Kehlani, Ari Lennox, Common, 6lack & More Mourn the Death of 19-Year-Old Black Lives Matter Activist Oluwatoyin Salau
Oluwatoyin “Toyin” Salau, a 19-year-old Black Lives Matter protester from Tallahassee, Fla., was found dead after she tweeted about being sexually assaulted and went missing for a week.
The hashtag #JusticeForToyin began trending when photos and videos of Salau, a recent high school graduate, speaking passionately on the frontlines of the Florida protests made the rounds on Twitter, where she previously detailed her sexual assault from June 6. The public outcry from musicians on both Twitter and Instagram speaks twofold to the failure and commitment to protect Black women.
Kehlani poignantly called out those who discredit and neglect female sexual assault survivors as part of her lengthy Instagram post dedicated to Salau. “You see the direct outcome of your lack of support for women, especially Black women, who need help? who need protection. who need to be believed,” the R&B crooner wrote. “This is for all of us, Toyin’s story is tragically the story of way too many we don’t know the names of. ones we pass on the street everyday. we really have to do fuckin better at supporting eachother.”
Common called on his 5.4 million Twitter followers to give credit where it’s due when it comes to who’s leading these movements defending the livelihood of Black people yet who’s constantly underestimated and unsafe. “#JusticeForToyin: She spent the last days of her life fighting for justice for her people. It shouldn’t be lost on us that Black Women have been at the forefront of these Movements,” the rapper wrote. “We have to stand up against violence happening to our Black Women and Girls. God Bless her soul.”
Scroll through the stars’ grief-stricken posts below.