The second annual Black Women’s March was held in Washington, D.C this past weekend, to address the alarming rates of violence and murder surrounding Black women and girls in the U.S.
In particular, the Black Women’s March called attention to a lack of legislation or additional protections placed on the laws for Black women, much like those for missing and murdered Indigenous women.
The march was coordinated by Black Women Lead: Black Femme Fund, The Blackful Anti-Racism Consulting, and Black Femicide US.
Politicians on both sides have been silent on what’s been happening to Black women and girls every five hours. They been silent about our domestic violence, they have been silent on our human trafficking. We are demanding politicians speak up for us the way that they do with other groups. We deserve the same respect.
Black Women’s March 2022 organizers
Black Femicide US is currently working to try and get support for a domestic violence registry. Much like a sex offender registry, women would have the tools to see if men in their lives have a past history of violence against women.
In 2019, The FBI and CDC found that Black girls and women were the most often killed among female demographics (BET).
The purpose of the Black Women’s March is to make Black Femicide more visible and to bring awareness to the issues Black women and girls uniquely and disproportionately face.
In Los Angeles, the issues of Black femicide continues to be raised by the Women’s Leadership Project.
On April 2 the Women’s Leadership Project held a #Standing4BlackGirls community action in Leimert Park, to speak to the same issues raised by the Black Women’s March–amplifying the issues of missing and murdered Black girls and women in L.A County.
In 2020, of the 268,884 girls and women who were reported missing in the U.S., 90,333, or nearly 34% of them, were Black, according to the National Crime Information Center.
The death of 16-year-old Tioni Theus who was found dumped along an on ramp of the 110 freeway earlier this year in South Central–along with the 2020 disappearance of Mikeona Johnson who was later found dead in her car by an elementary school also in South Central–continue to go unsolved.
There reward in both cases is currently at more than $100,000 each.
“This is a real issue and we need people in power to see us and to hear us. You demand Black women vote for you, you demand that Black women do all this extra labor, we are telling you right now, we are demanding your help. We are paying you to do this. This has to stop and you have the power to help us do this. Politicians and everyone who cares about humans, need to start caring about Black women.
Black Women’s March 2022 organizers
Video: Hawaiii Life Youtube
