Like you, we are incredibly distraught over the recent indictments in the case against the murder of Breonna Taylor. Because the truth is, a young, innocent Black woman was killed in her sleep by the police. The only charge brought against one of three perpetrators was for endangering White people living next door.
Let us stress in no uncertain terms; at Larkin Street, we find this unacceptable.
- We stand here together in the fight against White supremacy.
- Current systems set in place do not serve people of color that are disproportionately represent our community; it is time to build new systems that honor all people.
- We advocate for building a community that invests tax dollars into wellbeing, not terror.
- We support those in Louisville right now who are organizing on the ground at the grassroots level.
Breonna Taylor is more than a hashtag. Like all the others slain by police and racist violence—tragically more than 1,000 annually—her death should not define her legacy.
So let us honor her by remembering her greatness. Let’s say her name—Breonna Shaquelle Taylor—and those she loved and left behind, including her mother Tamika Palmer, her sister Ju’Niyah Palmer, her cousin Preonia Flakes, her older-sister-cousin Katrina Curry, and her best friends Alena Battle and Erinicka Hunter.
Like Breonna, we can find strength and grounding in family, friends, and community. We’re making space for conversations within our organization and we encourage you to do the same.
If you are a young person experiencing homelessness and need of additional support, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Behavioral Health team. We are here for you.
Ending youth homelessness requires radical imagination, and so too does ending police violence. While achieving these intersecting goals can feel overwhelming, we encourage you to keep our eyes on the prize and continue to do the work in the hopes of a better tomorrow.
Or in the words of the motto Breonna lived by, “All we can do every day is to wake, pray, and slay!
