot by Louisville Metro Police Department officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankinson, and Myles Cosgrove.

The three officers, not in their uniform, entered Taylor’s house executing a no-knock search warrant.

Ms. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker were in bed but got up, after hearing loud banging at the door. After a brief exchange, Mr. Walker fired his gun. The police also fired several shots, hitting Ms. Taylor.

Taylor coughed and struggled to breathe for at least five minutes after she was shot, according to The Louisville Courier Journal. She received no medical attention for more than 20 minutes after she was struck, The Courier Journal reported.

The police were investigating two men who they thought were selling drugs out of a house that was far from Ms. Taylor’s home. However, a judge had also signed a warrant allowing the police to search Ms. Taylor’s residence because the police believed that one of the two men had used her apartment to receive packages. The judge’s order was a so-called no-knock warrant, which allowed the police to enter without warning and without identifying themselves as law enforcement.

According to Mr. Walker’s lawyer, no drugs were found in the apartment. City officials banned the use of “no-knock” warrants on June 11.

Breonna Taylor’s death has sparked outrage around the world. There have been calls for justice. Her killers remain free and have not been charged with any crimes.

Taylor’s case took long to receive national attention and as weeks go by her story has dwindled. What first started off as a posting spree and call for media attention has now quickly turned into something that no one wants to talk about.

This could be because charges were dropped against the officers who took part in her killing, however her killers need to be held accountable and her family needs justice after this dreadful killing.

Ever since the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, Elijah Mcclain, Breonna Taylor, Sha-Asia Washington and (the list goes on), Black people around the world have spoken up on racism, sexism, and systematic and institutionalized racism within the healthcare system.

We must do all that we can to make sure that Breonna Taylor’s killers don’t get to walk free again. Whether its signing petitions, voting in November, reading more information on her case, or also reaching out to politicians, we must make sure that our voices are being heard and that these officers are held accountable for their actions.

According to Ms. Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, Taylor had big dreams.

“Breonna had her head on straight, and she was a very decent person. She didn’t deserve this. She wasn’t that type of person.

Don’t forget to sign this petition.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/arrest-killers-breonna-taylor

Pictures are from:

1. bbc.com

2. vox.com

3. abc7ny.com

Report: Juana Norales

Instagram: @juana.n_

Why Respectability Politics Doesn't Work

Oftentimes, in the black community, black parents, uncles and other family members will encourage the youth to pursue their education in hopes of attaining the American Dream. Education is seen as a ticket to solving life’s problems as an underrepresented race in America. They might also say something along the lines of “don’t you think you should get your haircut” if a black man has dreadlocks or “be careful not to give off the wrong impression,” if a young lady’s sartorial presentation doesn’t fall within the Eurocentric standards of professionalism. Although old heads often say these things with good intent, not only are they damaging to those on the receiving ends of them, but they aren’t particularly protective measures either.

The reality is that no matter your credentials, if your hair is in an afro or permed, if you have on a suit or tennis shoes, non-black people tend to merely see you as black. Whenever a black male is approached by an officer, they aren’t considering whether or not that man has an advanced degree or a six-figure salary. The black PhD is hated in America just as much as a black person who works as the corner store in an urban area. Remember that.

Photo Credit:

Obama - Chesnot/Getty Images (USA Today)

Snoop - John Parra/Getty Images (billboard)

The Death of Sha-Asia Washington Show Racial Disparities Black Women Face in Childbirth

After carrying her baby for the last nine months, Sha-Asia Washington, 26, had looked forward to being a mother.

On July 2 Washington, went to Woodhull Medical Center in New York for a routine stress test. At the time she was a few days past her due date. After doctors noticed that her blood pressure was high, Washington was given a drug to induce labor.

She was asked if she wanted an epidural which she was unsure of, but later agreed, according to her family.

Juwan Lopez, her boyfriend, was was on FaceTime with his mother Desiree Williams when the situation started going downhill.

Washington was rushed into the operating room, leaving Lopez devastated and screaming. He could not figure out what was going on. It was in that moment, that he found out that the baby’s heart rate was dropping.

Washington went into cardiac arrest while doctors delivered her baby via c-section. Washington was pronounced dead after doctors spent 45 minutes trying to save her with CPR. Her newborn daughter Khloe, was healthy.

