#sandraspeaks

Over 100 people gathered at Federal Plaza in Chicago Wednesday night to commemorate the one year anniversary of the death of ‪‎Sandra Bland, including her sister, Shavon Bland, and niece, both of whom read poems about their loss. Bland, a Chicago area native, was found hanging in a Waller County jail cell three days after she was arrested during a traffic stop, dashcam video of which provoked national outrage.

Martinez Sutton, the brother of Chicago police shooting victim Rekia Boyd, also performed spoken word at the vigil.  

Sandra Bland was preparing for a new life in a place that she hoped to help stop the social injustice for blacks.  She was a graduate of Prairie View A&M University, where she was going back as a student ambassador. Bland was robbed of her new beginning by the same people who swore to protect her.

My heart sits so heavy as I write this because Sandra is one of the many thousands of my brothers and sisters who have been victims of these injustices. As a black person, most importantly a black woman, I am so hurt at the fact that after all the evidence of injustice some people are still finding ways to make her responsible for her own death.

As I watched the video recorded by a witness to the scene of her arrest, I did not once see a woman who had any other thoughts than to put up a great fight against the injustice that had just taken place. She made it clear that she was not going to go down without a fight. She and other black woman have become victims of the same system that is put in place to protect the citizens of America; but her death will not go in vain.

Her name has brought awareness to the black woman’s plight in America, awakening the minds of the generations to come. Hashtags like #SayHerName, #BlackLivesMatter and #SandraSpeaks have made the way for a new beginning towards making a change. Sandra Bland and the many other victims of the system will not be forgotten. Sandra has spoken and we have listened. We will continue to #SayHerName.

Protestors stand together.