One year ago today, Ahmaud Arbery was gunned down while jogging in Georgia, and his family still is waiting for justice to be served.
Arbery’s death gained national attention when a video was released of the shooting, as three men chased him down and killed him. The three men remain behind bars without bond, while waiting for litigation.
Akeem Baker, Ahmaud’s childhood friend and fellow jogger, follows a checklist of precautions before running — while Black.
“I used to run for health reasons,” said Baker, a 2016 Morehouse College graduate. “Now I run for a sense of therapy, as if I am chasing some sort of freedom.”
Now Black runners are saying they shouldn’t have to worry about where and when they run, and what they wear while running. They are saying they shouldn’t have to give up their liberties to remain safe while running.
With that thought and Arbery’s spirit in mind, the 2:23 Foundation was established last year to raise awareness of the shooting and to advocate “to help young men and women pursue paths to help avoid similar occurrences and instances of injustice.”
The 2:23 Foundation has scheduled a national race today in Arbery’s memory.
More on this here at NBC.