Umi Selah, formerly known as Phillip Agnew, co-founder of the Dream Defenders, a civil rights organization formed in Florida in the wake of the 2012 slaying of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, has fought for black and other marginalized community for many years.
Now, he's reaching out for help and the community is reaching back.
Selah's mother, Theresa Agnew, suffered a stroke and her family thought she might not recover. She is now on the road back to health and Selah has started a GoFundMe campaign to help with expenses:
The doctors told us that she would never be the woman that she once was. We almost lost her. If not for the quick response by her church and doctor she would not be here with us. We witnessed a miracle and are overjoyed that she will be making a full recovery.
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Having my mother alive, safe and well would mean the world to me and to us. Every dollar will go toward her making the path toward a full recovery and fuller life with her sons in Florida.
Support for Selah quickly came flooding in and he is close to reaching his goal. This is what community looks like. This is how people love back on those who put their lives on the front-line for us. This is the part of revolution that rarely makes the headlines—family, community, and love.
Using the hashtag #NeverLovedUs, Dream Defenders was also pivotal in raising awareness around the 2012 murder of Jordan Davis by white supremacist Michael Dunn. Dunn is now serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Jordan and the attempted murders of his three friends, Tevin Thompson, Tommie Stornes and Leland Brunson.
Selah has been heralded as "one of this generation’s leading voices” and was number #45 on the 2013 Root 100 list, our annual celebration of the most influential African Americans in the United States.
If you would like to help Selah with his beloved mother's recovery, you can donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/UmisUmi