On September 15, two men were lynched in Mississippi. Trey Reed, a Black 21-year-old student at Delta State University and Cory Zukatis, a white 36-year-old unhoused man in Vicksburg. Both men were loved by their families, friends, and communities and our hearts and prayers go out to them as they grieve this terrible loss.
Mississippi has a long well documented history of racial terror against Black people – one that continues to echo today. Fear is being weaponized, not just to silence our voices, but to paralyze our communities and weaken our ability to organize, protect ourselves, and advocate for justice. Let’s be clear: the same hateful rhetoric fueling attacks against Black students and communities is the same poison that targets the unhoused and most vulnerable among us. These are not isolated instances; it’s a pattern that demonstrates how far extremists are willing to go to maintain white supremacy. Black folks know this history, and we refuse to let our past become our present. We are paying attention and demanding full transparency from local law enforcement.
The only way forward is to lean into our shared humanity, to organize, speak out, and stand up together. When we move with love and power, we are stronger than any force that tries to divide us. This moment calls for vigilance, solidarity, and a refusal to let another act of racial violence be quietly dismissed.
Trey Reed, Cory Zukatis, and all victims of political violence mattered and they deserve justice.