Remembering Breonna Taylor With A List of Her Favorite Things

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It’s been five years since Breonna Taylor was killed, and protesters demanded that we say her name, and we’ll never stop doing exactly that.

On March 13, 2020, Taylor was hit by six bullets and sadly passed away where most people feel safest- in her home. Three white plainclothes officers, Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove of the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD), forced entry into her apartment as part of an investigation into drug dealing operations.

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Taylor was inside with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, when the officers knocked down the door and forced entry. The officers claimed to have announced themselves as police prior to entering, but Walker says he did not hear any announcement, believed the officers to be intruders, and fired a warning shot toward them. Officials claimed his warning shot hit Officer Mattingly in the leg, and the officers fired 32 shots in return, subsequently murdering Taylor.

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An unfortunate and unnecessary loss of a 26-year-old Black woman became the catalyst for the ongoing fight toward combatting the injustices and police brutality Black and Brown people face in America. We choose today to remember Breonna Taylor as the joyful, loving, and loyal daughter, niece, friend, and girlfriend she was to so many people in her community. Let us celebrate our fallen sister with a list comprised of a few of her favorite things.

1. ’80s and ’90s Music

Taylor loved music from the ’80s and ’90s. One of her favorite songs was Mary J. Blige’s “My Everything,” reported Inside Edition.

2. Artists

Inside Edition reports that Breonna Taylor’s favorite artists were NBA Young Boy and Rod Wave.

3. Games With Family

She adored playing games with close family and friends. Her favorite games were Skip Bo and Phase 10. In an interview with The Cut, her mom recalls that each holiday, Breonna wanted all of her aunts, uncles, and cousins to be together. “We need to have a game night once a week!” Taylor’s mom reported she said.

She would happily organize and call whoever hosting to ask, “What do you want me to text out to everybody? You got a theme? What are you playing?”

4. Louisville, Kentucky

Though most of her family moved to Louisville, Kentucky, from Michigan, Breonna Taylor loved where she was raised. Inside Edition reports that she moved as a teen and quickly assimilated to Louisville living.

5. Fried Chicken

Breonna’s family and friends remember how much she loved chicken, preferably fried. Her mom affectionately shares how she didn’t care if it was Thanksgiving or Easter, Taylor needed chicken to be included on the menu. Her friends don’t remember her as much of a chef, but she would whip up some fried chicken.

6. Healthcare

She loved working in healthcare and often mentioned how it was a rewarding job. NPR reports that she would tell her family and friends how happy it made to know that she made a difference in someone else’s life.

Her family recalled her sharing a note on Facebook after her uncle suffered from a stroke that read:

“It makes me feel so happy when I know I’ve made a difference in someone else’s life. I’m so appreciative of all the staff that has helped my uncle throughout this difficult time and those that will continue to make a difference in his life.”

She just loved taking care of people. In high school, she said she wanted to be a nurse. Her first job was at Steak ’n Shake when she was 15, and every job she took after that had something to do with helping people.

7. Colors

Breonna’s family told Inside Edition that her favorite colors were purple and blue.

8. TV Show

According to her family, Breonna’s favorite show to watch was the classic ’90s sitcom Martin. Breonna Taylor was remembered as a lovable and joyous woman who enjoyed laughing, so a show like Martin being her favorite makes perfect sense.

9. Cars

Breonna loved cars, even at a young age, and she was determined to get one of her own. Her mom told NPR that when she was 17, she finally purchased one. It was a Dodge Charger, and she had recently purchased the 2019 model two months before she transitioned.

10. Dressing Up

She sadly wasn’t able to celebrate her birthday in 2002, but her mom recalled her celebrating in 2019. The grieving mother told NPR that she asked all of her family and friends to get dressed up and wear their best. They all joined Breonna at a steakhouse. She did her makeup and got her hair done. She said to her family, “Don’t come to my dinner if you’re not going to dress up!”

Her mom says she wasn’t too over the top, but she always took pride in her appearance and the way she presented herself to the world.

Take a moment today to relish in Breonna Taylor’s favorite things. Find some commonalities between yourself and Taylor. Be sure to remember that she was like many of us, a Black woman with hopes, dreams, and love in her heart, looking to survive in America.