community ANNOUNCEMENT

JOIN US FOR A WEBINAR TOMORROW, NOVEMBER 3 AT 12:00 EST: SPRING VALLEY IS EVERYWHERE: WHEN BEING A BLACK GIRL IS YOUR ONLY CRIME In response to Spring Valley, this webinar will amplify the voices of young women who have been impacted by overly punitive discipline policies, educators who have witnessed the criminalization of Black girls in schools, scholars who have researched the gendered and racialized dimensions of the School to Prison Pipeline, and more.   Featured Speakers: Kimberle Crenshaw- The African American Policy Forum Je'Kendria Trahan- Black Youth Project, DC Amanda Petteruti- Co-author of “The Case Against Police in Schools,” a report from the Justice Policy Institute Kisha Webster- Educator and Youth Advocate Samantha Master- Planned Parenthood Federation of America Nona Jones- PACE Center for Girls REGISTER HERE

We are outraged by the unconscionable act of violence committed in a Spring Valley math class last week. We know that violence against Black girls and women is not new; it is the same violence that brutalized Salecia Johnson, Diamond Neals, Mikia Hutchinson, and Dajerria Becton. The vicious bodily assault on the young Black high school student is indicative of the ways that Black women and girls throughout society encounter state violence on a daily basis.  This system extends beyond Spring Valley and threatens Black girls across the United States. Also join BYP100 for the entire Spring Valley Day of Action! #FundBlackFutures Twitter Townhall, 3-4 pm EST: A conversation where Black people are invited to share their experiences with criminalization in schools, lift up the work people are doing against the school to prison pipeline, and discuss the need to transfer funds from the police state to resources that actually make us safe. School to Prison Pipeline Speakout in Washington DC,6:30pm-8:30pm EST, 1536 U St. NW  Black people of all ages are encouraged to come to the BYP100 DC video station and share their experiences with criminalization in schools on video If you or your child has experienced overpolicing in schools, please send us an email at info@aapf.org. We want to hear your story! #SpringValleyIsEverywhere #BlackGirlsMatter #FundBlackCommunities

community ANNOUNCEMENT

WHEN BEING A BLACK GIRL IS YOUR ONLY CRIME! We are outraged by the unconscionable act of violence committed in a Spring Valley math class this past Monday. While we applaud the decision of Sheriff Lott to fire Ben Fields, we are deeply concerned that charges are still pending against two young Black girls.  These teenagers are not only victims of police abuse, but also of the entire regime which includes the teacher who tried to expel student from class because of a minor infraction, the administrator who escalated the situation by calling the police, the law that permits students to be arrested for “uncooperative behavior,’’ and the criminal “justice” system that continues to punish two traumatized girls rather than apologizing to them and supporting them. That these two young women are forced to confront the emotional burden of being subjected to criminal adjudication on top of having been physically and emotionally abused is further evidence of how deeply entrenched and harmful this punitive approach to education is. We know that violence against Black girls and women is not new; it is the same violence that brutalized Salecia Johnson, Diamond Neals, Mikia Hutchinson, and Dajerria Becton. The vicious bodily assault on the young Black high school student is indicative of the ways that Black women and girls throughout society encounter state violence on a daily basis.  This system extends beyond Spring Valley and threatens Black girls across the United States. Join the African American Policy Forum next Tuesday November 2nd at 12pm EST for a webinar on Black girls and discipline entitled, "Spring Valley is Everywhere: When Being A Black Girl is Your Only Crime." REGISTER HERE This webinar will amplify the voices of young women who have been impacted by overly punitive discipline policies, educators who have witnessed the criminalization of Black girls in schools, scholars who have researched the gendered and racialized dimensions of the School to Prison Pipeline, and more. Speakers will include: Kimberle Crenshaw- The African American Policy Forum Je'Kendria Trahan- Black Youth Project, DC Amanda Petteruti- Co-author of “The Case Against Police in Schools,” a report from the Justice Policy Institute Kisha Wester- Educator and Youth Advocate Samantha Master- Planned Parenthood Federation of America And more…. If you or your child has experienced overpolicing in schools, please send us an email at info@aapf.org. We want to hear your story! #SpringValleyIsEverywhere #BlackGirlsMatter Facebook Twitter Website Instagram YouTube About the African American Policy Forum Founded in 1996, AAPF was developed as part of an ongoing effort to promote women’s rights in the context of struggles for racial equality. It serves as an information clearinghouse that works to bridge the gap between scholarly research and public debates on questions of inequality, discrimination and injustice. Website: www.aapf.org  Email Address: afampolicyforum@gmail.com Phone Number: (212) 854-8041 Mailing Address: African American Policy Forum, Inc. 435 West 116th Street, Rm. 827 New York, NY 10025

bring back THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK

From back in the day, circa mid- 1980's, there was a buzz on the streets of New York City about "THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK."

"The Little Black Book" was  approximately 5"x 5",  had 17 pages and could fit neatly in a shirt or pants pocket.  The booklet was written by Carol Taylor, R.N.

