In this reported op-ed, Chicago-based writer, organizer, and artist Eva Maria Lewis speaks with friends and family of Breonna Taylor for her birthday, June 5, reflecting on the legacy Taylor leaves behind.
Breonna Taylor would be 27 today. She was 26 years old when she was shot to death by police after a day of serving her community as a first responder. Although her name has become known after her death, her life paints a legacy of light, love, and unparalleled kindness. Among others, she leaves behind her mother Tamika Palmer, her sister Ju’Niyah Palmer, her cousin Preonia Flakes, her older-sister-cousin Katrina Curry, and her best friends Alena Battle and Erinicka Hunter, all six of whom told Teen Vogue about the ways Breonna changed their lives for the better by living the “Bree way.”
When Breonna was a child, her mother knew she was destined for greatness. Tamika recalls that after Breonna witnessed her take her diabetic grandmother’s blood sugar, Breonna was eager to do it too, foreshadowing Breonna’s future in the medical field. Reminiscing, Tamika says, “It was the cutest thing.”
Throughout her life, those who knew her say Breonna expressed her love for others through empowerment and support. When she was in high school, her teacher called her mother because Breonna would not go to the pizza party in another classroom for students doing exceptionally well because her friends were not invited.
When her mother received the call, she tells Teen Vogue that she said, “If your friends don’t want to see you do great, they’re not your friends.” To which Breonna replied, “I’m going to help my friends be great.” Later in life, her motto would become, “All you can do every day is wake, pray, and slay.”
It never sat right with Breonna to elevate herself without bringing people up with her. Her best friend Alena says Breonna was like her “walking diary” that she could open up to. No matter the distance, Alena and Breonna would always find time and space for each other.
“I was able to share everything with her with no judgement. Breonna was my person, she was like a big sister to me,” Alena says. “Breonna taught me about finance, careers, business, and creating generational wealth. She taught me how to be a friend, and about relationships. If you ever needed someone to boost your confidence, that was Bree.”
Ju’Niyah describes being Breonna’s younger sister as “the best thing ever”; if Ju’Niyah ever needed help, Breonna was there. Whether it was making sure Ju’Niyah looked and felt bomb for prom, rescuing her from parties, or driving over an hour on the highway to help her with a flat tire, Breonna never missed a beat.
Never missing a beat characterized Breonna’s life when it came to friends and family. Her cousin Katrina describes Breonna as the “show up and never disappoint” cousin, like when Breonna saved her 29th birthday party.
“We had a birthday dinner for me at Olive Garden, and there were five of us sitting at the end of a table for 16 people. I said, ‘I don’t think people are going to come,’” she shares. “Breonna said the vibe was awkward, and asked all of us to go to the middle of the table. After that, we ended up having a good time.”
“With Breonna, it didn’t matter how many people showed up, you were going to have a good time,” Katrina continues. “All of the negativity was out the window. It was so special, and I realize that now more than ever. It was beautiful how she could cheer people up. By the end of that night, you couldn’t tell any of us there were only five people at that table. Breonna taught me how to enjoy life.”
Another best friend of Breonna, Erinicka, says along with the nicknames Bre, Bosslady Breezy, and Nonna, Erinicka called her friend a “ride or die” because “that’s what she was.” She regards Breonna as the “best friend she’s ever had,” adding a firm and sincere “period.” She says Breonna was a “sweet, beautiful, and caring soul that just wanted me to be great. She wanted greatness for everyone she came across.”
Those who know her say Breonna was intentional about bringing joy everywhere she went. While chuckling, her family and friends describe her as “goofy.”
“Breonna always smiled,” her mother tells Teen Vogue. “I can remember being mad at her and she would be smiling. She would say, ‘Sis, you ain’t got to be that mad, it ain’t that serious.’ Which would piss me off and make me laugh. I swear I’ll miss that.”
Ju’Niyah recalls a time when she and Breonna stayed in the car outside of a family member’s house taking photos together. Breonna had gotten some contact lenses, and the two were entertained with finding Breonna’s angles with the new look. From the viewpoint of the house, this was a sight to see. Other recollections in their chronicle of sisterhood include Breonna’s distaste for feet, especially Ju’Niyah’s, who laughs when thinking about times when they would lay in bed together.
“She used to make me come into her room with my own blanket so I wouldn’t rub my feet on her,” Ju’Niyah remembers. Their times together were full of laughter, authenticity, and sometimes tears.
