Ahmaud Arbery case: Sister joins group of young adults for criminal justice town hall

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jasmine Arbery and a group of young people from across the country participated in a virtual town hall on social justice and the criminal justice system in the U.S.

Jasmine, who is one year older than Ahmaud, said she and her brother were very close. She now wants to be his voice.

Teenagers from Georgia to Wisconsin were on the panel.

In news conferences, attorneys for both Gregory and Travis McMichael, the father and son accused of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder, told the public that they don’t know all of the facts in the case.

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Ahmaud Arbery’s sister Jasmine says she is still shocked by her brother’s death.

“I’m still shocked, it’s still a lot to process,” Jasmine said.

Jasmine is hurting but her smile is still there.

“Talking about him is like taking a breath of fresh air,” Jasmine Arbery said.

Action News Jax listened in as the Coastal Georgia Community Action Authority Inc. and Madison 365 in Wisconsin streamed a youth justice town hall meeting on Facebook Friday afternoon.

“I want his voice to shine through me,” Jasmine added.

Young adults from Georgia to Wisconsin and the youngest man to ever be president of Georgia’s NAACP were on the panel to have their voices heard about racial issues.

Students who were part of the virtual town hall were also given five to ten minutes to share their own personal experiences.

Organizers hope the meeting will challenge young people across the country to start similar conversations

Aubrey’s mother Wanda Cooper also joined in to thank these young people for speaking up.

Actor Omari Hardwick also joined the town hall meeting saying Ahmaud Arbery’s death has weighed heavily on his mind.

“Your son had such a light and a call, it’s very hard to say this last part even in the way that he died, more imperatively so you have now joined that fight in terms of mothers that have an actualization to that reality,” Hardwick said.

Groups are now planning to provide Ahmaud’s family $15,000 to help Jasmine continue her education.

“Growing up in South Georgia, Brunswick Georgia people believed that we weren’t adequate enough to be well-spoken or graduate in the top of our class. People assumed that we don’t know any better honestly,” Jasmine said.

Jasmine says her plan is to get her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling while also keeping her brother in mind.

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