An Open Birthday Letter to Breonna Taylor
Dear Breonna,
Today you should be celebrating your 27th birthday with your loved ones. But unfortunately, your life was cut short due to a justice system that is steeped in racism. Today and every day, I will uplift your name; you made the ultimate sacrifice serving as an essential worker during this unprecedented time. You showed up for your community, and it is only right that we show up for you. Your name means “strength,” and that is what you have given me and so many others. Your name has served as a rallying cry for so many Black women.
When I read about what happened on March 13, my heart sank. You had so much life left to live; you were only 26 years old. This is another case where a Black woman was wrongfully killed by law enforcement in her own home, just like we saw with Atatiana Jefferson in October of last year. And similar to the death of Sandra Bland, the response to your death has not been as loud as it should be.
You did not deserve to be killed. To lose your life so violently, and for it to be a mistake, is inconceivable to me. I do not understand how people could be so careless with firearms. I know that I cannot turn back the hands of time, but I wish I could. I wish that our society had taken more steps to address law enforcement reform and accountability.