For Alena’s birthday in 2019, she traveled to Kentucky to spend time with Breonna and Ju’Niyah. After getting her nose pierced by Ju’Niyah, she was crying. Breonna held her hand, and they both laughed through the tears. She says Breonna told her, “‘It’s going to be over before you know it. It’s not that bad.’”
Her cousin, Preonia, says her overall favorite memory with Breonna was their trip to Miami, sharing, “I was taking my first flight with her, to Miami’s South Beach, in 2016. I was so scared to fly, I started having a panic attack. She let me squeeze her hand and let me put my face in her arm.” Preonia laughs and adds, “Trips won’t be the same without her.”
Breonna was a comforter in any time of need, even when she wasn’t asked to be. The last time Alena saw Breonna was in North Carolina, when Breonna came for a surprise visit for Alena’s son’s (Breonna’s godson’s) birthday at a Chuck E. Cheese. Alena remembers that her son, a two-year-old, had just started to recognize Breonna, calling her TT Breonna. Preonia says she has gratitude for the ways Breonna showed up for her.
“Breonna’s energy changed my life in major ways,” Preonia shares. “When I didn’t have that motivation, that energy, that strive, nobody to tell me the bumps in the road, she told me. She was the big sister, the twin I always wanted but never had. She taught me more stuff about life than my own adoptive family.”
On their relationship, Preonia says, “I think that’s why our bond was so good. I looked up to her. I looked at Bre and was like, ‘I wanna do what my cousin does.’” Preonia now wants to honor Breonna’s presence in her life, saying, “Just because she’s no longer here and our plans we arranged together were snatched [away], I’m still going to do everything we planned to do, no matter how long it takes.”
Breonna had goals and dreams, and she made them known to everyone in her life. She was excited about becoming a nurse, buying a house, getting married, starting a family, and continuing her love for shoes, cars, bananas, and Fruity Pebbles cereal. Ju’Niyah shares that Breonna always wanted to dance to “Everything” by Mary J. Blige at her wedding.
She worked hard to become an EMT, and when she needed a break from the long hours and hard days, she became a certified nursing assistant in an emergency room. Planning on returning to school in the fall for nursing, Breonna was determined to become a nurse.
“She didn’t know what type,” Alena says. “She just wanted to help people.”
Her patients always spoke highly of her and how her aura brightened their day. Terrell Williams, a gun violence victim who became paralyzed, credits his ability to drive on his own to Breonna’s encouragement and support. He told Wave 3 News Breonna was a “perfect person.” His story illustrates how Breonna believed in everybody, and how that showed in her actions and her can-do spirit.
“I never heard her say, ‘I can’t,’” Katrina says. “It was always ‘I can’ or ‘I am.’”
She enjoyed helping others transform their dreams into reality as well. The last time Katrina saw Breonna, they were sitting on the empty floor in Katrina’s new house. Over some Chick-fil-A, they imagined the furniture that would fill the room in the future. Katrina and Breonna shared many conversations like this, where they imagined new outfits, new houses, and improving their lives in general. Katrina’s daughters were inspired by Breonna as well. Frequently seen in well-coordinated outfits, with makeup and polished nails, the young girls were enamored by her appearance. Breonna was sure to be consistent in telling them that they too are beautiful.
To hear these people tell it, it’s impossible to escape the sense that Breonna was special. Those who loved her describe her as one of a kind. She showed people what they could do with their lives and encouraged people to be themselves. For her, that was the key to happiness. Her family and friends celebrate her by living life to the fullest, holding onto photos and physical mementos, bringing their own dreams to fruition, toasting to her life, and showing up for the people they love. They make sure to smile every day because they know that is what she would want.
Breonna Taylor is more than a hashtag, she is a precedent for how we should treat each other and ourselves. Like all of the others slain by police and racist violence, Breonna did not deserve how she left the world that she made her arena. In fighting for justice for Breonna, we can honor her life by seeing the humanity in each other, like Breonna always did. We can be kind to our neighbors, show up for each other and our community, and shed light in dark spaces. We can encourage each other, stay true to ourselves, and stand firm in our values. The energy Breonna emanated made the world a better place, and after knowing her story, we can do better. We can be the greatness Breonna wanted us to be.
On Breonna’s legacy, her mother, Tamika Palmer, says, “She always said she was destined for greatness, and now she will be a part of history.”