Now in case you didn't know, or don't know, Carol Taylor, R.N. became the first Black airline flight attendant in the United States when she joined Mohawk Airlines in 1958. The company was interested in hiring a minority candidate.Taylor was hired from among 800 applicants.

Prior to that milestone in  her career, Carol Taylor, who attended Elmira College in upstate New York, had also graduated, in 1955, from the Bellevue School of Nursing as a registered nurse, hence the designation, R.N.

But this is not about her being a pioneer in Black History, or aviation. This is also not about her being a pioneer in nursing, where she founded the first professional nursing journal in Barbados in the 1960"s, nor is it about her being a journalist, or civil rights activist in the 1970"s, where Carol Taylor co-founded the Institute for Inter Racial Harmony,  This is about "The Little Black Book" that Taylor wrote in 1985.

"The Little Black Book" was originally written as a survival guide to help young Black men succeed in a racist society. According to Taylor, "I started writing out rules of survival for my son...and I suddenly thought...why not write out directions for all Black Males living in America?"

Carol Taylor eventually penned a total of 30 rules that young Black men should follow to ensure  they do not become an endangered species in American society.

The object of this Survival Manual was to save lives, the lives of Black males.

I ran into Carol Taylor one day in the late 1980's on Court Street in downtown Brooklyn, New York, where I purchased a copy of "The Little Black Book"  for myself, so  I could instruct my young sons. We chatted and she autographed my copy of the booklet.

But now in 2015, I have young daughters , who need to be schooled on how to conduct themselves around authority figures, because they are now targets, as well as Black males.

So there is a need for "The Little Black Book"  to resurface and to be revised to include survival techniques for Black females. As a matter of fact, Black females  are  now being constantly violated by the authorities that are supposed to be serving and helping them.

We all need to know that Black females matter too! Without Black females, there would be no Black males.


I am calling on Carol Taylor, R.N. to revise her manual to include women and girls!




To read more on Carol Taylor, GOOGLE her name.

TOMORROW AT NOON -#whywecantwait

FACT: Black women earn 64 cents for every dollar earned by a white man. Black women are also the primary breadwinners in a majority of Black households. Economic policy that uplifts Black communities must center Black women. Tomorrow at noon EST take a stand against the wealth disparities plaguing our families! #WhyWeCantWait: Where Do We Go From Here? Demarginalizing women and girls of color and creating an intersectional social justice agenda RSVP HERE! Speakers Include: Moderator: Alvin Starks, Director, Strategic Initiatives and Philanthropy, NAACP Kimberle Crenshaw, Executive Director, African American Policy Forum and the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director, Transformative Justice Coalition and Host of Igniting Change Radio Show Terry O’Neill, President, National Organization for Women Rosa Clemente, Hip Hop Activist, Lecturer and Journalist Darnell Moore, Senior Editor at MicNews and Co-Managing Editor at The Feminist Wire Mychal Denzel-Smith, Knobler Fellow and Blogger at The Nation William Darity, Professor of Public Policy, Duke University Marlon Peterson, Founder of The Precedential Group and recipient of the Soros Justice Fellowship Nimmi Gowrinathan, Feminist scholar and human rights activist LaDonna Sanders-Redmond, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Seward Community Co-op Nona Jones, Chief External Affairs Officer, PACE Center for Girls Jyoti Nanda, Professor at UCLA School of Law Monique Lane, Teachers College, Columbia University Kisha Webster, Director of Education and Community Development, Human Rights Campaign N'Dri Assie-Lumumba, Professor of Africana Studies, Cornell University Monica Simpson, Executive Director, SisterSong Priscilla Ocen, Associate Professor, Loyola Law School Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Professor of English Education, Teachers College Lisalyn Jacobs, Vice President for Government Relations, Legal Momentum Anika Simpson, Professor of Philosophy and Women’s Studies, Morgan State University Samantha Master, African American Leadership & Engagement Specialist, Planned Parenthood Federation of America Shay McLean, PhD Student and Activist, University of Illinois Join us and share the event widely with your networks using the hashtag #WhyWeCantWait! Please also join us for a #WhyWeCantWait Twitter chat immediately following tomorrow's event.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

FACT: Black girls are six times as likely to be suspended in our nation's public schools as white girls. All Black youth are at risk of being pushed onto the school-to-prison pipeline. Take a stand against the barriers to equality facing our girls! Join us October 23 at 12:00PM EST for a virtual town hall. #WhyWeCantWait: Where Do We Go From Here? Demarginalizing women and girls of color and creating an intersectional social justice agenda RSVP HERE! On September 19, President Obama finally called for increased recognition and support for Black women. But our work is far from over. Now we must ask--where do we go from here? In the few months that remain, what steps can the Obama Administration take to address the challenges facing women and girls and lift up the barriers--structural, institutional and social--undermining the wellbeing of communities of color? Join us for #WhyWeCantWait: Where Do We Go From Here?, to discuss some of the hard facts about the status of women and girls of color and consider what concrete steps could be taken to enhance their well being. Together let's demand an equitable and meaningful racial justice agenda! Join us and share the event widely with your networks!