By Shirley Hawkins
Contributing Writer
BALDWIN HILLS — A group of Black women gathered in Norman O. Houson Park March 18 to celebrate themselves and to mourn the memory of women who have been killed by what was termed “state-sanctioned violence.”
Black Lives Matter Los Angeles hosted the “Black Women Are Divine” celebration, issuing a national call for Black women to reclaim their divinity in the memory of Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Wakiesha Wilson and other Black women who died at the hands of the police.
Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and coordinator of the event, asked Black women to honor Taylor during the week that marked the third anniversary of her death.
Taylor, an emergency room technician in Louisville, Kentucky, was shot and killed March 13, 2020 by Louisville police officers serving a no-knock search warrant while looking for a man she used to date. When a man with Taylor, thinking the house was being burglarized, shot at an officer breaking down the front door.
The officers returned fire, striking Taylor five times. She died at the scene.
Her death, which preceded George Floyd’s by two months, ignited a firestorm of controversy and protests across the country that focused a glaring spotlight on the deaths of unarmed Black people by police and calls for police reform.
Taylor’s aunt, Bianca Austin, an advocate for her niece, flew in from Louisville to attend the event. She updated the audience on the latest developments in the Taylor case.
“It has been three years since [my niece] was killed by the Metro Louisville police department and after a two-year investigation from the Department of Justice, we have found that the Louisville Metro Police Department has been violating community members’ civil and constitutional rights for years,” Austin said. “There’s almost a 90-page investigation of their findings.
“They did these investigations and findings, but nobody has been charged, nobody has been held accountable,” Austin added. “There is still a lack of transparency and accountability when it comes to arresting police officers, even after the Department of Justice publicly stated things that we already know.Things that we are already fighting for.
“So my question is, we don’t need you to report on things we are already fighting for, we want accountability. And how we’re going to get there is to end police qualified immunity. That will be a start in receiving any kind of transparency and accountability.
“Please continue to follow her story and help us in this fight to seek any kind of accountability on Breonna Taylor’s behalf because we are going to continue to fight for her,” Austin added. “Today in Breonna’s honor, take some time for yourself. Practice some self-care and some self-love because we definitely offer you some today.”
Abdullah said it was important for Black women to celebrate each other and urged attendees to honor the divine Black women in their lives by sending them flowers, spending quality time with them and offering other intentional expressions of love.
“This [event] serves as a reminder for Black women to celebrate themselves in collective joy, solidarity and to build power,” she added. “Join us this month in honoring the Black women around you.”
Approximately 500 women attended the event throughout the day, enjoying live music, yoga and food. Grammy Award nominee Aloe Blacc and his wife, Maya Jupiter, performed.
During the festivities, attendees were urged to form a circle and dance in the name of their ancestors.
“We will lift each other up higher and higher,” they chanted in a show of joy and solidarity.
Acting 10th District City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, spoke to the those in attendance.
“Black women are divine and we need to remind ourselves that we are divine,” she said. ”You know, sometimes we are so busy working, taking care of children, cooking, cleaning and tending to family, so this is really important for us to be in this space together.”
Joseph Williams, a Black Lives Matter member for seven years,and one of the few males in attendance, said he was there in support of the women.
“I came here to support and love on the Black women in my community,” he said. “We are so glad that Breonna’s aunt Bianca Austin was able to be present today to be honored.’
Shirley Hawkins is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers. She can be reached at metropressnews@gmail.com.
