Words Unspoken

Kalief Browder was arrested at the age of 16, on charges of robbery (for allegedly stealing a backpack) and imprisoned without conviction for three years.

Unable to post $3,000 bail, Kalief was sent to Rikers Island to await his trial.

After more than 1,000 days at Rikers awainting trial, over 800 of them in solitary confinement, Kalief was released and his case was later dismissed.

In June 2015, Kalief Browder committed suicide by hanging himself. The conditions of his detention were widely seen as having caused his mental condition and five or six prior attempts at suicide while incarcerated.

Kalief was 22 years old when he died.

Venida Browder, 63, the mother of Kalief Browder, died Friday at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. 

She died of a broken heart.

portrait of Corinne Bailey Rae, an artist I love so much ^^