by Sharelle Burt
February 17, 2024
The laws shall be used to ‘promote community-based strategies for mitigating and addressing hurt’ on Black ladies and women.
A gaggle of bipartisan lawmakers are working to place a invoice again in movement that explores the experiences of Black ladies and women in America, The Hill experiences.
Co-chairs of the Caucus on Black Girls and Women — Democrat representatives Robin Kelly (Sick.), Yvette Clarke (N.Y.), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.) –reintroduced the Defend Black Girls and Women Act on Feb. 1, after its preliminary introduction in 2021. Supported by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), the invoice will create a activity pressure to “study the situations and experiences of Black ladies and women in training, financial growth, healthcare, labor and employment, housing, justice and civil rights.”
The laws may even be used to “promote community-based strategies for mitigating and addressing hurt and guaranteeing accountability, and to review societal results on Black ladies and women, and for different functions.”
In an announcement, Kelly mentioned addressing the disparities confronted by Black ladies and women on this nation isn’t sufficient. Extra must be carried out. “Merely acknowledging our nation’s historical past of focused discrimination, harassment and violence in opposition to Black ladies and women won’t right years of systemic racism and sexism,” Kelly mentioned.
“We should leverage the total weight of the federal authorities to hunt justice for Black ladies and women who deserve an equal alternative for a full, completely satisfied, wholesome life.”
The information and numbers don’t lie concerning how racial disparities disproportionately have an effect on Black ladies and women inside a lot of areas. In Mississippi, Black ladies have been discovered to be 4 instances extra more likely to die because of pregnancy-related well being points and issues than white ladies in 2020. Just a few years previous to the act being launched, Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix, spoke out concerning the risks of being Black and pregnant after being recognized with preeclampsia, leading to an emergency c-section.
Whereas the value of all the pieces goes up, the salaries of Black ladies should not. Worker salaries should not maintaining with inflation within the U.S. In 2022, the price of residing was at a 40-year excessive. In line with the Nationwide Girls’s Legislation Heart, Black ladies are paid 67 cents for each greenback a white man makes. White males like Fitzpatrick mentioned these disparities have gone on for “far too lengthy.” On Twitter, Watson Coleman mentioned the invoice is a “essential step towards discovering lasting options to points impacting Black ladies and women.”
If the invoice passes, the duty pressure will present suggestions to Congress, the president and each state authorities on totally different incentives that may be carried out to enhance outcomes.
Different lawmakers confirmed help of the motion like Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) She tweeted concerning the significance of offering Black ladies and women equal alternatives. “Black ladies have performed a key position in guaranteeing liberty, equality, and alternative for all,” Moore wrote.
“I’m proud to help the Defend Black Girls and Women Act to make sure Black ladies and women have equal alternatives to get forward and succeed.”
Lastly, the invoice will obtain backup help from information. The U.S. Fee on Civil Rights will conduct a examine and accumulate information on the consequences of particular financial, well being, felony justice and social service components on Black ladies and women.
RELATED CONTENT: Well being Platform For Black Girls Receives $40K Funding Increase For Maternal Well being Initiative