Update: Article updated on 5/27/2020
In the course of healing from the latest police killings of Black men and women, many people have spoken up about the double-standards and atrocities facing Black and Brown people in this country. How we are harassed and then killed for just being alive.
TRAYVON MARTIN (Walking home with iced tea and Skittles. Shot by George Zinneman, who was found not guilty.)
KEITH SCOTT (Sitting in car, reading. Shot by police officer, who was not charged.)
ATATIANA JEFFERSON (Looking out her window, shot by police officer, who is still under indictment for murder.)
JONATHAN FERRELL (Asking for help after auto accident. Shot twelve times by police, case ended in mistrial.)
JORDAN EDWARDS (Riding in a car. Shot in the back of the head by police officer, who was found guilty of murder.)
STEPHON CLARK (Holdng a cel phone. Shot 8 times, 6 in the back. Officers not charged.)
AMADOU DIALLO (While taking out wallet, officers fired 41 shots by four officers, who were all acquitted.)
RENISHA MCBRIDE (Auto accident, knocked on door for help. Homeowner was found guilty of second-degree murder.)
TAMIR RICE (Playing with toy gun, shot by police officer arriving on scene. Officer was not charged.
SEAN BELL (Hosting a bachelor party, 50 rounds fired by police officers, who were found not guilty of charges.)
WALTER SCOTT (Pulled over for brake light, shot in the back by police officer, who pleaded guilty to civil rights violations.)
PHILANDO CASTILE (Pulled over in car, told officer he had a legally registered weapon in car. Officer acquitted of all charges.)
AIYANA JONES (Sleeping, accidentally shot by officer in a raid on wrong apartment. Officer cleared of all charges.)
TERRENCE CRUTCHER (Disabled vehicle, shot by police officer, who was found not guilty of manslaughter.)
ALTON STERLING (Selling CDs, shot at close range while being arrested. No charges filed.)
FREDDIE GRAY (Beaten to death by officers while being transported in police van. All officers involved were acquitted.)
JOHN CRAWFORD (Shopping at WalMart, holding a BB gun on sale, police officer was not charged.)
MICHAEL BROWN (Shot by twelve times by officer, including in the back. No charges filed.)
JORDAN DAVIS (Killed because he was playing loud music. Shooter found guilty of first-degree murder.)
SANDRA BLAND (Pulled over for traffic ticket, tasered and arrested. Suspicious “suicide” while in jail. No charges.)
BOTHAM JEAN (Shot at home, which police officer mistook for her own. Officer found guilty of murder.)
OSCAR GRANT (Handcuffed and face-down, officer shot him in the back. Officer found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.)
COREY JONES (Waiting by his disabled vehicle, was shot three times by police officer, who was found guilty of murder.)
AHMAUD AUBREY (Jogging, shot by two men who claimed they suspected him of burglaries. Both men charged with murder and aggravated assault)
Sadly, all of these beautiful people were unarmed…but now dead.
Just a couple of years ago, your favorite celebrities chimed in to use their voices to speak out and raise awareness, not only in the states, but abroad as well.
Alicia Keys organized dozens of America’s highest-profile black celebrities to make a powerful statement about
black lives and to speak out against the unacceptable normalcy of police brutality. In an original video for news website, Mic.com based on the piece, “23 Everyday Actions Punishable by Death if You’re Black in America,” Keys, along with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Common, Chris Rock, Taraji P. Henson and so many more each describe just how mundane, trivial and everyday activities can get you killed if you happen to wake up Black in America.
One by one, celebrities share the reasons why some of the names we now use as hashtags lost their life.
From Laquan McDonald to Oscar Grant, the list seems endless as both black and white give the “reason” why someone had to lose their life. One of the reasons being “sitting outside of your bachelor party” recognizing Sean Bell who was gunned down for just doing that.
Our hearts hurt.
Our minds hurt.
And our frustration is at all-time high.
You can see it in the eyes of every person in this video and even hear it in their voices.
We must tell the world that our lives matter until they actually do and we must also believe it ourselves. We thank Alicia Keys and others for speaking up and speaking out.
One voice. One heart. One love.
For more on your favorite celebrity, click here.
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