474 Search results for "racial justice act"

“Thinking Blackly”: State violence, U.S. law, and legal death dealing
by Tabias Olajuawon When a person of color is killed by a police officer, or badgeless vigilante, it exposes and strikes at the immoral fabric of Amerikkka. More viscerally, at the psyche of every person of color with a beating heart. More pointedly, at the very being of the collective Black body. Each strike, blow, […]
The stories of our struggles are not for white people to consume in an effort to ‘do better’
By Arielle Iniko Newton Last weekend, my six roommates and I were interviewing potential roommates to fill an unoccupied room in the social justice-oriented home we share. One of the prospects was a white, cisgender, heterosexual man. Upon interviewing him we quickly learned that he did not possess a commitment to dismantling whiteness that we […]
March For Our Lives and the gun control debate are leaving Black children behind
by Jamila Mitchell If Black voices in a “movement” are auxiliary to everything, then it is not a “movement” that intends to end anti-Blackness, and is certainly not meant for Black people. Politics in America have proven that issues which affect predominantly Black people are not a priority, even in liberal social movements like March […]
As light-skinned people, it’s our job to make space for those silenced most by colorism
By michal “mj” jones A few years ago, I invited a group of scholar-activists to present a panel on intergenerational movement building and breaking barriers between elder and younger organizers. The conversation went well, I thought, and we gave the floor over to the attendees to share their stories. Afterwards, an older woman with a […]
How “Christianity is the white man’s religion” feeds the damaging disconnect between the Diaspora and Africa
By Dilara K. Üsküp “Christianity is the white man’s religion. The Holy Bible in the white man’s hands and his interpretations of it have been the greatest single ideological weapon for enslaving millions of non-white human beings.” — Malcolm X (Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X & Alex Haley) While the idea that Christianity […]
Philadelphia District Attorney eliminates cash bail for majority of non-violent crimes
Larry Krasner, Philadelphia’s District Attorney, moved on Wednesday to eliminate the policy of seeking cash bail for 25 non-violent offenses, including driving while intoxicated, marijuana possession, and forgery. This move comes as the latest in a series of similar cases in states like California, New York, and Texas aimed at reducing the use of monetary […]
When a Black woman tells you her worth, believe her the first time
by Tynesha M. McCullers For the past few weeks, people have been up in arms on both sides of the argument about Mo’Nique’s video discussing her disagreement with Netflix concerning her pay for a stand-up special — though the excitement has died down some now. In the video, Mo’Nique calls for Black people to stand […]
HTGAWM’s sex trafficking storyline is a hidden but pervasive narrative for vulnerable Black girls
*A note from our editor Sherronda J. Brown: January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and our theme at Black Youth Project is Human Trafficking and Slavery. We are interested in publishing works that address these topics and the things surrounding them.* This post contains spoilers for season four of How to Get Away With Murder. […]
‘The New Jim Crow’ lands on banned books lists in New Jersey prisons, now allowed after backlash
Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow, which recently reached the eighth anniversary of its original publication date in 2010, was banned from New Jersey state prisons by its Department of Corrections even though by their own admission the book was being used in prison curriculum. In a letter to the Department of Corrections, the American […]
An evening with Angela Davis inspired me to advocate for prison abolition for Black girls
by Stephanie Younger About a year ago, I had the amazing and unforgettable opportunity to meet legendary activist and prison abolitionist Dr. Angela Y. Davis. We met at the Afrikana Independent Film Festival where I was volunteering at as a youth ambassador. This Black film festival prides itself on celebrating cinematic arts through a “global […]
How growing up in what some called a religious “cult” helped me make sense of police abolition
Editor’s Note: This post contains discussions of sexual and domestic violence. It also contains spoilers of the Netflix film One of Us. I’ve been thinking a lot about growing up Black in the Hare Krsna community lately, owed primarily to the fact that I am currently working on a memoir. But I was most recently […]
Kim Kardashian West asks legal team to help Cyntoia Brown and Alice Johnson
According to several recent news reports, Kim Kardashian West is speaking up – through counsel – to help two imprisoned Black women. Kardashian West added her voice to those of celebrities who called for justice for Cyntoia Brown, the 29-year-old Black woman who was forced into teen prostitution, survived sex trafficking abuse and was later […]