Black Girls Deserve Safety and Compassion, Not Criminalization

Since 2015, the safety and security of Black girls on school campuses remain in jeopardy.  In 2012 alone, Black girls were suspended six times more than white girls in public schools across the country, according to a report from the African American Policy Forum. Additionally, girls and non-binary youth who are suspended face a significantly greater likelihood of pushout, where youth are pushed out of the school system.

Read More

A Look Back at Representation in 2020: 8 Ways Black Hair Matters

Closeup of Black Hair Texture

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 More

Welcome 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,…

Read More