Grassroot_Ohio- #BlackLivesMatter Central Ohio- Kiara Yakita, Jessica Smiley & Brynette Turner

A Sisterhood for Black Lives has taken a nightly stand in Columbus Metro for #BlackLivesMatter since George Floyd’s murder. Kiara Yakita, Jessica Smiley and Brynette Turner are committed to Justice for All. Kiara Yakita is a Cincinnati native and has lived in Columbus for 2 years. She's an artist and activist passionate about uplifting black women. She's been an active participant in the BLM movement since the murder of Trayvon Martin. She's created marches, rallies, and community events. She created the Black Lives Matter Central Ohio social media pages and formed the Sisterhood for Black Lives. She works full time in human resources and is finishing her bachelor's degree. She works to provide platforms to Black entrepreneurs, elevating black artists and educating and empowering people to vote and participating in democracy. Jessica Smiley has been a grassroots volunteer/organizer for 13 years. She canvassed for President Obama and volunteers with the Ohio Democratic Party, Our Revolution, and other progressive organizations. As a Black lesbian and mother to a 12 year old daughter, her passion lies with both the BLM movement and LGBTQIA+ rights and protections. She has lived her life through the experiences of racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of oppression simply because of who she is and who she loves. These factors drive her passion and keeps the fire in her belly lit. Recently, she has organized and attended protests and rallies at Goodale Park and the Ohio Statehouse. She creates social media, writes emails and attends virtual city council meetings to voice her support for legislation to: * end no-knock warrants, form a citizens review board, to demilitarize CPD, and to address CPD presence in our schools. She completed the inaugural Women’s March Feminist Organizing School and Supermajority’s Majority Leaders program and is part of a nationwide network of feminists and others working to defeat Trump and Trumpism. Brynette Turner is an Ohio native who currently lives in Columbus. She’s a