Soulful R&B singer Macy Gray is lending a hand to people who've been affected by police brutality.
Gray has launched MyGood.org, a non-profit that will provide emotional and financial assistance to families who have lost a loved one at the hands of police. The organization plans to help out with logistical costs, including hospital, funeral and legal expenses. It will also prioritize helping families with their mental health. Gray wants to specifically have a big focus on mental health as she has seen her own aunt and uncle struggle mentally, emotionally and financially with the death of their son after a bar fight more than four years ago. MyGood.org will put the families in touch with support groups to help them cope with their loss.
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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div></a> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CB3PUWsFeUc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Woulda been 18 today... My heart broke when I heard a 12 year old lwas murdered by the police. Can’t imagine what it did to his parents, to his family. There’s a new foundation to help the families of victims of police shootings. Coming soon. I’ll keep you posted. Prayers to his mom Samaria Rice and his sisters and brothers. While we’ll all have a good day probably, it’s going to be an impossible one for Tamir’s family.</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/macygray/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Macy Gray</a> (@macygray) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2020-06-25T15:28:57+00:00">Jun 25, 2020 at 8:28am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
"It’s impossible to ignore the fact that there are thousands of families in our country who are grieving from unaccountable deaths due to police brutality. We are here to identify those families and help them with grief counseling, legal and financial assistance," Gray said in a statement. "I’ve spoken with a list of mothers who have lost their children in this unthinkable manner and they need help. Everyone grieves in different ways but the common thread is their question of how do they continue on—they need support and this is what we’re here to do."
According to the Washington Post, police have shot and killed 976 people in the past year. The numbers show Black people are killed at a higher rate than white people.
The new organization will also aim to bring more awareness to the issue by giving the families a platform to speak on their experiences.
"It’s exciting to see people demanding that the police system be changed; and pressuring judges and juries to hold the officers who commit murders accountable. In reality, the police have been around since the 18th century and it will be a while before they flip. MyGood.org is here to help accelerate that process on behalf of those moms - and have their backs in the meantime," Gray said.