The death of Sha-Asia Washington has sparked outrage in the Black community, especially Black women.

Her death is shedding light on racial disparities Black women face when giving birth. Black women die at a rate three times higher than white women when giving birth.

In 2018, 658 women died of maternal causes in the U.S. A recent study showed Black women had a death rate of 40.8 per 100,000 births, three times higher than the rate of white women. American Indian and Native Alaskan women had the next highest rate at 29.7 deaths per 100,000 live births, more than double the rate in white women.

There are several reasons for the disparities, including systematic and institutional racism within the healthcare system, underlying health conditions (more common in Black mothers) and access to prenatal care.

Washington’s family is now seeking justice. A GoFundMe page has been set up and has now raised more than $88,000 to help with funeral costs and to support Lopez, who is now raising his daughter Khloe as a single father.

“WOODHULL HOSPITAL KILLED SHAASIA GIVING HER A EPIDURAL PLEASE HELP US GET JUSTICE,” said a description on the fundraiser page.

This also comes three months after Amber Rose Isaac, 26, died at Monterfiore Medical Center in the Bronx after expressing her concerns on how she had been getting treated from the hospital on Twitter.

Stand-up comedian Amy Schumer, is also using her platform to speak about the cases.

“We need to wake up and do better everyday,” she wrote, alongside flawless pregnancy photos of Washington and Lopez.

Washington’s family wants to raise awareness about what happened to her and other Black women who died in childbirth. Last Thursday the family gathered outside Woodhull Medical Center alongside friends and a group of New York City Doulas.

According to Washingtons’s future sister-in-law, Jasmin Lopez “If you know Sha-Asia she wanted to be a mom and she was gonna be an amazing one.”

Pictures from:

1. Rollingstone.com

2. Essence.com

Report: Juana Norales

Instagram: @juana.n_

Beyonce wins BET's 2020 Humanitarian Award

Queen B. Yoncé. Sasha Fierce. Ms. Carter. Just a few nicknames that refer to the one and only Beyoncé. The singer, songwriter, producer, actress, and woman of many more talents has been nominated as BET Networks 2020 Humanitarian Award honoree. From starting her own charity BeyGOOD and implementing multiple humanitarian projects and efforts, it is no surprise that Beyoncé was chosen to receive this special award.

The BET Humanitarian Award is given to a celebrity who makes strides towards bettering communities, a celebrity who understands the significance of philanthropy and dedicates their time and money on working with charitable causes, and Beyoncé fulfills nothing short of this description.

Being the incredible human that she is, Beyoncé donates to more than 35 different charities, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Feeding America, and Stand Up To Cancer.

In light of the current protests and efforts to dismantle systemic racism, Beyoncé remains a prominent figure for the Black Lives Matter movement. In her acceptance speech, Beyoncé dedicates the award to all of her brothers and sisters who continue to fight for change, and encourages people to use their voice and power to vote.

On Juneteenth, the anniversary of the emancipation of enslaved people, Beyoncé released a song titled “Black Parade” which celebrates black history and is an ode to her heritage. The musical release comes as no surprise, though, as Beyoncé has always celebrated blackness in her music and remains a symbol for black beauty, grace, and power.

In addition to her recent creative projects that commemorate black heritage, Beyoncé has partnered with Disney on a visual album titled “Black is King” inspired by “The Lion King” that will also pay tribute to Black culture and incorporates the timeless lessons from the movie.

As if BET’s Humanitarian Award isn’t already an honor in itself, the award was presented to Beyoncé by none other than former First Lady, Michelle Obama, who beamed with proud while speaking about the honoree- her dear friend.

Beyoncé’s career thus far has been undoubtedly influential, and in her young life she has already done more than most in philanthropic efforts. She is a star who she shines bright, and is able to radiate that light onto others and help them to create better a better world around them.

Photo credit can be attributed to Google's website.

Report: Alexandra Donnelly

The Danger of Moving on from Movements Too Quickly

What exactly is normal supposed to be when black bodies are being murdered by the people who are supposed to protect them? Protests are still crowding the streets of American cities. Petitions are still being added to sites daily. Black bodies are still being killed. They are still going missing. They are still being unheard.

