In the Black community, we often find ourselves caught between heartbreak and resilience. We are raised to survive in a country that too often sees our pain as a threat. The story of Rodney Hinton Jr. is one that hits home for many of us. It is tragic, complicated, and deeply human. And while we do not condone violence, we must acknowledge the crushing weight that pushed this man to the edge.

Rodney Hinton Jr. is a Black father who suffers from documented mental health issues, for which he takes prescribed medication. His life took a traumatic turn when he was shown a video of his teenage son being shot and killed by police after an alleged stolen car incident. That moment, as described by people close to him, broke something inside. What followed was a mental breakdown that culminated in him running over a police officer with a vehicle. Police claim Rodney pointed a gun at officers during the incident, but body cam footage made public so far does not show him holding or pointing a weapon. For many of us, that raises serious questions.

Let us be clear: Black Americans do not advocate for violence against police or anyone. That’s not who we are. We believe in justice, peace, and systemic reform. But when you see your child gunned down and feel powerless to protect them—especially within a society that repeatedly fails to value Black life—some people do reach a breaking point. Rodney’s actions were wrong, and they cannot be excused. But they must be understood within the context of profound trauma, mental illness, and a broken system.

We are not raising funds to celebrate violence. We are doing this because we believe Rodney Hinton Jr. is a father in pain, a man battling mental illness, and someone who deserves a fair chance to defend himself in court. His son appears to be another Black youth lost to excessive police force, and his father’s mental spiral is a tragic outcome of that trauma.

That is why we at TruCauses.com have launched our very first campaign to raise money for Rodney’s legal defense and medical support. All funds donated will go directly to him. We are actively working to contact his family and transfer control of the fundraising account to them. Until then, we are managing this campaign transparently, and we will provide regular updates on how much is raised and where every dollar goes. If we are unable to reach Rodney or get the funds to him while he is incarcerated, we will return all donations.

This campaign is not about politics. It’s about humanity. It’s about showing that even in moments of chaos, our community still believes in compassion, support, and justice. We feel Rodney’s pain because we’ve seen that pain before—in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in our homes.

We ask you to stand with us—not in anger, but in solidarity. Because until justice means the same thing for everyone, we must continue to uplift those who’ve been broken by the very systems meant to protect them.

Donate now and help us bring some hope to this painful story.