Say Her Name: Sonya Massey

Houstonians gathered at City Hall on July 28 to condemn the vicious murder of African American Sonya Massey in Springfield, Illinois, on July 6. Massey was shot in her face by a white sheriff, who has been charged with murder. The video of the killing is damning and very hard to watch. 

The vigil was held by Hoochies of Houston, a grassroots organization of African American women dedicated to the protection of Black women and the empowerment of Black people. It began in a spiritual mode with a moment of silence, poetry and a song, both accompanied by rhythmic drumming. But as more and more women spoke, the vigil became more militant and the outrage and pain of the women more vocal. 

Organizer and emcee Iya Oriyangi encouraged everyone to get involved in large numbers. She wrapped up by saying: “It is time! My Brown people, too. It’s time. It is time. We gotta stop thinking that it stops when people just get murdered, and  it’s gonna get swept under the rug. We gotta change, y’all. It’s time to jump off the porch. It is time to jump off the porch!” 

Iya Oriyangi speaks at Houston vigil for Sonya Massey, July 28, 2024.

  – Report and photo by Gloria Rubac