(Updated 6-30-20)
We’re outraged by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubery – but just saying that, it’s simply not enough. To say that we’re heartbroken for George’s wife and daughter – it’s not enough. We’re grieving their loss and angry for having to do so, but, that’s not enough.

We’ve been fighting for social justice for young mothers and it’s time for a reckoning.​

It might seem like educational equity is a different fight than the Black Lives Matter movement, but it isn’t. We can’t continue to sidestep the fact that ending the cycle of poverty won’t happen without also dismantling the institutions and policies that keep Black communities trapped.Click read more to find a list of resources and book mark this page, we’ll be updating it regularly.

At the core of every social justice issue we fight for, including educational inequity, is the fight against racism.

We have work to do so that not one more Black mother has to mourn the loss of her child and that no more Black children have to ask why their parents were killed.

We’ve seen how racism and prejudice impact our young mothers, how generation after generation inherit its negative consequences – how they inherit poverty. Healing the trauma and addressing racism head on means we have to step up and stop the spread of racism in our everyday lives.

We’re the ones being called on right now, because we’re the ones privileged enough to vote and the ones with the resources to make an impact. We can’t put the fight on the next generation or solely on our Black communities, it’s us, here and now.

We must address every barrier young families face, most importantly racial inequality; because without it, we’ll continue to see racism and bias limit their potential. Racism must end with us, so that every child in every future generation can thrive.

The fight against racism didn’t start with us but it can and needs to end with us.

This is what we’re doing at Teen Success to turn our outrage into positive change:

  • Standing in support of all Black people and the Black Lives Matter movement.
  • Calling out injustice and demanding that our systems change.
  • Having difficult conversations in our homes, in the office, and looking closely at our own biases as individuals and as an organization to identify what we need to change.
  • Identifying how we can use our voice and privilege more powerfully to fight racism and oppression in all its forms.
  • Building social justice education into our program curriculum so that young mothers can advocate for themselves and their communities more effectively.​

A Philanthropist’s Resource List to Support Black Lives Matter

Donate to African-American led organizations fighting for racial equality

Studies show that Black led organizations are often the least funded. Invest in their work and elevate the voices of Black-led organizations making change. Here is a starting list of some potential organizations to donate to:

  1. Minnesota Freedom Fund –  Since 2016, MFF’s mission has been to pay criminal bail and immigration bonds for those who cannot afford to, as they seek to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive money bail. 
  2. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. 
  3. Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., challenging racial and economic injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. 
  4. Our partner, Alliance for Girls, has posted a list of Black led organizations focused on women and girls in the Bay Area.

Embrace difficult conversations and avoid assumptions about race, oppression and equity

Though you may not know what to say, research it, share what you learn, engage in conversation, and stay open to learning from others. Here are some helpful resources to get started (if you’re interested in purchasing any of the books listed below click here to find a Black-owned bookseller to purchase from).
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  1. Resources for adults
    1. Critical Conversations: Dr. Robin DiAngelo on White Fragility and Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism (Article)
    2. Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
    3. Racial Equity Tools Glossary
    4. What is systemic racism? (Video by ACT.TV)
    5. White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo 
    6. Podcast: Notice the Rage, Notice the Silence
  2.  Resources for sharing with children and young adults 
    1. Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez (Read aloud video)
    2. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History and Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History 
    3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas ​

Commit to being anti-racist in your public and private life

 It’s a privilege to educate ourselves and others about systemic racism, instead of experiencing it first-hand.

Examine your bias

Everyone is biased in one way or another. Acknowledging it is the first step in overcoming it.

Vote and demand more from your civic leaders

Choose leaders who will dismantle racist policies and reform police practices. Don’t stop at voting, write and call local and state officials to demand they take action now. Then check out the work Emerge America is doing to get women leaders of color into office.

Keep the conversation going beyond the media attention

Let’s have more conversations on racism and inequity affecting our communities and if you’re already taking action for racial justice, especially for youth, let us know in the comments below so that we can do better too.
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For now, we leave you with this quote from Bryan Stevenson, “The opposite of poverty is justice.”

Listening, learning, and taking action.