The California Black Women’s Collective, Black Women Organized for Political Action, Los Angeles African American Women’s Political Action Committee, and allies stand up for Congressmember Karen Bass and all Black women.
Black women are more likely to be victims of crimes than our female counterparts, according to The Status of Black Women in the United States report by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. According to the report, Black women disproportionately experience violence at home, at school, on the job, and in their neighborhoods. Black women face high rates of intimate partner violence, rape, and homicide.
In California, more than 70 percent of Black households are single mothers who live alone. This statistic was highlighted in the State of Black Women in California Report by the California Black Women’s Collective. Protecting ourselves is a matter of survival. Yet, when we are the victim of crimes, our calls for help are often ignored and even questioned by those who are charged with protecting and serving the community.
The most recent example is the deplorable action of a Los Angeles city council member who called for an investigation of Congressmember Karen Bass, who is running to be the first Black Woman Mayor of the second largest city in the country after her house was broken into. A letter went to the Los Angeles City Attorney with the intent to bring suspicion of her as a victim of a crime as well as accusations of her potentially breaking the law based on what was stolen. As a woman living in the community and being a well-known leader, Congressmember Bass has the right to be protected! And even though she did everything by the book, there was a narrative shaping her as the villain when she was the victim. This was nothing more than a political stunt. However, this type of accusation is a continuation of a pattern that must stop.
Far too often, this happens when it comes to Black Women, and we will no longer accept or tolerate being discounted or treated as if our voice and lives don’t matter. We are not to blame for crimes against us and will continue to demand that the target of any criminal investigation focus on the perpetrator, not the victim. As a Collective of Black Women leaders throughout California and the nation, as well as our allies, we stand against victim shaming of Black Women.
More than 430 signatures were collected in support of this call to action.
Abena Bradford
Ada Briceno
Adrienne Johnson
Aisha Brown
Alana Robinson
Aleta Hernandez
Alice Goff
Alten Todd
Alva McCruter
Amy Turk
Andrea Slater
Andrea Robinson
Andrea Gacs
Andria Hancock-Crear
Angel Gillis
Angela Reddock-Wright, Esq
Angela Smith Minniefield
Angela King Brown Angela Thompson
Anita Williams
Annetta Wells
Areva Martin, Esq
Arnetta Mack
Audrena Redmond
Austin Griffin
Ay’Anna Mood
Ayiko M Broyard
Barbara Jackson
Barbara Brass
Barbara McGee
Belinda Beeks
Bennetra Thomas
Berta Davis
Bertha Wellington
Betty Williams
Betty Stewart
Beverley Morgan-Sandoz
Bishop L J Guillory
Blayne Sutton Wills Bobbie J. Anderson
Bonita O’Neal
Bonnie Berry LaMont
Brenda Sutton Wills
Brenda Autrey
Brian McAlister
Buffany Hunter
Burnadette Norris-Weeks
Camile Bowie
Camilla Blair
Candace Smith
Cari Jackson Lewis
Carl Jarmon
Carlette Rhone
Carlottia Scott
Carmen Hayes-Walker,
Carmen Jones
Carol McGruder
Carol Emory
Carol A Maxey-Ware
Carole Gibson
Carole Brooks
Carolina Simmons
Caroline Kennedy
Carolyn Fleming-Williams
Carolyn Fowler
Cathy Creswell
Cathy Unger
Cecilia Hamilton
Cecily Myart-Cruz
Chanda Robinson
Chandra Hatcher
Chantel Mullen
Charisse Bremond
Charles Marshall
Charlotte Northern-White
Charmaine Jefferson
Che Wright
Chef Basil Kimbrew
Chef Lizet Angulo
Chennita Crawford
Cheryl Green
Cheryl Poinsette Brown
Chikeena Babb
Chriscynthia Calhoun
Christina Laster
Christopher Shaw
Cookie Parker
Courtney Hun
Crystal Crawford
Curtistine White
Cyst Marshall
Cynthia Sterling
Cynthia LeBlanc
Cynthia Adams
- Shenell Reed
Dallas Fowler
Danny Bakewell Jr.
Darla Claypool
Darlene Futrel
Darlene Donloe
Dawn Taylor
Dawn Epps
Dawn Modkins
Deborah Wilder
Deborah Franklin
Deborah Thomas
Deborah Bell
Debra Durham
Debra Jennings
Debra Brown
Dee Mitchell
Deidre Gilbert
Deidre Jones
Deja Edmond
Denzel Ward
Denecia Quander
Denee Harrison
Denise Pines
Denise Barton
Denise Diggs
Desiree Peterson Bell
Dezie Woods-Jones
Diana Love
Diana Madoshi
Diana Wilson
Diandra Bremond
Diane Robertson
Diane Nash
Dolores Spears
Dominique Banos
Dondrea Morgan
Doris Washington
Dr. Alisa Orduna
Dr. Angela Steed
Dr. Anita Nicholas
Dr. Arletta BrinsonDr. Brenda Simmons
Dr. Carliss McGhee
Dr. Colette Harris Mathews
Dr. Edwina Ward
Dr. Gail Willis
Dr. Henry Armstrong
Dr. Jennifer B. Jones
Dr. Joni Ricks
Dr. Julianne Malveaux
Dr. Karon Wilson
Dr. Paris Andrew
Dr. SharmaHenderson
Dr. Shirley Thornton
Ebani Abram
Edna Lozano
Elizabeth Evans
Elizabeth Wesson
Erica Ford
Erma Hall-Wood
Fee Hampton
Felice Mitchell
Frances Richards
Gabriela Navas
Gail Ellis
Gayle Lecus
Genesis Diaz
Genette Miller
Geneva Futrel
George Tate
Gina Wood
Gina Stewart
Gladys Thomas
Glenda Gill
Gloria Moore
Gloria Jernigan
Gloria Clemons White
Gloria Davis
Glory Dees-Batiste
Greta King
Gwendolyn Goodman
Hardy Brown, Sr.
