Source: change.org / other
Ahmaud Arbery’s mother has come forward to shed light on people who she feels have been benefiting from her late son’s memory instead of seeking justice. In a lengthy statement, Wanda Cooper made it clear that she does not support or have anything to do with the GoFundMe page that was started, the 2.23 Foundation that was named after the day of Arbery’s death, the “I Run With Maud” social media page and the trademark for “I Run With Maud.”
In her statement she stated:
It is with great disappointment that I must now elaborate on this situation with the founders of 2.23 and creators of I Run with Maud when I am still grieving, still advocating, still seeking justice, and still trying to adjust to the loss of Ahmaud. Before I ever made a statement, I spoke with them several times to do my best to resolve this situation privately. I cannot in good conscience support a page that now appears more like a business opportunity for its staff rather than getting justice for my son. So, I want to shed some light on this so that I continue to prepare myself for the true fight of justice for Ahmaud, protecting his character, and being strong for my family.
Regarding the social media page called “I Run With Maud,” Cooper said Arbery’s friend Akeem Baker had asked if he could start a page regarding Arbery. Cooper said she agreed because it was to memoralize her son but once it began to look like a business she began to worry.
“They originally acknowledged the transition and stated it would be corrected, however, that never took place,” she wrote. “I also asked to have access to the page as an administrator several times, and was ultimately denied any access, which began to alarm me.”
She added that she was never informed about the “I Run With Maud” trademark application that was filed on May 9, and said that one of the applicants never met her son. Cooper also said that the GoFundMe was started by a friend of her son and she never requested for one to be created. She said that the page was created after her son’s funeral and that the expenses to bury him were covered by a life insurance policy. Cooper added that she has also returned to work since Arbery’s death.
“Money cannot replace what I have lost and the fight for justice does not come without cost. I was not begging for money and I was prepared to fight for my son either way. I have always worked for what I wanted. Since the passing of Ahmaud, I have returned to work because to work is all I know.”
She also said the 2.23 Foundation head Jason Vaughn, who told the Washington Post that he was Arbery’s high school football coach, never had a close relationship with Arbery. Cooper wrote that she felt that Vaughn established the foundation after Arbery’s death made national headlines.
“He is not a relative and did not have a close relationship with my son. The ideas for the foundation likely started after national attention began to spread due to our advocacy efforts. Within seven days of the foundation’s launch, its organizers had already planned a large fundraiser.”
Vaughn told The Post that he is still dealing with the loss and that he and Arbery had “built a bond.”
“What people don’t realize is, I still lost my player,” Vaughn said. “I’m still dealing with grief. I’m doing something a football coach shouldn’t have to do.”
According to Newsweek, the 2.23 Foundation organized a “I Run With Maud” Labor Day fundraising run, which Cooper also said she does not support.
