Did you hear the verdict?

This past week has been hard. We just discovered that two officers who shot Breonna Taylor were not charged. One of the officers was charged with wanton endangerment for shooting a gun into a neighboring apartment. Just so we are clear, Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) during a botched raid on her apartment. Her murder led to wide-scale demonstrations in the spring and summer as the case drew more attention. Today is the day we received the verdict…

There are many big emotions during this time: anger, disappointment, hurt, and even defeat. All are understandable. There are several big questions during this time: Why? Will justice ever be served? Do Black lives matter at all?

Here’s the thing, we’ve all been injured by this blow. We have all sustained wounds from this harsh reality… and where there is wounding, healing is possible. How will you commit to your personal healing, and to the healing of the collective during this time?

Today I am practicing forgiving thoughts. I have so many thoughts to forgive. I forgive the thought that this shouldn’t have happened. I forgive the thought that the verdict should have been different. I forgive the thought that I will never get over this. I forgive the thought that it should have, could have, or would have been any different….and then I have to forgive all of this again, because I am certain that this healing is going to take a while.

I am contributing to the collective healing by holding my friends and family a second longer. I’m not offering words yet because I’m not so sure what to say, but maybe these arms will help.  

How will you begin your healing?

If you need any additional support during this time, B. Well is here to support your healing from this, and all the other things. 

In Solidarity,


Dr. Adrianne R. Pinkney