She lost a brother and a job. At 15, Aniya Thompson is determined to make change for good

At 15, Aniya Thompson has completed high school. She's a Black girl with dreams and ambitions, and the drive to stand up for something bigger than herself.

Last year, the Knox County Sheriff's Office unleashed a social media firestorm that cost the teen her job.

She faced online bullying that only added to the endless cycle of trauma and post-traumatic stress she was trying to recover from after a Knoxville police officer shot and killed her brother, Anthony Thompson Jr., in 2021.

But Aniya Thompson is determined. She's fighting to clear her name and honor her brother's life. She's aiming to become an attorney to fight the systems that perpetuate racial trauma and to prevent situations like the one that ended the life of her brother.

After speaking to the Knox County Commission about her experience at the deli, she spoke to Knox News in an exclusive interview about the events that cost her a job and propelled her into a public role she never sought.

This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

Knox News: Many people in our community don't know who you are outside of the news stories about your brother and McAlister's. Can you tell me about yourself? What are your hobbies, and what makes you happy?

Aniya: I love to do nails and graphic art, which makes me happy, and shopping with my mom. I’m still figuring life out at 15 but I do know that one day I want to become an entrepreneur and possibly go to law school. When I was younger I attended a few schools, Fair Garden, West Hills Elementary, Karns and Bearden Middle. I know moving around can be hard, but I actually liked being the new kid.

I want to be an attorney one day, and maybe own my own business doing nails on the side. I really want to be a civil rights and wrongful death attorney because it's a personal issue for me. I thought that might hit too close to home after what happened to my brother, but I do have aspirations of going to law school.

After I found out how my brother died I asked myself if I could see myself in 10 years inside a courtroom and being able to keep my composure. As I am healing I think this could be what I am meant to do.

Knox News: It has been almost a couple of years since you lost your brother, Anthony Thompson Jr. Can you recall where you were and how you found out about his death?

Aniya: So I was doing online school at the time during the pandemic and my sister had called me to ask if I knew where Anthony was. We heard something happened at his school so we're trying to find him and we can't get a hold of him. I called him multiple times and no response.

So I heard from somebody else that somebody named Anthony was shot. So we go down to the school, they take my mom to the police station, and I go back to my aunt's house and that's when I hear about it. I just remember I went to the back room, and I started crying. And my little brother ran behind me and he was screaming and crying. And he just kept saying, 'I want Anthony. I want my brother, I want my brother.' And I didn't know what to do at that moment. I didn't know how or why he was killed.

A few days right before his funeral more stuff started to come out. It was just like little bits and pieces that were just thrown at us. It wasn't until the day before his funeral, we had done a body viewing and I went to get my hair done. My godsister was in the car waiting on me and she looked like she'd been crying. Then all these people started texting me like, 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.' And I was so confused. Then she told me that they released the video of Anthony's death.

Up until then, I didn't know any of the details of what happened. That was when it all just started to like fall into place. I try to forget that whole week.

Knox News: What was the most difficult part to process after discovering what really happened to your brother?

Aniya: I used to hear about police brutality, but I never thought it would be as close to home as it is now. I was 13 at the time, and I just kind of felt like I had a taste of what the real world was like. I had to grow up faster than everybody else. I didn't get to be a normal teenager any longer.

Knox News: So after losing your brother, in 2022 you lost your job after the Knox County Sheriff's Office created this social media fiasco. What happened that day?

Aniya: So I saw three customers coming in the door and I just said to my coworker, 'Hey can you take this order?' And she said sure. And so she walks to my register to serve them. I go to the (back) room to pack an order before getting ready to leave. The whole time I am toward the back and after I found out what was going on I just started to cry. I knew something bad was going to happen.

My coworker and my boss told me not to worry, you're not in trouble. My general manager was on the phone also asking me what happened and assured me I was not going to get in trouble. I told them what happened over the phone. They never asked for a written statement. I just told them that they walked up to the register and I asked my coworker to take over and I think they just made assumptions about why I asked her to do that. They never asked me why. That happened on a Monday, and on Wednesday they let me go.

Knox News: After the encounter was posted by sheriff's office personnel on social media, how did you find out and how did that feel in that moment?

Aniya: The moment this stuff happened I remember I cried at work that night. I was just so overwhelmed. My phone started going off and I was reading the comments and all the Facebook posts. That really hit me.

As much as I hate to admit it, those did bother me, because they tried to turn me into a whole different person on Facebook. I had to watch my name and my character be destroyed. Absolutely destroyed. They did that to my brother. They don't know him. They don’t know who I really am. I’m 15.

And as for McAlister's, it was disheartening for sure because I thought I was building bonds with my managers and my coworkers. That night at work my manager took my glasses off my face and dried my eyes, and she told me it was gonna be OK. And then, the situation escalated.

I remember texting her and telling my manager I got fired. I remember telling her I was upset and I was hurt. Then when I went to go pick up my termination letter, she didn't even speak to me. I was hurt and it was my first job and I really liked it. Since I am homeschooled I don't talk to many people at all so it was my one chance during the day to get out and socialize.

Knox News: How did it feel to have your coworker defend you and stand up for you? I know she quit after they let you go.

Aniya: We have become closer since it happened. It brought us closer and I am thankful for her sticking up for me.

Knox News: What has the community support been like after this happened?

Aniya: I didn't get as much support at first, but once I was able to tell my side of the story I feel like at least more people understood.

Knox News: How has this situation changed you?

Aniya: Now I take everything more seriously. I don't get to live like I see people my age live. They live stress-free, and carefree, they live interview-free. And I don't get to do that. It’s hard. I've been in therapy for about a year and a half now. I used to rewatch the video of my brother losing his life over and over again. I used to torture myself like that. For survivor's guilt maybe? But now, I just try not to think about it. I have tried to pretend like it never happened, but I know that it did.

Knox News: What inspired you to speak out at the county commission meeting and continue to do so?

Aniya: I do this for Anthony. He didn't get a chance to speak because he lost his life. I do it because he can't. I will keep fighting for justice and keep his name out there so nobody forgets what happened to him.

Knox News: What else would you like people to know?

Aniya: I want people to know who Anthony was. He was the brother that used to tell me to cover my eyes during the scary parts of movies. He was the one who would get me juice at 3 in the morning. And I just want the whole narrative of him to go away, the narrative that he was a bad person. Because he wasn't.

There have been two good things to come out of this, I got a mentor and some other job opportunities. So I am just trying to stay positive.

Angela Dennis is the Knox News social justice, race and equity reporter. You can reach her by email at angela.dennis@knoxnews.com Follow her on Twitter @AngeladWrites; Instagram @angeladenniswrites; and Facebook at Angela Dennis Journalist.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville teen fired after sheriff's office firestorm speaks out