What is the symbolism of the black armband in the novel, A Good Kind of Trouble?

The black armband is a symbol of grief, loyalty, and Shayla’s coming of age. Hana tells Shayla that she wears the armband to show her grief for the Black people killed unjustly. The black armbands also become a symbol of loyalty as students at Shayla’s school wear the armbands to show that they believe Black Lives Matter. The armbands are also a symbol of Shayla’s coming of age. When Hana first offered Shayla an armband, Shayla did not want to wear it because she did not want to draw attention to herself or make anyone mad. After the trial, Shayla is angry enough that she wants to do something to help her people. She continues wearing this black armband even though the principal warns students they will get in trouble for wearing them because they violate the school’s dress code.