Men and women across the country are coping with the decision announced by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron yesterday.
One officer will now be indicted on a wanton endangerment charge in relation to the death of Breonna Taylor.
Black women in central Ohio say they’re not trying to understand what this means for their lives and those of their loved ones.
“I feel pretty confident in saying we’re feeling some similar things right now, that as Black women, we are dismissible,” said Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Davia Stevenson.
Fannisha Page lives in Columbus with her husband and three daughters. She said she first heard about Breonna Taylor’s case months before most of the country did.
“The first that I heard of it was him [a relative of hers] saying, ‘My niece got killed by the cops in Kentucky,” Page said.
Page’s family members on her husband’s side were some of the first to begin sharing videos and spreading the word for justice. She followed, making shirts with Taylor’s name and face on them.
“I was disappointed, I was frustrated, I cried and I was hurt. Because at the end of the day, Breonna was essentially me,” Page said.
Others shared the same feeling of defeat after learning the results of an investigation into Taylor’s death.
“A lot of people have been working from the Malcom X quote of women being the most disrespected person in the United States, the most disrespected, neglected and not protected,” said Director of Student Change at Ohio State University Charity Martin-King.
Martin-King oversees students on campus who do various kinds of volunteer work and demonstrations to seek equality in their lives.
She said many students, co-workers, friends and others she’s spoken too within the last day have all expressed the same frustration.
“It is difficult to move forward in a society and in systems that were not built for us and often ignore our talent at the table.”
Counselor Davia Stevenson said news and events can create depression and anxiety and it’s important for people to remember those feelings are justified. Creating healthy coping mechanisms and routines can help when dealing with stress.
“I’m going to give myself some rest. I’m going to drink water, I worked out this morning, I’m going to do that and I’m going to talk to somebody. That’s what I’m going to do. And I am going to limit that intake of information that traumatizes me,” Stevenson said.