If you look on social media, it appears like none of this is happening… Or at least as though less people care anymore. Following George Floyd’s murder, people’s Instagram timelines were filled with infographics, petitions, and the controversial black squares. But now? One finds themself scrolling through selfies and homemade cake photos once again. People are posting memes and pictures of their pets on their stories. The social media sphere is once again returning to what it was before the cry for revolution rang out from the buried lungs of BIPOC.

Since the start of the 2020 protests, countless streets and squares have been named after the Black Lives Matter movement. Streaming services are removing episodes of old shows that have blackface in them. White actors are stepping down from their BIPOC voice acting roles... But none of this is enough. These kinds of changes are placating and minimal.

The current state of social media allows for these actions to seem like enough. As the outcry dies down, so does the pressure. Without this pressure, those with political power will not move forward and push for substantial reformation. A return to “normal” is a loss of collective voice– of collective influence.

Don’t stop posting. Don’t stop signing petitions. If you can’t go out and protest, support those who can. This is not the time to act as though your job is done– there is still so much you can use your voice for in this time of revolution.

Report: Nicolette Schneiderman

Justice for Elijah McClain

Elijah Mclain is a young boy who was murdered by police and is now trending on all social media platforms due to his innocent cause of death. In August 2019, police officers in Aurora, Colorado, approached the 23-year-old Elijah McClain while he was walking home from a store near his home. Later that night, the Aurora Police Department said that an anonymous 911 caller had reported a “suspicious person” in a ski mask. When the officers confronted McClain who was not armed and had not committed a crime, they stated that he “resisted arrest.” In the 15 minutes that followed, the officers threw McClain to the ground, put him in a carotid hold, and called first responders, who injected him with ketamine. He had a heart attack on the way to the hospital and died days later after he was declared brain dead.

McClain’s family maintains that law enforcement’s use of excessive force led to his death. However, video of the incident has gone viral on all social media platforms regardless of the fact that it happened a year ago. In the video, it is very evident that Elijah McClain not resisting but was in fact pleading with the officers to release him. The officers were consequently cleared of wrongdoing on the basis of the body-camera footage and an inconclusive autopsy. McClain’s case has attracted people amid national protests against systemic racism and police brutality against Black people.

Photo Credits: @buttonslives @myskincolorisnotacrime @claratheprince

Report: Soila Douce (@soila.xx)

Aunt Jemima and Others to Rebrand to Correct Racial Stereotyping

Many different brands have been looking to support the Black Lives Matter movement. One is Quaker Oats, the owner of 130-year-old Aunt Jemima maple syrup brand. Quaker Oats announced last Wednesday their plans to completely rename and rebrand the syrup, as its origins are based in a racial stereotype reminiscent of American slavery. This change is set to occur as soon as fall of 2020, but the company has not yet announced the new name or look of the product.

Quaker Oats’ decision to make such a radical change set the stage for other companies rooted in racial stereotyping to reevaluate their brand image. Uncle Ben’s Rice, owned by the Mars corporation, plans to rebrand and possibly rename as they announced on Thursday to do away with the image of the Black farmer found on their packaging. Likewise, syrup brand Mrs. Butterworth’s and hot cereal brand Cream of Wheat have intentions of reviewing and reevaluating their packaging and overall brand image in an effort to eradicate lingering racial stereotypes built into their advertising.

Companies’ willingness to reevaluate decades-old branding images is a risky business, but one that needs to happen to combat the systemic racism that so easily goes unnoticed by many. While a syrup bottle with breakfast doesn’t sound like a huge deal, these microaggressions are what keep racism alive in our country. The public is calling on brands using racist advertising, no longer allowing them to be separate from social activism, but instead asking them to create change themselves. Additionally, as more and more companies make promises to change their racist branding, this puts the pressure on other brands and presents the hope for a more promising and lasting impact on American advertising.

Report: Grace Carlos

The Designated Targets

(Via SauLopez/Instagram)

This thought took a little longer than I expected to put into words. Time and time again I wanted to approach this subject matter in a perspective that was both educational and insightful. As we are trained to think on a daily basis we want our thoughts to come off as being politically correct, for the simple reason that we do not want to offend anyone in the process of expressing our feelings. I came to a conclusion that all of those standards and ideologies we are trained to believe as we navigate through this life as being black in America, more specifically a black man, need to go out the window to get my truest feelings across.

