Published by  | | | | (Photos by Michael S. Williamson and Joshua Lott/The Washington Post; Noah Berger/AP; Lily illustration) | These women were inspired to protest after George Floyd's murder in 2020. Now they're trying to move forward. | | A lot can change in a year. A lot can stay the same too. In 2020, the world witnessed horrific videos of killings of Black people. Widespread protests and rioting erupted across the country. People implored the government to overhaul police practices and end race-based abuses. In 2021, the world witnessed horrific videos of killings of Black people. Widespread protests and rioting erupted across the country. People implored the government to overhaul police practices and end race-based abuses. Nearly a year after the image of a police officer pinning George Floyd's neck to the pavement moved millions to action, that officer — Derek Chauvin — has been found guilty of murder in an unprecedented case. And Floyd's legacy has awakened a new generation of activists who are determined to see social justice in this lifetime. "It's necessary for me to use my voice as an advocate, and I will continue to do so," said 16-year-old Zee Thomas, one of six teens who helped organize a 10,000-strong protest in Nashville last summer. "But I should have never had to use it in the first place." Ahead of the one year anniversary of Floyd's killing, we circled back with Thomas and other activists to learn how the protests have changed their lives. | Rayveen Koha-JallahMinneapolis | |  | | (Joshua Lott/The Washington Post) | | The Lily: When we spoke to you last month, it was at the start of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's trial, and you said you expected to be disappointed in the outcome. How did you feel after Chauvin was later found guilty on all counts in the murder of Floyd and, going forward, how do you plan to continue your involvement in the social justice movement? Rayveen Koha-Jallah: After the verdict, Minneapolis was extremely overwhelmed with happiness, but the message still remained that this was the first of many guilty verdicts that America needs to see in order to really feel like justice and change are coming. George Floyd's trial was setting the precedent that must follow in all wrongful police killings from here on out. Going forward, I am planning on interning at the Minnesota Capitol to see what lawmakers do to enact the change that I have been so fortunate to be able to participate in on the streets. | Brianna NobleOakland, Calif. | |  | | The Lily: When you arrived on a horse at an Oakland protest last year, you became a symbol for revolution and inspired Black cowgirls and Black cowboys to do the same throughout the country. Has that visibility brought you more opportunities to help young people of color gain experiences with horses? And what has changed in Oakland since the protests? Brianna Noble: Life has definitely been a whirlwind since that day! The visibility has brought us the much needed funding that has allowed us to impact over 1,000 kids and families in our community this past year. I am working towards finding a permanent home for our program here in the Bay Area, and I am now sitting on a few influential boards in the equestrian world, which allow me to be at the forefront of the fight to make our world more accessible and diverse. Post-protest, and -pandemic, I have seen people gravitating more to the outdoors. Recognizing that the beauty of Oakland can also be found outside of its concrete. | | | | | Three need-to-know stories | | | (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | 01.Last month, President Biden set a deadline for lawmakers to deliver a long-discussed overhaul of police practices "by the first anniversary of George Floyd's death." That deadline — May 25 — is now set to come and go without action, writes Mike DeBonis in The Washington Post. 02.Five women separately sued Amazon last week alleging race and gender discrimination, and accusing their managers of retaliation after they raised complaints. In a statement, Amazon spokeswoman Jaci Anderson disputed the claims in all five of the new lawsuits, writes Jay Greene in The Post. 03.On Saturday, in her first competition since 2019, Olympic champion Simone Biles became the first woman to perform a Yurchenko double pike — a vault that requires her to flip twice in a piked position after pushing off the table with her hands. | | | | | | (iStock/Lily illustration) | | What's the first thing you did after getting fully vaccinated that felt like a return to "normal"? Did you attend a wedding, take a vacation, go on a date, visit the salon, reunite with friends and family? Let us know by filling out this form. Include photos if you have them! | | | | | | | A story to make you smile | | | Latonya Young, a 44-year-old single mother of three, received a bachelor's degree last week. She credits her Uber passenger, Kevin Esch, with making it possible. They met three years ago when Young picked him up in downtown Atlanta. The two started chatting, and Esch learned that Young wanted to be the first member of her family to graduate from college. It was the start of an unexpected friendship, writes Sydney Page in The Post. A few weeks later, when Young tried to re-enroll at Georgia State, she was told that she wasn't permitted to register until her balance of $693 was paid in full. When Esch found out, he immediately went to the university, without Young's knowledge, and paid off her debt. In December 2019, Young received her associate's degree in criminal justice. Esch was there on graduation day, cheering her on in the stands. Then, Young went on to receive her bachelor's degree. | | | | | But before we part, some recs | | Anne BraniginStaff writer, The LilyWho's blowing my mind:I recently ordered Ginwa Jawhari's poetry collection, "BINT," and her poems are absolutely striking. I love how she writes about girlhood, the body and diaspora: experiences shaped by war, wonder and a longing I find painfully familiar. What's giving me life:Summer is slowly returning to New York, and with it, the kinds of outdoor events that make the city magical. I recently went to the Bronx Night Market and savored all sorts of treats, from hand-woven earrings to takoyaki — octopus balls — on a stick. The mantra I need:I routinely struggle with the idea that I'm "enough," especially in other people's eyes. Doing enough. Capable enough. Smart or productive enough. When I get this way, I return to an old Toni Morrison quote, which helps lift me: "You are not the work you do; you are the person you are." | | | | |
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