Penn State Black female student-athletes speak out in wake of Breonna Taylor decision

The Penn State Student Black Caucus, the newly formed Black Student-Athletes group and the 3/20 Coalition held a Justice for Breonna Taylor rally and march around downtown State College on Saturday.

Penn State student-athletes, including swimmer Olivia Jack and track athlete Audra Koopman, shared their personal stories as Black women in America in the wake of the Breonna Taylor decision in Kentucky. Southern Methodist University transfer Johnasia Cash, supported by her new Lady Lions teammates, sang for the crowd.

“We are Black women. We empower, we build, we love, we sustain. We want to be heard,” Koopman said. “We want to be empathized with. We want our experiences as all different kinds of Black women to be validated. We deserve better. Breonna deserved better. Justice for Breonna.”

Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police officers in her home during a botched narcotics raid. Following months of outrage and protests, a Kentucky grand jury indicted one of the three officers involved on three counts of wanton endangerment over shooting into neighboring apartments.

No one was charged directly over Taylor’s death.

This story was originally published September 26, 2020 at 4:36 PM.