They know more than anyone about the toll of gun violence.
By Jenée Desmond-Harris Senior Staff Editor, Opinion |
Black mothers know more than anyone about the toll of gun violence. As killings by the police and mass shootings continue to make headlines, it's time we listen to them. |
Arionne Nettles, a Chicago-based reporter, interviewed Black moms around the country about their experiences and wrote an accompanying essay on her own anxiety about keeping her son safe. |
"The priorities of some people concerned about racist violence at the hands of the police — those who want to reduce the presence of officers — are often framed as being in tension with those of Black people who want their communities to be safer," Nettles wrote. "That's simply not true." |
The perspectives of the women she interviewed back that up. And you may not be surprised to learn that many of them have moved past grief over lost loved ones or distress about the violence — by both police officers and civilians — affecting their communities to engage in activism and to find solutions. |
While the piece is admittedly not light Mother's Day weekend reading, we believe it honors the insights of the women who are featured, and the many others who have had similar experiences. Perhaps celebrating Black moms starts with listening to them. |
Here's what we're focusing on today: |
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