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Gwen’s Girls Advocating for Black Girls and Their Childhoods
By now, you have probably seen the disturbing video of police pepper-spraying a 9-year-old Black girl as she screamed, “I want my dad!” This is yet another sad example of what Dr. Jamilia Blake has researched and presented about in the Childhood Lost: The Adultification of African American Girls. This horrific event occurred in Rochester, NY; however, given recent incidents, it could happen anywhere.
Nationally and locally, Black girls are at the highest risk of being arrested and detained by the juvenile justice system. In Pittsburgh alone, they are 10 times more likely to be arrested than their white counterparts. Many juvenile justice-involved girls have mental health needs and a history of complex trauma that go unspoken. As seen in the video, police have been known to escalate situations rather than take a trauma-informed approach to create a safe, secure and appropriate space for Black people.
Gwen’s Girls and the Black Girls Equity Alliance are fighting for this system change! If current practices don’t change and interactions continue between law enforcement and Black girls, these headlines will be reoccurring news stories. The young girl in this video could be a girl in your neighborhood, in your child’s class or even your own child.
Be a part of system solutions and attend Gwen’s Girls’ next BGEA meeting!
Juvenile Justice Workgroup: Co-conveners Kim Booth and Dr. Sara Goodkind
Next Monthly Meeting: 2/18/21, 3-5 pm EST
Meetings occur on the 3rd Thursday of every month, 3-5 p.m. EST.