The chants at a San Leandro protest Thursday were familiar, but when organizers said "Say his name!" it wasn't George Floyd as the response, it was Steven Taylor.
The nationwide movement around Floyd's death is raising awareness for cases.
Community groups rallied in front of the San Leandro Walmart where in April, the 33-year-old Taylor was suspected of shoplifting and confronted by officers.
Police said Taylor ignored orders to drop the bat he was carrying and moved forward before being shot to death.
The community then and now protested.
Taylor's mother said she is grateful for the recognition and said her son was popular in the neighborhood, but had mental health issues and did not need to be killed.
"My heart is overwhelmed. I'm still mourning, but I'm grateful," mother Sharon Taylor said. "I'm grateful that we can keep his name alive."
Mary Tieh who helped organize the rally in San Leandro said the protest is a fight not just for African Americans, but is a humanity fight.
"We all have to be in it," Tieh said. "So this protest is to wake everybody up. Wake up."
Many of the protesters were form San Leandro High School.
"We finally get a chance to put our voices out there," said Jelah Jones Haley, a student at San Leandro High School's Social Justice Academy. "By all mean, I think a lot of us are going to try to make a difference."
More protests are planned at San Leandro City Hall on Friday and Saturday.
