On February 10, 2015, Suzanne Barakat’s brother Deah, her sister-in-law Yusor and Yusor’s sister Razan were murdered by their neighbor in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The perpetrator’s story, that he killed them over a traffic dispute, went unquestioned by the media and police until Barakat spoke out at a press conference, calling the murders what they really were: hate crimes. As she reflects on how she and her family reclaimed control of their narrative, Barakat calls on us to speak up when we witness hateful bigotry and express our allyship with those who face discrimination.
Physician
With a voice amplified by unthinkable personal tragedy, Suzanne Barakat speaks out against bigotry and violence against those society deems “different.”
Full bio
Full bio
This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.