Hope And Support For Jelani Day

Photo Courtesy of Bloomington Police Department

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State University’s Multicultural Center held an event in support of Jelani Day last Friday. Day was reported missing two weeks ago.

Friends, family and the ISU community gathered to hear from Day’s mother and his other family members. Vice President of College Democrats at ISU—Avery Spranger came in support of the Day family.

“It was really powerful—they brought in a minister. Everybody from the Multicultural Center spoke. All of his family members went up there and spoke,” said Spranger. “His mom gave a call to action. I am not even religious but it was really profoundly moving.”

Through it all—the Day family has remained hopeful. Day’s brother Seve Day mentions the goals that his brother set for himself.  Seve says that his brother had a childhood friend with a speech impediment and from then on Day dreamed to help other students by becoming a speech pathologist. Seve says that Day is still friends with the boy who helped spark his dream.

Alongside his academics, Day had other hobbies and aspirations.

“Also Jelani—he had a clothing line coming up. He deleted all his social media for that reason to make a new one, to run his brand and rebrand himself,” said Seve. “Jelani wanted to open up a kitchen. He had a lot of things he wanted to do.”

Seve expresses that the fight to find his brother is not over.

“He’s got too much going for him for this to be it and that’s why I know it’s not over,” said Seve

President Linda Foster from Bloomington-Normal’s NAACP branch attended the night of reflection. She mentions that the NAACP organization does not step into anything unless they have been asked to by the community.

“It does not prohibit us from caring and from attending and to be supportive. The part that we play is whatever the family wants us to play,” said Foster. “But as members, we will extend ourselves out so that the family’s not felt as if they are alone.”

President Foster mentions that she is a black woman with a heart and that her heart aches for the Day family.

If anyone has any information about Jelani Day— contact Bloomington Police Department at (309) 820-8888.