Trayvon Martin’s Mom Thanks Naomi Osaka for Social Justice Masks at U.S. Open
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
2018 U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka has been wearing a slate of customized masks throughout the 2020 U.S. Open featuring the names of victims of racial injustice and police brutality. Osaka previously wore masks honoring Ahmaud Arbery, Elijah McClain and Trayvon Martin. On Tuesday, she wore a mask honoring George Floyd. Both Arbery's and Martin's families showed their appreciation for Osaka on Tuesday night after she defeated Shelby Rogers in the quarterfinals.
“I just want to say thank you to Naomi Osaka for representing Trayvon Martin on your customized mask, and also for Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor,” Martin’s mom, Sabrina Fulton, said in a video. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
“Continue to do well, continue to kick butt at the US Open. Thank you.”
Osaka addressed her activism—and the subsequent video—on Tuesday.
"I feel like I'm a vessel, at this point, and in order to spread awareness," Osaka said. "It's not going to dull the pain, but hopefully I can, you know, help with anything that they need."
"It's extremely touching that they would feel touched by what I'm doing. For me, I feel like what I've been doing is nothing. It's a speck of what I could be doing."
Osaka advanced to the U.S. semifinals with Tuesday's win. She will face No. 28 seed Jennifer Brady in the semifinals as she seeks her third Grand Slam.
