CNN Opinion | Opinion: ‘I’m just a Black girl that got caught up’: Five years after the deadly violence in Charlottesville

Photograph of Tay Washington, the woman whose car was hit by James Fields, Jr. on August 12, 2017.

(CNN) – On a Saturday afternoon, August 12, 2017, Tadrint “Tay” Washington drove to downtown Charlottesville to visit a friend. It was a hot and muggy day in central Virginia. Washington had just graduated from an EMT course and done well on her practical exam. Just one written exam remained before she could officially make good on her promise to herself to find a job she was passionate about and that could provide a good life for her then-seven-year-old daughter.

Washington’s friend wasn’t home, so she got back into her car and headed for home. The regular route was blocked; a detour pushed her further downtown. It was crowded, way more than usual, she thought. Another detour.  –read more–