Four Powerful Reflections from Voices in Our Movement

Fam,

This past month, folks across the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) ecosystem have been intentional about speaking up and building narrative power for key issues that are critical to our movement and to the larger Black community. This ranges from the potential power of restorative justice, to the criminalization of a queer Black woman acting in self-defense, to the need for not just diversity of race or gender on the courts but for experience, to a reflection on Trans Day of Visibility and what is really needed for our trans comrades to feel safe and whole. M4BL is dynamic, multifaceted, and imaginative. The issues we focus on are as diverse as our people because we focus on all that will bring about liberation for Black people.

If you missed these powerful, resonant editorials, no problem. We’re sharing them here for you! Take a moment to hear the stories and reflections of our people, and join us in expanding our view of what’s possible in a free Black future for all.

“Transformative Justice Is Real and It’s Saving My Family,” by Myisha Johnson

Myisha shares her experiences of walking through the restorative-justice process with The Freedom Community Center with her son. She speaks about raising a son with mental illness who was failed by the school system and sent right into the prison pipeline as a result. Her story of how the restorative-justice process has helped her son learn to cope and build a life for himself, and how it helped her family heal, is a powerful testament to the possibilities of a justice that exists outside of the deeply unjust carceral system.

“A Survivor of Violence Is Being Punished in ‘the Best Place to Live in America’,” by Jessica Williams & Ananda Deacon

Madison, Wisconsin, was recently listed as “the best place to live in America,” but in that same city, Kenyairra Gadson, a queer Black woman survivor, is currently being criminalized for an act of self-defense after a group of men stalked and attacked her—including one man who had targeted and harassed her for her queerness for years. In breaking down who has been allowed to claim self-defense in Madison and who hasn’t, it becomes clear: Their definition of a victim or survivor doesn’t include Black women.

“Guest opinion: The vital role of diversity (but not the kind you think) on state courts,”Graphic of a Black woman judge with a gavel in her hand by Cara McClure

The founder of the Birmingham-based organization Faith & Works Collective writes to the people of Alabama about the most essential type of diversity needed on the courts to turn the tide in a state that, if it were a country, would have the highest incarceration rate in the world. With the events of the last few years, Americans have lost faith in the judicial system. To deal with this, in addition to racial and gender diversity, our courts need a diversity of professional experience for them to represent the people they serve. We need fewer “tough on crime” prosecutors and more defense attorneys who have fought against the cruelty and injustice of our systems in the courts.

“On Trans Day of Visibility, We Affirm Visibility, Safety, Protection, Love, and Unity,” by Ryann Holmes

Each year, we mark Transgender Day of Visibility with a reflection that captures the nuance of what it means to be trans in the U.S. today. Yes, we want visibility for our trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive siblings, but visibility can be a double-edged demand. For Black trans women and femmes, visibility can make us vulnerable to transmisogynoir (the combination of trans misogyny and misogynoir). Given that we are celebrating visibility in a time when visibility for Black trans women and femmes can be profoundly dangerous, Ryann explores celebrating the trans community while keeping safety and care at the forefront.

In love and solidarity,
Movement for Black Lives

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