By & For: Black Youth
A Look Back at Representation in 2020: 8 Ways Black Hair Matters
Today, Black women are loving their hair unapologetically. We are creating and buying our own products from brands made “By and for Us.” Black hair is a story of resilience and the story has continued as a key topic of conversation throughout 2020. Yes, our twist outs, fros and low cuts are taking center stage as a representation of independence and strength. And yet, centuries of race-based hair discrimination has sparked the saying, “Black hair is not just hair.” Why?
Read MoreHow To Effect Change Through The Political System
In wake of the killings of Jacob Blake, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Aubrey, George Floyd and many other Black people killed by police, America is at its tipping point. It is totally normal to wonder how greatly our voices can shine in the midst of all this violence and a global pandemic. This country has been faced with generation after generation of racial, economic and social inequalities, so, how can we effectively improve the health of our society when faced with so many long-standing obstacles?
Read MoreDirect giving is our legacy. Ignoring that legacy is anti-Black
Our folks built special kinds of ecosystems amidst all the strategies of economic instability that antiBlackness necessitates.
Read More9 intimate photos exploring the meaning & importance of Black queer love
Black queer love, in and of itself, is a defiance to what a Eurocentric, hateful world views as worthy, beautiful, and acceptable.
Read MoreA Black woman navigates outrage over continued anti-Black state violence alongside the pandemic’s mental health challenges
Ultimately, we rely on community care.
Read MoreWhat might happen if we ignore our grief during quarantine?
The day edges on. Repeats. Cracks open. Falls apart. I try to ignore my grief. But it’s still there, underneath everything.
Read MoreState institutions have never protected survivors. COVID-19 makes it clear community care is needed instead
During a time when survivors of color need these resources most, state institutions continue to tragically fail us.
Read MoreBlack folks die from broken hearts all the time
*This piece is published in partnership with Breakthrough as part of By & For: Black Youth, a written series documenting the issues affecting Black girls and gender non-conforming youth. By Amber Butts Content Note: This essay mentions death, suicide and state violence. “Memory is a tough place. You were there. If this is not the truth, it is…
Read More10 Womxn Writers who will keep you inspired through the end of this stressful Women’s History Month
*This piece is published in partnership with Black Youth Project as part of By & For: Black Youth, a written series documenting the issues affecting Black girls and gender non-conforming youth. By Gloria Oladipo Womxn’s History Month is a time to celebrate the incredible achievements of womxn and femmes in a world dominated by the patriarchy. As a…
Read MoreWelcome to By & For: Black Youth!
Since 1999, Breakthrough has been at the vanguard of harnessing the power of media, arts and tech to spark radical culture change. Working in the U.S. and India, we have used pop culture vehicles like music videos, video games, and stand up comedy to promote human rights at the intersection of gender equity, racial justice,…
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