A group of students gathered for a peaceful march on Monday evening in response to the death of college student Demartravion “Trey” Reed from Delta State University in Mississippi.
On Sept. 15, Reed, 21, was found hanging from a tree on Delta State University’s campus. Police later announced on Sept. 18 that an autopsy by Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that his death was a suicide, according to USA Today.
Approximately 20 to 30 students met at the Alumni Gateway on campus before heading down Wooster Street and allowed for a few minutes of silence to honor Reed. Junior Aaliyah Chenault, protest organizer, also spoke on the importance of the protest.
She said she wanted the protest to show support for Reed and Black students at Bowling Green State University (BGSU).
“It was an injustice, no matter how you look at it.” Chenault said. “I want BGSU students to know that as a black community, we are here to support them. Also, that Trey’s family knows we are here to support them worldwide.”
While marching from campus to downtown, students chanted “No justice, no peace,” “Justice now,” and more while two students held a large Black Lives Matter banner, and others held signs with sayings including “Justice for Trey Reed,” and “They can’t and won’t silence us.”
Chenault said she was the only one to plan the protest and other organizations later decided to join in.
Black Falcon Activists, a student-led organization at BGSU, took part in Monday’s protest.
According to their Instagram, they “serve as pillars in the black community to promote the advancement of African American and minority students as well as taking on the role of activists for student educational and individual rights.”
The USA Today article also states “while authorities have said they found no evidence of foul play, Reed’s death prompted calls for transparency among advocates, who noted Mississippi’s history of lynching and racially motivated violence in the 19th and 20th centuries.”
Protesters like freshman Joselyn Specht said she learned about the protest through an Instagram post and wanted to join the cause.
“There’s been a lot of things going on and I don’t think we have enough answers,” Specht said.
Chenault is also the president and founder of BGSU’s Diversity Beyond Skin. The group “creates space for the conversations that matter, shedding light on topics like sexual assault, substance use, PTSD, anxiety, depression and more,” according to their Instagram.
BGSU’s Black Student Union posted a statement on Reed’s death on Monday, Sept. 22.
The statement reads: “The Black Student Union stands in solidarity with Trey’s family and with every student who is mourning. We call for truth. We call for transparency. We call for accountability.”
