Why we’re advocating for policy change

Did You Know That There Is A Federal Black Women & Girls Act!?

The FEDERAL Protect Black Women and Girls Act was first introduced by Reps. Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Clarke, and Watson Coleman in 2021. This bill would establish an Interagency Task Force to examine the conditions and experiences of Black women and girls in education, economic development, healthcare, labor and employment, housing, justice, and civil rights, to promote community-based methods for mitigating and addressing harm and ensuring accountability.

60%

 60% of Black girls experience sexual assault before they reach adulthood and 40% of sex trafficking victims were identified as Black women.

3X

 Black women die from pregnancy-related complications at 3X the rate of their non-Hispanic white counterparts.

4x

In comparison to white girls, Black school-aged girls are 4x more likely to be arrested at school and 5x more likely to be transferred to another school for disciplinary reasons.

50%

In 2022, Black people (mainly women and girls) accounted for 50% of the missing person cases in Oakland, while only making up 22% of the city’s population.

In Oakland specifically, Black women, girls and gender expansive folks are going missing, being violently harmed, murdered and trafficked. With artists being critical pillars that shift cultural policy, we are urging a Protect Black Women & Girls Act at the state level in California through art advocacy.

THEREFORE, WE ARE ACTIVATING LOCALLY IN CALIfornia TO PLANT THE SEEDS FOR THE EMANCIPATION OF BLACK WOMEN GLOBALLY!

We are championing the legislation at the state level in California where there is progressive momentum and community space to harness the energy that will move local policy forward.

Art, artists, and culture-makers have long held the role of being society’s instigators, amplifiers, agitators, and influencers. In the United States, in particular, Black artists have always played a key role in creating and leading social justice and human rights movements.

Sign on to support a Protect Black Women & Girls Act of California