Ahmaud Arbery

On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Marquez Arbery was shot and killed after being chased by two white residents of the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Glynn County, Georgia. The incident, although calling it that may be an understatement, was recorded on camera and quickly went viral, sparking debate throughout the nation and around the world on American racial profiling, as well as near universal condemnation by politicians, celebrities, and common folk alike.

Born on May 8, 1994, to Marcus Arbery Sr. and Wanda Cooper-Jones, Ahmaud Marquez Arbery, affectionately nicknamed "Maud", and "Quez" was by all accounts a man with a golden heart. His father noted that "He was just a lovable young man, and he would give you the shirt off of his back", while a former football coach of his said in an interview that "He was always trying to make people smile".

"He was just a lovable young man, and he would give you the shirt off of his back"

Indeed, football was one of the many things he excelled at, being described as having a slender build, but incredible speed. Aside from that, Ahmaud was an avid jogger and often went around his neighborhood for exercise, described as "athletic and someone who would go jogging daily, even in the drenching rain".

In terms of education, Ahmaud graduated from Brunswick High School in 2012, and began studying at South Georgia Technical College between fall 2012 and spring 2013, in order to pursue a career as an electrician, much like his uncles had. As of February 2020, he was working with his father's car wash and landscaping business.

On May 8, 2020, what would have been Ahmaud's 26th birthday, thousands of people nationwide took a 2.23 mile run in his honor. His last words to his mother were "I Love You". His untimely death at the hands of two racially biased men, as well as the unjust killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd brought the issues of systemic racism and injustice into the limelight, sparking protests and subsequent change in all parts of the nation.

Author: Ethan Lopez

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Resources

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/09/ahmaud-arbery-father-marcus-georgia-running 

https://abcnews.go.com/US/sense-hope-ahmaud-arberys-mother-arrests-sons-slaying/story?id=70616742 

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-26/ahmaud-arbery-life-at-crossroads-in-final-days