Dear George,

I don’t know of any other way to get these thoughts out of my mind, I am hurting since your death. How can this happen George? How. See I know what it feels like to go through what you went through, I’ve been thrown to the ground plenty of times by law enforcement, and I have witnessed many of my friends being thrown down abused just as you were.

My friends and I don’t have cameras we don’t have people who care nor do we have people who will flood the streets when we die. Why? Well I am a prisoner and I watched your death from my cell, I watched the video and each time I cant help but to cry and wonder how the fu*ck can this continue to happen? This is not just about a bad cop its about accountability and a broken system that is failing to hold its officers accountable. A structure that is not protecting black and brown life’s..

There has been protest for several days straight in response to the death and, some of it has been peaceful while other aspects of it has turned violent, I know that is not what you wanted, and its not what I agree to, but George people are fed up black and brown people are at their breaking points, I am at my breaking point.

Just like you George I am trying to live, I am trying to exist, I am a LGBTQI Criminals Justice Advocate who focuses on advocating for youth within the system, after coming out as transgender to my facility in Augustus of 2019, I have been met with retaliation and abuse, even 10 months after revealing my gender identity to my facilities I still have to deal with staff abusing me, referring to me as fagg*t snit$h and other derogatory names, Its been rough!

Nothing was worst than the day when a guard orchestrated a attack against me for filling a complaint against her. It happened just a week ago on May 26. The officer allowed gang members to run into my cell and attack me, I suffered lose and chipped teeh. I have tried to remain strong and know that my journey and fight must continue on. George as I serve out my thirty year sentence I want you to know that you matter to me, your death was not in vain..The protest may not be a reflection of what should be done but its clear that people are trying to be heard, its clear that people are fed up and that regardless of what happens no one will forget who you were, and this moment will go down in history as a time in which people stood for something rather than falling for the same old story.

I stand with you George, as a human I stand with you, And I hope that change is possible I hope that changes within this system take place not just out in the streets but also within these prisons, law enforcement is not just cops on the streets, it is also the prison guards who often use excessive force. In god we shall trust! We shall rise.