Kenny Watkins, Jarral Williams, Darrius Stewart, Walter Scott and Yahira Nesby are just a few of the people featured on quilted banners hung on the streets of downtown Oakland, California. These individuals all share one thing in common: they lost their lives too soon as a result of discrimination, race-based violence, hate crimes, police shootings, gender discrimination and a system that failed them. As I look at photographs of these banners, which have been made with so much skill, love and care, it seems hard to comprehend that such senseless deaths are still happening every day – and it often feels like no one is paying attention.
That is certainly how Sara Trail felt when she heard of the sad passing of Trayvon Martin in 2017. Sara is a respected quilter and an active part of the quilting community
