The #SayTheirNames campaign has existed for years now, but, as time passes, it's only getting more filled with the names of those who were victims of police brutality and racism in our country. While we can say their names, we will never truly understand their stories. All of the things that make us human, between our goals and ambitions, our relationships with those around us, or even our favorite flavor of ice cream, can't be encompassed in just a few letters. That has become more and more evident as the list of those unjustly killed by our law enforcement grows, how we will never know them as people. Though we can try to start here.

• Eric Garner, 43 from Staten Island, was described as a "gentle giant." He had 6 kids, one of which was only 3 months old when he died. Eric worked as a mechanic for the city to support his family, but eventually had to leave due to health problems. He was loved by his community, a friendly face, and had gone out of his way to break up fights in his past due to his size allowing him to separate people without harming them. He was killed on the 17th of July, 2014, after breaking up one of said fights, when officers confronted him for selling individual cigarettes. Garner, unarmed, was placed into a chokehold and killed after begging officers to loosen their grip, saying "I can't breathe." No charges were brought against the officers involved.
• Prince Jones, 25, was former student of TAMS who went on to study at Howard University. He was known as a bright soul in both the TAMS community and onward, shining a light on everyone he interacted with. His peers described him as a positive person, one who would encourage everyone he talked to and left an lasting impact on their lives, no matter how short their interactions were. Jones, unarmed, was killed in his car on September 1st, 2000, after 16 shots were fired into his Jeep by a police officer who mistook him for a drug dealer. No charges were brought against the officers involved.
• Sandra Bland, 28, was nicknamed "Sandy" by her friends and family. She was a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, filming a series of videos titled "Sandy Speaks" showcasing her own opinions and views on the situation, as well as calls to action for people of all races. She was described to have a 'big and bright personality,' always speaking out for what was right. Her family and friends said that she loved life, and was about to start a new job she was extremely excited about. Bland was found dead on July 13th, 2015, after being arrested following a traffic violation. Her death was ruled a suicide and all charges against the officers involved were dropped.
• George Floyd, 46, was also described as a "gentle giant" by those around him. His high school friends said he would fought for 'fairness and goodness...even at the expense of his own hurt' and his family described him as always standing for 'peace and unity.' He was known as 'Big Floyd' for some time after a rapping career and, after a few run-ins with the law, became an anti-violence advocate and had 6 children. He was killed on May 25th, 2020, after being suspected of paying with a bad bill and officers restricting his airway for over 8 minutes. His final words were "I can't breathe."
• Breonna Taylor, 26, was an EMT working during the coronavirus pandemic. She was a bright and lively person who loved cooking, singing, playing games, and spending whatever time she could with friends and family. Most of her friends called her "Bre", and her twitter is filled with hopes and dreams for the future, some of which include teaching her younger sister valuable life lessons, or hoping that she would be able to start a family by the next holiday season. She loved working in healthcare, saying it made her happy to make a "difference in someone else's life." She was killed on March 13th, 2020, when police entered her home without knocking in pursuit of someone who didn't reside there. Her boyfriend, believing they were being broken into, shot at an officer and the officers returned fire, killing Breonna.

5 stories told, but thousands unheard. Say their names, and tell their stories.