In the wake of the murder of Rayshard Brooks, individuals and organizations are rallying around his loved ones as they mourn his loss and seek justice. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, entrepreneur Aisha “Pinky” Cole —founder of the Atlanta-based restaurant Slutty Vegan—has teamed up with Clark Atlanta University for the creation of a scholarship fund for Brooks’ four children.
The fund—which will provide over $600,000 to help Brooks’ three daughters and son—will cover the costs of tuition and room and board. Cole—who has continually used her business as a vessel to drive community impact—says she was compelled to help Brooks’ loved ones after witnessing the pain they endured following his murder. “When you lose someone so close to you, there is a level of momentum that is lost because a piece of you is gone,” she said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “I saw Rayshard’s wife Tomika’s pain, and my heart led me to want to help her and her children … I wanted to remind her that it takes a village and we are a part of her village.” Cole is an alumna of Clark Atlanta University.
George T. French, who serves as the president of the HBCU, says he hopes the scholarship fund will alleviate some of the financial burdens that the family is facing as a result of Brooks’ death, adding the fund will “help them on their pathway of success.”
Several collegiate institutions and organizations are launching scholarship funds for children whose parents lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement officials. The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority recently announced it will create scholarships for George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna and his granddaughters to attend a historically Black college or university of their choice.
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