Black and Brown Girls Matter

[BlueMTexpat]

From my email inbox this morning: https://www.womensmarch.com/missing-girls/

In March, a social media meme went viral stating that 14 Black and Latina girls went missing from the DC area within a 24-hour span. While the statistic was incorrect, it sparked a much-needed conversation about missing girls of color in America, and the overall lack of attention from the media and white communities. This was glaringly obvious at a recent town hall meeting in DC on the missing girls, which was attended almost exclusively by Black folks, and left many women of color wondering where the white women they marched with in January were. For many white women, it may be painful to hear that they have not shown up for their sisters of color; it is also painful for women of color to be ignored by their white sisters when children of color are missing.

While all missing youth face obstacles and are at risk of some kind of violence, girls of color, particularly Black and Indigenous girls, face intersecting threats of gendered violence, racial violence, and mistreatment and violence within systems and institutions that are supposed to serve them. Trans, queer, and gender nonconforming young people, as well as disabled youth, also face intersecting violence and represent a disproportionate share of homeless youth.

The response to #MissingGirlsDC has shown just how pervasive this violence is - and how invisible it is to those who are not directly impacted by it. It is not invisible. We all know it is happening. And we all must act.

Today, Women’s March is launching an awareness campaign to connect people, huddles, and communities, to resources around the issue of the missing Black, Latinx, and Indigenous girls. We are committed to supporting, advocating for, and uplifting the work of local organizations that have long been dedicated to finding and caring for these girls, and for all missing youth - including trans and gender nonconforming youth. Below, we’ve included some organizations based around the country for you to consider supporting - whether by attending meetings and events, volunteering, spreading the word on social media, or through financial support.

I am a white woman who currently lives abroad. I support ALL my sisters - EVERY SINGLE ONE!

[Cha]

1. Mahalo for Shining the Light, Blue!

[BlueMTexpat]

4. It is the Women's March that

is trying to raise awareness of the major discrepancies in media reporting and attention by the authorities - and the public - when kidnapped or missing children are not white. Their focus is on females. But the same applies to males.

Kudos to them! The least that I can do is to help publicize their campaign and I have also shared this information on FB. I don't "do" Twitter or the rest or I would also share there.

The link provides more meaningful suggestions to help.

The Women's March continues to draw on the momentum generated by the January Women's March on Washington. https://www.womensmarch.com/

[Squinch]

2. I remember the summer when Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped. She lived on the other side of the

country from me, and I heard about it every day.

Meanwhile, in a neighborhood I worked in that was 5 miles away from my home, 5 black girls under the age of 11 disappeared within a few months of each other, all last seen around the same intersection I never heard a word about it on any news outlet.

[BlueMTexpat]

3. That is absolutely

outrageous! And telling indeed.

So much for "liberty and justice for ALL."

[Squinch]

5. It was the saddest thing I ever witnessed. Finally the neighborhood put together its own

safety committee and the disappearances stopped. But I don't think they ever found those children.