BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Common, a Grammy Award-winning rapper, actor and author, made a stop in Brunswick on Friday to give out tennis shoes to children.
He also met with the family of Ahmaud Arbery and encouraged people in Georgia to vote in the upcoming Senate race runoffs. He visited the children and their parents at the Boys and Girls Club.
″We want to spread love and positive energy and just let the people of Brunswick -- the community of Brunswick and Georgia know that they are cared for and they were thought of. And this country has been going through a lately, especially here in Brunswick, has been through a lot with the killing of a Ahmaud Arbery,” Common said.
As organizers prepared to pass out 250 new tennis shoes to teenagers, Common spent some time meeting with Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper.
Arbery was shot and killed in Satilla Shores back in February. His death made national headlines.
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Common said he wants Cooper to know that she had his support for the long haul, encouraging her to turn her pain into progress.
“It means a lot. It really means a lot,” Cooper said. “I’m almost in tears to think about how much he really cares for us. I’m grateful.”
Common said he’s focused on the Senate race in Georgia, supporting candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.
“When we really talk about bringing people together and bringing them opportunities for people who usually don’t have the opportunities, and making sure that our health is in the forefront of our lives because you can’t do a thing without health,” he said.
Common visited Jacksonville right before the presidential election. The actor and rapper says he’s going to continue to encourage community activism, and promote positivity and peace.