Travon Free Pays Tribute to Victims of Police Brutality Through his Oscar Suit

By Sally Shakkour

Also ReadNancy Pelosi Under Fire for Statement on George Floyd

American comedian, actor and writer, Travon Free, caught lights during the 2021 Oscar red carpet after wearing a black suit with yellow lapels carrying the names of all the people killed by US police brutality inside the jacket to mourn them.

The 36-year-old actor was not satisfied with only showing the names inside his suit jacket, he also quoted James Baldwin’s saying: “the most despicable thing a person can be is indifferent to other people’s pain”; then he added “so I just ask that you please not be indifferent. Please don't be indifferent to our pain.”

Travon and Martin Desmond Roe, who is the co-director of ‘Two Distant Strangers’, both wore black tuxedos with yellow lapels at the red carpet where they unveiled the names of the victims killed by police brutality in the US, including those of Duante Wright, Tamir Rice, Stephen Clark and many more.

The Oscar nominee also stated to the media that the yellow color refers to the “systemic racism” while he paid tribute to all people killed in the US under the hands of police.

Furthermore, the actor and the co-director commemorated late Oscar winner Kobe Bryant by sporting lapel pins featuring the jersey numbers of both the NBA legend and his daughter, Gianna.

Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe have won an Oscar for the Best Live Action Short Film for "Two Distant Strangers" on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles.

Oscar winner writer/director shared a Twitter photo a;longside with Martin in the Oscar 2021 suits and wrote: “The #Oscars are in full swing baby.” He also hailed his Oscar winning by posting another photo of the Oscar trophy and wrote: “It was all a dream... #Oscars.”

Days before the 2021 Oscar ceremony, the US court found Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, guilty. Thus leaving many Americans feeling a bit relieved.

The video of Floyd’s death had triggered worldwide outrage in 2020 and thousands of people kicked off ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests, against police brutality targeting Black Americans and communities of color, for months in the US.

Also ReadGeorge Floyd's Death Trial: Defence Uses Videos to Push 'Camera Bias'

Travon Free is an American comedian, actor and writer. He has written for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Daily Show on Comedy Central, and Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons on HBO.

Martin Desmond Roe is a British-American film and television director, writer, and producer. He is the founder and Creative Director of Dirty Robber, a Los Angeles-based production company.