It’s almost March and time to celebrate Women’s History Month! We encourage you to create space for discussion and reflection on the importance of uplifting the voices of women and girls of color.
In 2016, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention wrote about the disparities that girls of color face within the intersection of race, gender, class. Girls of color face dangerous stigmas that lead to their criminalization and gendered violence that can lead them into the juvenile justice system. Uplifting the voices of women and girls of color who directly address the multi-layered forms of oppression they face is vital to disrupting those oppressions.
Check out these four TED Talks that highlight the power of learning from women and girls of color and use our discussion guide for deeper reflection.
1. The Urgency of Intersectionality – Kimberly Crenshaw
Kimberly Crenshaw is a legal professor who has studied race and civil rights for the past 30 years. She first coined the phrase "intersectionality" in a 1989 academic paper, and in this TED Talk, shares why a framework for understanding the compounding effect of multiple oppressions is essential.
2. The Standing Rock Resistance and Our Fight for Indigenous Rights – Tara Houska
Tara Houska is a tribal attorney and Couchiching First Nation citizen who daily takes up the fight to protect indigenous history, land and culture. In this TED Talk, she discusses the lasting effects of the trauma stemming from the genocide of indigenous people and her efforts to reclaim the narrative of indigenous resilience.
3. What It’s Like to be Muslim in America? – Dalia Mogahed
Dalia Mogahed is a Muslim scholar who shares her experience of living out her faith amidst constant public misperception, fear and discrimination.
4.The Story of Marvel’s First Queer Latina Superhero - Gabby Rivera
Gabby Rivera is a writer and storyteller who wrote the 2017-2018 Marvel comic book America, featuring the superhero character America Chavez - Marvel's first Latin-American LGBTQ character to star in an ongoing series. In this TED Talk, Gabby Rivera shares how growing up queer and Puerto Rican in the Bronx helped her write the comic book and its importance for representation.
Questions to spark your discussion…
- Why is intersectionality an important framework for anti-racist youth justice advocacy?
- What do we learn when we listen to women of color that we might not learn if their voices go unheard?
- Why does uplifting the voices of women of color on issues of racial and social justice important for the youth justice movement?
- How can the youth justice movement actively resist oppressive narratives of girls of color and uplift narratives that show their power?
NJJN Resources:
- Addressing the Intersection of Gender and Racial Disparities (April 2016)
- Girls in the Juvenile Justice System – Policy Platform (August 2009)