Breonna Taylor is the first person on the cover of O magazine without Oprah
Oprah Winfrey will dedicate the cover of O Magazine to Breonna Taylor, marking the first time in 20 years that the co-founder will not be featured.
The magazine featured the cover of the September issue on Thursday, which will be available for download or purchase on August 11. The cover is an artistic rendition of Taylor, created by Alexis Franklin, a 24-year-old digital artist. Taylor, a 26-year-old paramedic, was fatally shot by police at her home in Louisville, Ky., on March 13.
So far, none of the officers involved have been charged with a crime.
“Breona Taylor. She was like you,” Oprah wrote, as reported by the magazine. “And like everyone who dies unexpectedly, she had plans. Plans for a future filled with responsibilities, work, friends and laughter.
The magazine will also feature a conversation between Oprah and Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer.
“What I am sure of: we cannot remain silent. We must use any megaphone to demand justice. And that’s why Breonna Taylor is on the cover of O magazine. I cry out for justice on her behalf,” Oprah continued.
Taylor’s murder has been at the center of the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement that has swept the country following the death of George Floyd, who was also killed in police custody in May.
On Saturday, several WNBA players from the New York Liberty and Seattle Storm paid tribute to Taylor by wearing her name on their jerseys and staging a walkout during the national anthem before the game.
“We dedicate this season to Breonna Taylor, an exceptional EMT who was murdered over 130 days ago in her home,” said New York Liberty player Layshia Clarendon, member of the WNBA’s new Social Justice Council and vice -President of the Women’s National. Basketball Players Association. “We thought it was very appropriate to do a moment of recognition – not a moment of silence.”
Louisville police say three undercover officers, Brett Hankison, Jon Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, discharged their weapons into Taylor’s apartment while executing a no-hit search warrant in a suspected drug case. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was in her apartment when officers entered.
Hankinson was fired, while the other two officers were placed on administrative leave.
New information emerged earlier this month about the incident surrounding Taylor’s death. audio obtained by CNN interviews a few days after Taylor’s death with Walker and Mattingly yielded new information.
As CNN reported, Walker said he was “scared to death” when the couple heard loud bangs at the door and said the police had not announced themselves. He said the door had “fallen off the hinges”, leading Walker, who is cleared to carry a weapon, to fire a shot. The police fired their guns and shot Taylor eight times.
Walker told investigators that officers asked him if he had been hit; when he said no, an officer reportedly replied, “It’s unfortunate,” CNN reported.
In mid-June, the Louisville Metro Board unanimously passed “Breonna’s Law,” which bans no-knock warrants in the city.
Numerous petitions have been circulating demanding justice for Taylor. Politicians, professional athletes and celebrities have also spoken out, including Beyonce, who wrote a letter to the Kentucky attorney general urging him to take action.
Correction: A previous headline for this article stated that Breonna Taylor was the first person to grace the cover of O Magazine besides Oprah. Michelle Obama and Ellen DeGeneres have previously been featured alongside Oprah on the magazine’s cover. This article has been updated to reflect this information.
