ESPN’s Malika Andrews shares powerful message on Breonna Taylor

Malika Andrews said she could have been Breonna Taylor and that it's been hard continuing to go to work

Sep 24, 2020

Malika Andrews shared the sentiments of many when asked about the grand jury decision about Breonna Taylor‘s death.

The young ESPN on air reporter was covering the reactions of athletes about the decision to not charge Brett Hankison and the other officers involved with Taylor’s death on the Scott Van Pelt’s late-night SportsCenter on Wednesday when she became emotional, according to SI.com.

As reported by theGrio, it was announced yesterday that former police officer Hankison will not be charged in Taylor’s death despite the unarmed woman being shot in her home. Instead, he was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree.

Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove were not charged for their alleged involvement in Taylor’s death.

When asked how NBA players were taking the news, Andrews did not hold back.

Beyond impressed with @malika_andrews. My God she should not have to open up a vein like this on live TV – people should already understand how deeply crushing & terrifying this all is. But so many still don’t, and I am deeply grateful she is willing to share like this. pic.twitter.com/vX1L3XQxKH
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) September 24, 2020

“I have prided myself in being able to objective and cover these sorts of issues,” said Andrews. “But when it is so clear that the system of objectivity in journalism is so white-washed and doesn’t account for the fact that when I am walking up the hill my wonderful producer Melinda reminds me that Breonna Taylor was 26 and I am 25 and that could have been me, it is very hard to continue to go to work. And that’s what these players were feeling.”

Malika Andrews Breonna Taylor thegrio.com — (Credit: ESPN)

Despite her emotional delivery, Andrews was able to swiftly regain control and her composure. She said the feeling “reverberated” through the room and that players were “hurting.”

On the court some players wore jerseys that read, “say their names” and “say her name” in reference to Taylor and other individuals who has been killed by the police.

Andrews is the network’s breakout star and made her on camera debut as the youngest to ever nab the sideline gig on ESPN’s broadcast of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

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