The mass majority of people outside of the black community have been vocal about how these past few weeks have been crazy, but fail to realize this is an everyday struggle for black people and that this is only a small glimpse of what it is like being a designated target. What I mean by being a designated target is something that only people who are born into this category can fully comprehend. On June 9th, 2020 I watched a  video of the New York Police union chief state, “ Our legislators abandon us. The press is vilifying us.” When I heard him say this I did not know if I felt a sense of satisfaction for a quick moment, because for once in their life they had a brief moment where they could feel what it was like to be black in America. As they pleaded for the community to understand that they are not the cops in Minneapolis, the irony of their emotions echoed the sentiments of our ancestors for hundreds of years prior. That original feeling that took over my emotions soon left as I came back to reality, and realized how I would not wish our daily trials and tribulations upon anyone.

(Photo by Todd Maisel)

Their press conference continued as members of their union expressed their feelings towards the events that have built up. As I listened to what they had to say I wanted to yell at the television and scream “But you have a choice, and we don’t!” At any moment in time a police officer has the ability to take off that uniform, their badge, and the target on their back will be no more. A black person does not have that luxury to walk out of their skin, or wake up and simply make the choice to say “ I don’t want to be black anymore”, it’s a forever thing. 

Television personality Emmanuel Acho sat with actor Matthew McConaughey for his segment titled “Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man” on June 9th. In this segment Emmanuel allows people to ask him anything in hopes to educate them on the black community. After their conversation Matthew McConaughey ended the segment with a quote from Langston Hughes. It went like this:

 “ O, let America be America again—

The land that never has been yet—

And yet must be—the land where every man is free.”

( Photo by Myles Matthews)

Ahmaud Aubery did not need to be hunted for sport in front of millions. Breonna Taylor did not need to be gunned down as she slept peacefully in the comfort of her own home. George Floyd did not need to be executed by the ones that took an oath to serve and protect us. Ending police brutality, racism, and systematic oppression should not be a debate. The fact that it is in someone’s heart to debate shows us that we are far from where our country dreams of being. The repetition of our blues, and the melody of our cries has become a song we are all too familiar with. It does not have to be this way, but it seems that the oppressors love to play this song on repeat, and we are tired of it. Now is not the time to be satisfied with the recent progress we’ve made. The protests and everyday battles behind closed doors need to continue so our children and their children can have a different tune to their life.

Report: Myles Matthews, Senior Culture and Entertainment Editor

When Enough Is Enough.

“The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth- African proverb”, tweeted @CharlesMBlow. Following the premeditated murder of George Floyd, citizens of Minniapolis and many other cities took to the streets to seek justice. This is not the first time an unarmed African American has been killed for no reason other than the color of their skin. In fact, the black community has also recently mourned the losses of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Sean Reed in Indianapolis, and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, all victims of hate crimes. “Coincidently”, none of these murders have seen justice and sadly, I doubt that they will. These protests are happening because black people are tired of begging for their lives to be considered valuable. For centuries, black lives have been disregarded; enough is enough. Racial injustice can no longer be swept under the rug.

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick decided he would kneel during the national anthem of every NFL game in protest against police brutality. Kaepernick was peaceful, but people still refused to listen to him. People misconstrued his protest, thinking he was disrespecting the military and the flag, even after he made his intentions clear. This same police brutality that Kaepernick protested against continues to happen and continues to be overlooked by the leader of our nation and some of our fellow citizens. Unfortunately, some people do not want to acknowledge the truth because living in a country built on lies benefits them. Some people think that there is a more peaceful way to get justice, but being peaceful has not been proven to work. What do you do when the people that are supposed to protect and serve are killing you instead?

America has never been united or equal. Racism is so deeply embedded into this country that some people would rather protest a pandemic than protest the lack of justice for the innocent killings of African Americans. These protests all around the country are passageways to creating better lives for future generations. Just as my ancestors fought for me, it would be inconsiderate if I did not do the same for my successors. BLACK LIVES MATTER every second of everyday, not because we make you money, but because we are people who deserve to be treated as such. We are tired people, who deserve much more than this country has given us. We are protesting because we want justice and change. We want to feel safe in our blackness; we deserve to be safe.

Photo credits:

Building on fire: @slate_mk.2

Kaepernick/King photo: @thatlaundry

Trump Tower photo: @mark.c

Report: Brionna Thompson