There are those rare moments in life where words are not adequate enough to capture a moment and if any moment has left the Black Ballad team lost for words, then it would have been when we heard about the passing of Sarah Reed. For those who don't know the story, Sarah was a black woman suffering with mental health issues when she was found dead in her prison cell.
While there are still so many questions left unanswered surrounding Sarah's death, on today, on what would have been Sarah's 33rd birthday, the BB team decided to write down what they have learned from her passing...
"Sarah Reed's death taught me how vulnerable you are in a system not designed for you. Sarah was failed as a woman, as a black woman, and as a black woman with mental health needs. It is Sarah Reed's death that impassions me to work tirelessly for marginalised people like her. Today she should be celebrating her 33rd birthday. As her family mourn, they should know that we will not let her death be in vain."
Sarah Reed's death is inexcusable it should not have happened for so many reasons, too many black people have died in state custody and I want answers, I want justice for her and for everyone. The state is meant to protect and serve instead they unlawfully murder people. When will the community, friends and family get the justice their loved one deserves? When will the state take responsibility? There are too many questions and no answers... all we are left with is is a void and hashtags, this is not justice and this will not bring justice, justice brings peace and of that we have none.
Sarah Reed was a black woman, a daughter, a sister, a mother and a partner, but first and foremost a human being. We cannot allow ourselves to forget the awful racism, discrimination, abuse and violence she faced, or allow the momentum behind seeking justice to falter. We owe this to ourselves and to our community. When unified and single-minded in purpose, we are able to make the world listen. Sarah is tragically gone, but there are other women like her experiencing similar grievances who need our support. This is why we must continue to push, refuse to be silenced, and continue to #SayHerName.
It is no secret that black women are failed by institutions, the state, and the world at large time and time again. However, what is still a surprise for many is that we are just as likely to fall victim to police brutality as our black male counterparts. However, since the death of Sarah Reed, and Sheku Bayoh before her, more of us have started having those difficult and painful discussions about institutional racism, police brutality on British soil, and how we treat the most vulnerable in our society.
Prison is no place for someone with mental health issues, Sarah Reed was failed by so many people. If anything good comes from this I hope it's that this won't happen again.