Source: Arturo Holmes / Getty
The world mourned along with her just four short years ago when the racially-motivated murder of her 25-year-old son, the dearly-missed Ahmaud Arbery, made national headlines while also turning him into a bittersweet martyr for the Black Lives Matter movement that impacted much of 2020.
However, the strength of Mrs. Wanda Cooper-Jones wasn’t just in the way she pushed through paparazzi cameras or a brutal trial that even had her reliving the controversial video of Ahmaud’s killing; it’s also in the way she makes sure his name lives on forever and it never happens to another mother’s son.
She does that as a growing Black female entrepreneur through The Ahmaud Arbery Foundation, which got its flowers recently in a new documentary Honoring Black Excellence: Create with Purpose by adidas Women that we had the pleasure of checking out during Black History Month at the NYC premiere on Leap Day. It was there we met the delightful Mrs. Wanda in-person, who definitely knows a thing or two about activewear in addition to activism.
Thankfully we got the opportunity to follow-up with her afterwards via a virtual conversation to help us close out Women’s History Month.
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During our conversation, Mrs. Wanda spoke on why it was important to name this foundation in her late son’s name and how she sees the young boys currently registered in the program using jogging for an outlet as Ahmaud once did to work on his mental health. They also teach that as well, in addition to other core things that boys who will one day be men should be know.
While Ahmaud’s memory won’t soon be forgotten by millions, us included, it’s amazing to see a mother doing everything she can to make sure her son’s name is always spoken in a positive light. We’re rooting for you, Queen!
Watch our BAW Exclusive with Mrs. Wanda Cooper-Jones above, and learn more about The Ahmaud Arbery Foundation by clicking here.
