I figured, George Floyd has been memorialized all over the world — even in war zones. So on what would’ve been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday, I went looking for her murals. Guess how many I found.
I found three.
The second one was done in Louisville, Kentucky. The last mural in Venice, California depicts her within a string of six other portraits, including George Floyd and Trayvon Martin. So every portrait of Breonna Taylor lumps her in a group of other dead Black people, or the portrait can easily be removed. The one mural in Taylor’s hometown of Louisville is in chalk. In contrast, most George Floyd tributes are painted on a concrete or brick wall.
The mural count is not a competition I want anyone to win. But I’m not alone in noticing how men are still prioritized over women in death and at protests. Author Brittany Packnett writes about the discrepancy in Time magazine. Black women deserve murals, preferably honoring their long, well-lived lives — not just their deaths. Breonna Taylor is more than an afterthought. She deserves more than temporary art.
