The brutalization and death of black men and women is out of control. Friends of Victims is dedicated to helping stamp out racism. The brutalization and dehumanization, and inhumane treatment of all Black people must end. We must say their names until there is realistic change, until justice is restructured.
As I read these accounts by Veronica Njanja, I was overwhelmed. I know these names so well, it is tragic. The people on these pages should not be in the news. they shouldn’t be on our minds and reminded of everyday. They should be alive. They did things like save lives everyday, play the violin, father of five children, work in a restaurant, were office workers, people, who did good things.
That is why people protest, people kneel, people yell. Fists are raised, because no one wants to believe, the dead on these pages, were human beings. That a criminal history, a broken window, a night on the town, an unfounded accusation, defined these people. It did not, and it will never define them. Not as long as we say their names.
Unfortunately the Say Their Names list is growing, almost daily and I can not keep up. Please send me your account, your victim, are you a victim, add the name, it is your list, it is my list, it is a list of human beings. It is a list for all of us, everyone. The list is truth, undeniable, indefensible.
Here they are, people, human beings. They deserved to live.