Singer-songwriter and activist Ayanna Gregory sings Thursday at an event in D.C. where family and friends of people killed by police gathered to remember them.
“It’s hard to talk about it, because every time you do, you relive it,” Lane told a group of people who could relate to her pain.
She spoke as part of an intimate event on Thursday evening at the Eaton Hotel for the family and friends of local individuals slain by police, which was organized by Black Lives Matter D.C. and hosted by radio personality Poe of WPGC 95.5. Members of Black Lives Matter D.C. spoke briefly about uplifting the family members, but the main focus was hearing from the victims’ loved ones in attendance.
Activist and singer-songwriter Ayanna Gregory led the ceremony. Families lit candles and placed them on an altar with photos of their loved ones, amethyst rocks, sage, and oils. Movement musician OnRaé LaTeal conducted a call-and-response for a healing song she produced. The night ended with a butterfly release.
Kenithia Alston, mother of Marqueese Alston, says her son’s name. D.C. police fatally shot the 22 year old in 2018. She is still seeking answers.Dee Dwyer / DCistAyanna Gregory, a singer-songwriter and activist, pours water into a plant to honor the memories of ancestors and of those killed by police.Dee Dwyer / DCistAttendees gather in a circle to pay homage to their loved ones.Dee Dwyer / DCistAyanna Gregory sings a hymn.Dee Dwyer / DCistDorthy Elliott, center, is the mother of Archie Elliott III, who was fatally shot by police in Maryland in 1993. She is sharing the details of her son’s death—officers shot him more than a dozen times while he was handcuffed after a a traffic stop.Dee Dwyer / DCistGreta Willis, mother of Kevin L. Cooper, shares details of her son’s death—Baltimore police fatally shot the 14-year-old Cooper during an altercation in his home in 2006.Dee Dwyer / DCistAttendees join together in prayer.Dee Dwyer / DCistRhonda Dormeus is the mother of Korryn Gaines, a 23 year old fatally shot by Baltimore County police after a six-hour standoff in 2016. In the crossfire, police also shot Gaines’ 5-year-old son, who survived.Dee Dwyer / DCistIsaac Sterling is the father of Terrence Sterling, who was chased and fatally shot by D.C. police in September 2016. Sterling’s death sparked weekly protests and D.C. police determined his shooting was unjustified.Dee Dwyer / DCistAn altar with photos, candles, and artwork honors the victims of police brutality.Dee Dwyer / DCist
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