August 9, 2025, marks eleven years since 18-year-old Michael O.D. Brown was killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri.
Eleven years since a mother lost her son. Eleven years since a community’s grief sparked a global demand for justice. Eleven years and still, no accountability.
“It’s been 11 years since my son’s murder, and we still have no justice,” said Lezley McSpadden, Michael’s mother and founder of The Michael O.D. Brown We Love Our Sons & Daughters Foundation. “I didn’t birth him to bury him. I birthed him to live, to grow, to become. That was stolen from him, from me, and from the world. But I will never stop fighting to make his legacy live on.”
Since 2014, Lezley has turned unimaginable grief into purpose and transformed pain into power. Through the work of the Foundation and in partnership with community members and organizations like Campaign Zero, she continues to build the future Michael deserved: one rooted in truth, opportunity, and justice.
Michael’s Legacy in Action
This past year has been a powerful reminder that Michael’s story is not over. His legacy lives in the lives we support, the systems we challenge, and the truth we continue to tell.
Still My Baby: Sharing Michael’s Story
This year, Lezley launched Still My Baby, a deeply personal podcast about Michael’s life and her own journey as a mother and advocate. Narrated by actress and activist Yvette Nicole Brown, the series shares Michael’s story through the voices of those who knew and loved him best—his family.
In its first week, Still My Baby reached #3 on the Top Series chart, #5 in True Crime, and #18 overall. But beyond the rankings, the podcast helped remind people around the country that Michael was not a headline. He was a son, a brother, and a teenager with dreams and a future.
The Michael O.D. Brown Memorial Scholarship
Now in its second year, the Michael O.D. Brown Memorial Scholarship—developed in partnership with Campaign Zero—has awarded $54,000 in scholarships to 18 graduating seniors across the St. Louis area.
Each student received not only financial support but also a care package with college essentials. We also celebrated them at a scholarship dinner held in June. These young people are pursuing higher education in the performing arts, social justice, and skilled trades, carrying forward the legacy of brilliance and purpose that Michael left behind.
Human Rights Advocacy on the Global Stage
Lezley took Michael’s story to the global community. In a historic first, she testified before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), presenting a petition that highlights systemic injustice and police violence in the United States, with a focus on Michael’s case.
It marks the first time the Commission heard an individual case of police violence from the U.S., signaling an important step forward in demanding accountability and elevating this struggle as a human rights issue.
Say His Name: 10-Year Anniversary Proclamation
In 2024, the City of St. Louis formally recognized Michael’s life, legacy, and the movement sparked by his death. On Thursday, August 8, 2024, the Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a resolution commemorating the tenth anniversary of Michael’s death and acknowledging both the impact of his legacy and the work still needed to address racial and economic injustice in the region. The resolution also reaffirmed the city’s commitment to the calls to action outlined by the Ferguson Commission. It was introduced by Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier of the 7th Ward and co-sponsored by the entire Board.
This official proclamation was not just symbolic. It was a public recommitment to justice, equity, and the people who continue to fight for both.
Commemorating Mike: Upcoming Awareness Events and Outreach
To mark the 11th anniversary of Michael’s passing, the Foundation is leading a series of activations centered on remembrance, reflection, and resistance:
- Billboards across Ferguson and St. Louis carrying messages of remembrance and action, including never before told aspects of MikeMike’s childhood and life.
- A social media campaign sharing Mike’s story, including a short film celebrating his birthday and life directed by Mohammad Gorjestani and produced by Even/Odd.
- A new mural expanding on last year’s Broken Wall of Justice and 1-800 Happy Birthday booth—all on display at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’s Ferguson Community Empowerment Center, offering community members a space to reflect, honor, and resist. Michael’s booth is part of 1-800 Happy Birthday, an art exhibition by Mohammad Gorjestani, produced by Worthless Studios in collaboration with Even/Odd and Campaign Zero. The project honors the lives of Black and Brown individuals killed by police—keeping their memories alive through sound, art, and public space.
Moving Forward With Strength, Courage, and Wisdom
Michael’s death was a turning point but his life must be a blueprint. His legacy is not just remembrance. It’s action.
As we mark 11 years without him, we recommit to the fight to end police violence, to empower young people, and to demand a world where no mother has to bury her child at the hands of the state.
We carry Michael’s name. We carry his story. Together, we carry his legacy forward.