Today, Sandra Bland would have been 39 years old. Sandra was a civil rights activist who used her platform “Sandy Speaks” to speak truth about police violence and systemic injustice. She had just been hired as a community outreach coordinator at Prairie View A&M University, ready to serve her community and make a difference. On July 10, 2015, Sandra was pulled over for a minor traffic violation in Prairie View, Texas. During that traffic stop, Texas state trooper Brian Encinia escalated the encounter, forcibly removed her from her vehicle, and arrested her. He claimed she assaulted him. She was charged with felony assault on a public servant and taken to Waller County jail. Three days later, she was found dead in her jail cell. Officials ruled her death a suicide, but her family knew Sandra. They knew her spirit, her strength, and her future. They rejected that ruling. What happened to her was murder. Sandra’s death ignited the #SayHerName movement and forced Texas to pass the Sandra Bland Act, mandating police de-escalation training and mental health protections in jails. Her name became a rallying cry for accountability. We remember Sandra today, not as a statistic, but as a sister, an activist, and a fighter whose voice demanded justice. Her legacy lives in every protest, every reform, and every person who refuses to stay silent. Say her name. Sandra Bland. Rest in power. ✊🏾