Six scholarships created in Ahmaud Arbery's name for students at his former school
ATLANTA - The mother of Ahmaud Arbery wants her son's name to be associated with change.
Wanda Cooper-Jones announced six scholarships will be awarded to Brunswick High School students during a program at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights on this, the second anniversary of Ahmaud Arbery's murder.
The scholarships will be awarded to a group of seniors at Arbery's high school. They will be worth $3,000 each.
AHMAUD ARBERY DAY: FAMILY MARKS 2-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MURDER
"My generation now knows the bloodstained soil that bears strange fruits and now more than ever hold the seeds of injustice that's sew action that has been led by Ms. Wanda Cooper-Jones," the 36-year-old mayor of Brunswick, Crosby Johnson, told the invited crowd.
Wanda Cooper-Jones announced six scholarships will be awarded to Brunswick High School students during a program at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights on this, the second anniversary of Ahmaud Arbery's murder.
State Senator Sandra Scott brought tears to Cooper-Jones' eyes when she read a proclamation in Arbery's memory.
"Where as February 23 will forever, will forever be know annually in the state of Georgia as the Ahmaud Arbery Day," the senator read.
GEORGIA DESIGNATES FEB. 23 AS AHMAUD ARBERY DAY
The official designation by the Georgia House of Representative was emotional for Cooper-Jones. She has been likened to Mamie Till in her persistent fight for justice for her son and black males who face discrimination in our country.
Since Arbery's death lots of change has occurred in Georgia.
His murder led to the repeal of the antiquated citizen's arrest law, the creation of Georgia's new hate crime legislation and a designation of Feb. 23 as Ahmaud Arbery Day in Georgia.
"The verdict yesterday brought us peace, to make us realize that hate crimes still go on in our society," Distric 2 State Senator Lester Jackson said with regret.
Several members of the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation were in attendance and made it clear that there work to bring justice to black males is just getting started.
The scholarships will be awarded to the selected high school students on Arbery's 28th birthday, May 8, 2022.