Photo by: Ashlyn Eustace
In the words of Malcolm X, “The most disrespected woman in America, is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America, is the black woman.” Black women in America are, and have always been, underrepresented, subject to mass discrimination and ridiculed because of their race and sex. The Women in the NAACP (WIN) Committee of the NAACP, “seeks to enhance the leadership role of women, [and] serves as an advocacy vehicle for issues affecting women.”
Star Jackson, WIN Committee Head of the NAACP, while watching the Golden Globes decided to create an event revolved around the hashtag, “#TimesUp.” The “#TimesUp” hashtag is a movement that served to target sexual abuse, assault, and harassment in the workplace. While recognizing the need for a movement such as this one I acknowledged that black women were often misrepresented and left out of the movement. So, as black women are known to do, we decided to create our own movement and centralized it around black women. Upon preparing for NAACP Week (a week of events centered around the upliftment and recognition of black people), we sought to create a different hashtag that reflected our specific intentions of illuminating the black woman. Sa Maria Boyd coined the hashtag #DontForgetAboutUs, a plea for people to recognize the specific injustices and assault that black women experience as well. The WIN Committee does not want this event to be just a moment during NAACP Week, but rather wish to prolong the fight for recognition and justice for black women. We expect the hashtag to prevail and hopefully bring the injustices and harassment faced by black women to the forefront in order to battle it effectively.
In light of illuminating black women, this week on February 27th, on behalf of the WIN committee, I will be hosting a forum during the NAACP meeting discussing intersectional feminism, and in specific, black feminism. Continuing along with the theme of the #DontForgotAboutUs movement, it is important to highlight movements that advocate against the injustices and oppressions faced by black women in specific. I recognize the significance of mainstream feminism, but in the words of Star Jackson, “women empowerment is important, but black women empowerment is necessary.” Like the #TimesUp movement, mainstream/white feminism does not target or address the specific struggles faced by black women. Our idea of centralizing the broader movement of #Times Up around the interests of black women is similar to the ideals of black feminism. Black feminism was created to address the injustices of both sexism and racism that mainstream feminism often ignores because their fight is only against sexism.
The WIN Committee intends to promote the liberation and equality of black women. Our fight against oppression is not singular, we require and need the support of our black brothers to fight the battle against injustice and oppression with us. I encourage anyone to come to this week’s NAACP meeting and learn more about black feminism as I believe it is beneficial in advocating and promoting the social, economic, and political standing for both black women and men alike.
Photo by: Ashlyn Eustace