Hola What’s Hot Fam,
It’s your girl Stacey Cake! I could not move forward with entertainment coverage in good conscience without acknowledging that #BlackLivesMatter.
The racially charged murders of the black men and women in America amid the pandemic has, until now, left me speechless. It’s unsettling to even have the words racially charged murder and pandemic in the same sentence, none the less, here we are.
If you’re like me, this type of news and media coverage has become extremely exhausting and overwhelming to keep up with. Yet, I feel obligated as a black woman and journalist to remain briefed on the happenings of the world. I believe that the first steps to making any type of change is becoming educated and spreading awareness. With that being said, I’ve constructed a cheat sheet-of-sort regarding some of the major news when it comes to the recent murders of black people and the resulting social uprisings.
Hopefully, having the information below in one place helps you process all that has occurred so far. Furthermore, I hope it moves you to use your talents or platform to push for change as well.
Headlining Murders
In no way is this section meant to ignore any other victims of hate crimes and police brutality. They all matter. This list is merely acknowledging the deaths that have propelled major discussions, hashtags and protests this year.
Ahmaud Arbery
- When: February 23, 2020
- Where: Satilla Shores, Brunswick, Georgia
- Age at time of death: 25
- What happened: While jogging in a residential area close to his home, Arbery was chased down and shot by Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34. This occurred as a third white male William Bryan recorded from his vehicle. Gregory told law officials he suspected the victim of committing several burglaries in the area.
- Arrests: Gregory and Travis ( May 7), Bryan (May 21)
- Sources/ More Info: NyTimes, ABC
Breonna Taylor
- When: March 13, 2020
- Where: Louisville, Kentucky
- Age at time of death: 26
- What happened: In an alleged case of mistaken identity, police barged into Taylor’s home in the middle of the night on a drug warrant. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, a licensed gun owner, opened fire. In response, Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot eight times by officers. According to a lawsuit filed by the victim’s family, the couple thought the officers, were burglars. Officers claim they announced themselves, but the lawsuit states otherwise.
- Arrests: Walker was arrested on attempted murder of a police officer, but the charge has since been dropped.
- Sources/ More Info: CBS, The Cut
George Floyd
- When: May 25, 2020
- Where: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Age at time of death: 46
- What happened: Floyd allegedly purchased a pack of cigarettes from a grocery store called Cup Foods with a fake $20 bill. The cashier contacted police. Soon after, two officers approached Floyd, who, along with two others, was found sitting in a car parked around the corner. One of the two immediately pulled his gun out. Floyd was handcuffed and on the ground as passersby’s began to film. Former officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds despite his pleas for air. He was taken from the scene of the arrest to the Hennepin County Medical Center in an ambulance, where he was pronounced dead. All four officers involved have been fired. They claim the victim was resisting arrest, but footage suggests otherwise.
- Arrests: Derek Chauvin (May 29) for third-degree murder and manslaughter
- Sources/ More Info: CNN, BBC
Protests
Recently, protests in the name of victims such as Floyd, Taylor and Arbery have been going on in places like Minneapolis, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and New York City. There is a large amount of news worthy information surrounding these movements. Here are a few of the most talked about incidents.
Minneapolis goes up in flames:
White woman riding scooter stabs at Target looters:
Minnesota cops arrest black CNN reporter:
New York City cop unmasks a black protester and pepper sprays him:
Celebrities join protests:
Officers filmed attacking journalists:
White Antifa (“the loosely affiliated group of far-left anti-fascism activists”) are caught vandalizing to set up #BlackLivesMatter protesters:
Notable public figure Reactions
How You Can Get Involved
If you are looking for ways to fight for change, other than physically protesting, consider signing petitions and making donations. Here are a few links :
Change.org -George Floyd
Change.org – Breanna Taylor
This is only a small percentage of what has occurred this year in regards to racial injustices and socialism. With that being said, I encourage you to continue to educate yourself not only about current events, but on how you can help. This is a battle for humanity and I hope that seeing all of this pushes you to join the fight. #BlackLivesMatter
With Sizzling Love,
Stacey Cake