Say Her Name

by Kathleen Murphey

Black Lives Matter,

George Floyd was murdered at the hands of police,

the video of his death forcing Americans to see

systemic racism in brutal detail.

Floyd is the latest of too many Black boys and men killed.

But lest we forget, Black women suffer too:

poverty, rape, abuse, murder, discrimination,

incarceration, and so much more.

They too die at the hands of the police,

but we rarely hear about that:

           

            Danette Daniels (1997),

            LaTanya Haggerty (1999),

            Kendra James (2003),

            Kathryn Johnson (2006),

            Shelly Frey (2012),

            Shantell Davis (2012),

            Malissa Williams (2012),

            Miriam Carey (2013),

            Gabriella Nevarez (2014),

            Aura Rosser (2014),

            Michelle Cusseaux (2014),

            Tanisha Anderson (2014),

            Alix Christian (2015),

            Meagan Hockaday (2015),

            Mya Hall (2015),

            Janisha Fonivilie (2015),

            Natasha McKenna (2015),

            Eleanor Bumpurs (2015),

            Tyisha Miller (2015),

            LaTanya Haggerty (2015),

            Margaret Mitchell (2015),

            Kayla Mooae (2015),

            Tarkia Wilson (2015),

            Sandra Bland (2015),

            and Breonna Taylor (2020),

the latest in too long of a list.

A list that doesn’t include Black trans women killed by civilians,

            like Riah Milton and Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells and

            Monika Diamond and Pebbles LaDime Doe and too many others,

            all who should have the opportunity to live past thirty-five.

Acknowledge the pain.

SAY HER NAME!

* * * * *

Kathleen Murphey is an Associate Professor at Community College of Philadelphia. She had her first play performed as part the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, P Pan and Beyondland, with performances at the German Society of Pennsylvania on Saturday September 15^th and Sunday September 16^th, 2018. More information about her and the play can be found at her Website, www.kathleenmurphey.com.