*Wanda Cooper-Jones, the mother of Ahmaud Arbery, has publicly condemned the individuals she claims are profiting off the death of her son.
In a lengthy letter obtained by TMZ, Cooper-Jones calls out the 2.23 Foundation, I RUN WITH MAUD, and additional foundations and groups that are using Arbery’s name without permission for personal agendas.
‘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,” the letter reads.
“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,” the letter goes on to say.
The entire letter can be read here, and below is a summary of her grievances.
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In the letter, Cooper-Jones first details her issues with the “I RUN WITH MAUD” social media page. She also makes clear that she never agreed to the organization’s trademark.
“One of the trademark applicants had never even met my son, yet applied for this trademark in an attempt to profit off Ahmaud’s name,” she wrote.
She then criticized a GoFundMe that was setup by a friend of Ahmaud’s.
“The campaign was established in early May, after Ahmaud was laid to rest,” Cooper-Jones writes. “Ahmaud was covered under a life insurance policy that I struggled to pay for to prepare for days like these. I truly never thought I would have to use that policy or bury my son. 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. To hear some people suggest that losing my son is a profit scheme is incredibly offensive to me and my family.”
She accuses the founders of the 2:23 Foundation of not having a “close relationship” with her 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,” she writes. “The I RUN FOR MAUD committee (all five members who I do not know well) have known for months I did not want my child’s death to be exploited or used for monetary gain for anyone. I was disrespected and ignored.”
Read her the entire letter here.
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