Gloria Taylor

{{Short description|Nigerian activist}}

{{about||the Canadian advocate of assisted dying|Gloria Taylor (patient)|the American soul and funk singer|Gloria Ann Taylor|the Canadian curler|Gloria Taylor (curler)}}{{Infobox person

| name = Gloria Taylor

| image = File:Gloria Taylor.png|Gloria_Taylor

| caption = Gloria at the Old Bailey awaiting trial for her son's killing.

| birth_name = Gloria Fayemi

| birth_date = March 1951

| birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria

| death_date = 7 April 2008

| death_place = London, England

| burial_place = Plumstead Cemetery

| occupation = Activist

| years_active = 2001–2008

| organization = The Damilola Taylor Trust

| known_for = Killing of Damilola Taylor

| spouse = Richard Taylor (m. 1977-2008)

| children = 3, including Damilola Taylor

}}

Gloria Taylor (March 1951{{Cite web |title=Gloria TAYLOR personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/0_--R11NdKJDGU38IIHNhyhS8wM/appointments |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}} – 7 April 2008) was a Nigerian activist whose 10-year-old son, Damilola Taylor, was brutally attacked and murdered by two youths in a vicious attack at the North Peckham Estate of South London in November 2000.{{cite news |title=Gloria Taylor|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1584532/Gloria-Taylor.html|work= The Daily Telegraph |date=2008-04-14 |access-date=2008-05-02}} Her son's murder called attention to social and economic crises in the UK's poorer inner city neighborhoods.

Taylor later worked as an activist following her son's murder stating that she wanted to provide opportunities for Britain's "downtrodden and underprivileged youth."{{cite news |title=Damilola Taylor's mother dies |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/apr/09/societybriefing |work= The Guardian |date=2008-04-14 |access-date=2008-05-02}} Taylor and her husband, Richard Taylor, established the Damilola Taylor Trust, with the financial support of politicians and celebrities such as soccer player Rio Ferdinand.

Gloria Taylor died aged 57 while walking on Shooter's Hill Road with her husband Richard Taylor{{Cite web |last=Standard |first=Justin Davenport, Evening |date=2012-04-12 |title=Damilola's mother dies after she collapses in the street |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/damilolas-mother-dies-after-she-collapses-in-the-street-6681466.html |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=The Standard |language=en}} from a heart attack after being diagnosed with high blood pressure shortly after her son's death in 2000. Her funeral took place in All Saints Church in Plumstead.{{Cite news |date=2008-04-24 |title=Damilola mother's funeral held |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7364421.stm |access-date=2025-05-10 |language=en-GB}}