On Monday, June 15, police discovered the body of Oluwatoyin "Toyin" Salau, a 19-year-old Black Lives Matter activist, and Victoria Sims, a 75-year-old AARP volunteer, in Tallahassee, Florida. Both Salau and Sims' deaths have been declared a homicide, with Aaron Glee Jr., 49, taken into custody by the Tallahassee Police Department as a suspect.
On June 6, Salau tweeted that she was sexually assaulted, and has been missing ever since. (It's unclear whether Glee Jr. assaulted her.) Salau had been actively protesting the murders of Tony McDade of Tallahassee and George Floyd of Minneapolis, and was vocal about demanding justice for the Black lives that have been lost.
Now, protestors are doing the same for Salau using the hashtag #JusticeForToyin.
"Toyin was very passionate," Danaya Hemphill, a friend of Salau's, told the Tallahassee Democrat. "She was very vocal, she was very loving, very spiritual, very caring. Toyin she was like a light in a dark room. That was Toyin."
💔 #OluwatoyinSalau helped lead protest for #TonyMcDade, and emerged as a leading voice in Tallahassee. After tweeting about her sexual assault, she went missing. #ToyinSalau deserved so much more. Rest in Power. 💔 pic.twitter.com/eLJaooDTaFJune 15, 2020
💔 #OluwatoyinSalau helped lead protest for #TonyMcDade, and emerged as a leading voice in Tallahassee. After tweeting about her sexual assault, she went missing. #ToyinSalau deserved so much more. Rest in Power. 💔 pic.twitter.com/eLJaooDTaFJune 15, 2020
If you're outraged about Salau's death, here are a few ways you can help demand justice for her:
Sign a Change.org petition that demands an investigation into Salau's assault and death.
This Change.org petition, below, demands the Tallahassee Police Department to conduct a full investigation into Toyin's death and identify the man who sexually assaulted her.
Donate to Justice 4 Black Girls.
The organization set up a Oluwatoyin Salau Freedom Fighters Fund that would "provide monetary relief for Black girl activists up to $250 for housing, food, or other life sustaining supports." As of June 16, the organization received over $50,000 and has stopped taking donations.
Contact Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Call Governor Ron DeSantis directly to demand a full investigation into Toyin's death and encourage him to put pressure on the Tallahassee Police Department.
Phone: 850-717-9337 | Email: GovernorRon.Desantis@eog.myflorida.com
Continue to use your voice.
Say her name: Oluwatoyin Salau. Then say it again. And again. Here's a guide on how to attend a Black Lives Matter protest if you can't be there physically.
Black Lives Matter
-
Cody Rigsby Has the Most Relatable Fictional Crush"I just think he could really like throw you around in the bedroom."
-
Paris Fashion Week’s Street Style Is Paying Due Respect to Beauty
Hair clips, nail art, and piercings round out fashion month’s circuit.
-
Ava Phillippe Wears Ethereal White to Stella McCartney’s Paris Fashion Week Show
She added a clutch and snakeskin sandals to complete the look.
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to Men
It's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
-
How New York's First Female Governor Plans to Fight for Women If Reelected
Kathy Hochul twice came to power because men resigned amid sexual harassment scandals. Here, how she's leading differently.
-
Why the 2022 Midterm Elections Are So Critical
As we blaze through a highly charged midterm election season, Swing Left Executive Director Yasmin Radjy highlights rising stars who are fighting for women’s rights.
-
Tammy Duckworth: 'I’m Mad as Hell' About the Lack of Federal Action on Gun Safety
The Illinois Senator won't let the memory of the Highland Park shooting just fade away.
-
This Bill Wants to Stop Anti-Abortion Groups From Getting Your Private Data. Period
Post-Roe period tracking apps and search history suddenly have serious implications.
-
Post-Roe, Pregnant People Will Become Suspects
“We anticipate a very dramatic increase in the rate of criminalization of all pregnancy outcomes.”
-
As a Pregnant Woman Post-Roe, I'm Terrified to Travel in America
One author wonders: If my pregnancy turns tragic in a trigger ban state, will I get the life-saving care I need?
-
Roe Is Gone. We Have to Keep Fighting.
Democracy always offers a path forward even when we feel thrust into the past.
