Family, community to mail letters with pink envelopes to Mexico for Shanquella Robinson 

Activists and the family of Shanquella Robinson plan to march to a Charlotte post office in February to send 1,000 letters in pink envelopes to Mexican officials, demanding justice after her death.

In October, Robinson, 25, traveled with six companions to Cabo, Mexico. A day later she died.

Since then, authorities, public records and the six other travelers have given conflicting answers as to how Robinson died. Her friends told her family she died of alcohol poisoning, her death certificate said she died of “severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation,” and a doctor told police she died of “cardiopulmonary arrest” after experiencing a seizure.

A viral video shows a woman the family has identified as Robinson being brutally beaten by a “friend” hours before her death. Her father also told reporters that he saw bruises covering her face and body after her death.

Robinson’s story has resonated with the nation and gone viral, and now Mexican authorities and the FBI are investigating. An arrest warrant was issued by Mexico’s Attorney General’s office for one of the six people who traveled with Robinson, and Mexican officials called for them to be extradited. As of Tuesday, no arrest had been made.

On Feb. 18 at noon, Million Youth March of Charlotte and Robinson’s family are planning to march from Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church to the post office on McDowell St. to mail the letters of concern to officials in Mexico.

Stamps, envelopes, and the addresses of the recipients will be provided at the event, organizer Mario Black wrote on Facebook. He said the goal is to send 1,000 letters or more.

In a story Monday by QCity Metro Black said he hopes sending the letters “will ignite someone there to push a little harder.”

“The significance of it is to put pressure on Mexico, because they’re not owning up to their responsibility and executing the warrants of the Cabo Six,” Black told QCity Metro.

Two rallies have already been held in Robinson’s name, one in honor of her birthday and one specifically calling for justice six weeks after her death. In addition to the rallies, hundreds of community members attended Robinson’s funeral in November.

This story was originally published January 31, 2023 at 2:02 PM.

Kallie Cox

The Charlotte Observer

Kallie Cox covers public safety for The Charlotte Observer. They grew up in Springfield, Illinois and attended school at SIU Carbondale. They reported on police accountability and LGBTQ immigration barriers for the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. And, they previously worked at The Southern Illinoisan before moving to Charlotte. Support my work with a digital subscription