To start let me say: Donnell Rochester should still be here.

Donnell was a deeply loved, 18-year-old, black & gay youth who was murdered in his car by officers from the Baltimore Police Department on February 19, 2022. His mother's words echo the unparalleled sorrow:

"The officers shot Donnell multiple times while he was driving and let him bleed out on the street instead of taking him to a hospital. By the third shot, my son was no longer posing a threat, and it was the third shot that killed my son. Donnell was only 18 years old and was a senior in high school. He was a vibrant, funny, loving young gay man and he should still be here”.

One thing his mother will tell you about if Donnell is that he LOVED LIFE. 

Donnell was a senior in high school, with a life full of promise ahead of him, who never got to graduate. Since that horrific day, his mother has been fighting for the justice her son deserves, a fight that has unfortunately been ignored by the planners of the Baltimore Pride Parade.

Ignoring Donnell's story is not an option. He is one among too many black gay youth victimized nationally every year, a fact sadly underscored by studies showing dramatically high violence rates against this community. It is imperative that the Baltimore Pride Parade, (an event that claims to stands for queer rights, in a majority black city with a violent & racist police force), honors and uplifts Donnell's story as a part of its 2025 program. 

Let us demand from the organizers, a recognition and action against such atrocities. We want to see Donnell uplifted and truly honored. His mother's fight for justice should be ours as well. Sign this petition to demand justice for Donnell Rochester in the 2025 Baltimore Pride Parade.