The young student activist is heartbreakingly direct and powerful in her speech to a Grand Rapids city commission board meeting. Via Revolt:
Last month, 13-year-old Naiara Tamminga spoke in front of a city commission board at a Grand Rapids, Michigan meeting to call out officials for the mishandling of Patrick Lyoya’s death.
As previously reported by REVOLT, 26-year-old Lyoya, a Black man, was fatally shot in the back of his head by Officer Christopher Schurr during a traffic stop on April 4. Lyoya was from the Republic of the Congo and at the time of his death, his father spoke through an interpreter saying that their family moved to America to escape violence in their country.
Although Tamminga delivered her speech on May 17, thanks to social media, more and more people are now hearing her powerful message. On Monday (June 6), Yahoo! reported that a video of the 13-year-old’s commentary was recently shared by stars like Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis. Other celebrities said to have praised the young activist are D.L. Hughley, Jesse Williams and Leslie Jones.
The police officer has now been charged with second degree murder.
