Georgia Commemorates 'Ahmaud Arbery Day'

Artist Theo Ponchaveli wears a mask he created that reads, “Runwithmaud”, as he poses for a photo in front of a mural that he is painting in the likeness of Ahmaud Arbery in Dallas, Friday, May 8, 2020. Ponchaveli said that he was inspired to paint the mural after seeing the video of Arbery’s death on a news broadcast and learning that today would have been his birthday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Georgia Commemorates ‘Ahmaud Arbery Day’ Prayer vigils and memorials will be held across the state of Georgia today, marking the first ‘Ahmaud Arbery Day’. In a resolution, state lawmakers honored Arbery as one of Georgia’s “most distinguished citizens” and “a compassionate and generous man”. Along with prayer vigils and memorial ceremonies, Georgians are encouraged to honor Arbery by jogging 2.23 miles. Wednesday marks the second anniversary of Arbery’s death on Feb. 23rd, 2020, when he was confronted and fatally shot by three men while jogging in Glynn County. Those men are currently serving life sentences for murder, and were convicted this week on hate crime charges. How else should Arbery’s memory be celebrated?