When I open my phone and see the news, I always see something, something about the Black man and how he is being oppressed, but what about the Black woman?
Say her name
When you take away her life
Say her name
When you refuse to see her strife
Say her name
When you ridicule her for having curls and coils
When you violate her privacy and personal space
Because you simply cannot resist touching something so…different and unique that your mind simply cannot comprehend
Say and remember her name
When you deem her as forgotten and invisible
When you dismiss and exclude her
I advise you to remember her name
For she will continue to rise
Out of the ashes and from the cage you placed her in
For, as Maya Angelou writes
The caged bird sings of freedom
And freedom she will obtain
So, I urge you
Remember her name
For the caged bird will not remain caged forever
Say her name
For one day, everyone will know her name
-Black_Beauty
To close Black History month, it is important to acknowledge that although Blacks (individuals of African descent) have made progress in gaining certain freedoms, there is still more work to be done. Using #SayHerName highlights one issue that needs more attention— police brutality towards Black women. Adapting this was a way of acknowledging the young Black women and girls who were unjustly taken from this world. This was written in loving memory of Aiyanna Stanley Jones, Michelle Cusseaux, Tanisha Anderson, Aura Rusher, Megan Hockaday, and so many more, whose names are important to remember in the fight for equality, equity, and peace.
I highly suggest watching this video: Crenshaw, Kimberlé. 2016. The Urgency of Intersectionality. Uploaded by TED on Youtube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/akOe5-UsQ2o.