Haydeh Takasugi
Helen Butler
Hon. Alma Adams
Hon. Angela Andrews
Hon. Barbara Calhoun
Hon. Cheryl Brown Hon. Diamond Staton-Williams
Hon. Diana Becton
Hon. Emma Sharif
Hon. Enaj Leotaud
Hon. Holly Mitchell
Hon. Jacque Robinson-Baisley
Hon. Jasmine Crocket
Hon. Juanita Doplemore Hon. Kandie Smith
Hon. Kristin McGuire
Hon. Linda Coleman
Hon. Lisa Gauthier
Hon. Lori Wilson
Hon. Nancy Chaires
Hon. Meredith Lawson-Rowe
Hon. Sydney Kamlager
Hon. Tina McKinnor
Hon. Treva Reid
Hon. Vanessa Gilmore
Ida Taylor
Ingrid Palmer
Israel Tamiru
Jacqueline Beatty-Smith
Jacqueline Bazy, Esq
Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker
Jacquelyn Nash
Jacquetta Moore
Jaime Powell
Ja’Khia Jones
James Bryant
Janel Housie
Janet Kelly
Janeth Zavala
Janette Robinson Flint
Jean Franklin
Jennifer Perry
Jewel Love
Jill Wesley
Jimmie Woods-Gray
Joan Goddard
Jotaka Eaddy
Joy Atkinson
Joyce Brayboy
Julie Waters
Kamryn Tate
Karen Earl
Karen Kelly
Karen Corsey
Kathy Williamson
Katonja Neal
Katrina Williams
Keisha Mathews
Kellie Todd Griffin
Kelly Graham
Kendra Lewis
Kendrick Roberson
Kennedy Wilson
Kenyon Johnson
Khaliah Williams
Kim Wesley
Kim Anderson
Kinna Perry
Kristee Haggins
Krystal Leaphart
Kym Whitley
Kyren Griffin
La Donna Black Ott
LaChelle Woodert
LaDonna S Black Ott
LaJuan Williams
LaNiece Jones
LaTanya McGlory
Laura Sanchez
Lauren Babb
Laurissa Wells
LaWana Brown
Leah Wade
Leana Babineaux
Lena Stewart
Lesenda Briggs
Lesley Gool, Esq
Linda Ward-Smith
Linda Collins
Lisa Williams
Lisa Laster, Constituent
Lisa Bell
Lisa Guzman
Lora-Ellen McKinney
Lori Condinus
Lori Gay
Lori Caudill
Lucinda Bazile
Lynis Johnson
Lynn Summers
Lynnette Howard
Mae Gates
Malakhi Simmons
Marcela Howell
Marcia Jones
Margie Bibbins
Marilyn Goss-Dow
Marilyn Batchelor
Marla Cureton
Marsha Myers
Marva Wilks
Mary Crayton
Mary Collins
Mary Ratcliff
Mary Finger
Mary Christian
Maurita Coley
Melanie Campbell
Melissa Fox
Meredith Benson
Michele Foxwell
Michele Reed
Michelle Felder
Michelle Lathan
Miguel Scoby
Mike Davis
Minnie Williams
Mishaun Freeman
Molly Watson
Morenike Christian Ms. Rosalind Evans Johnson
Myesha Matthews
Myesha Glover
Najee Ali
Nakia Mack
Naomi Cox
Natasha Gill
Nathan Briggs
Nicole Riley
Nicole Wilson
Nicole Hill
Njeri Rutledge
Nolice Edwards
Nora Cooper
Norchelle Brown
Ondreia Harden
Ozella Anderson
Pamela Mitchell
Pamela Moon
Pamela Williams
Pamela T Miller, Esq.
Paris Jackson
Pastor Steven Neal
Pat Thompson
Patricia Sanders
Patsy Howard
Pleasant Patterson Rachel Green
Rashida Tyler
Regina Wilson-Henry
Rev. Dr. Susan K Smith
Rev. Sharinese Jackson
Richard Harrison
Robin Dennis
Robin Williams
Robin Lovering
Robyn Greene Arrington Rolamda Wilkins
Rosa M Russell
Rosalyn Hackworth
Rose Whitney
Rosemary Yoshikawa
Rosie Manning
Roslyn Austin
Roslyn Brock
Rowena Brown
Russell Maitland
Sabrina Clark
Sabrina Sanders
Thyressa Williams
Samine Parris-Stowes
Sandi Cook
Sandra Poole
Sandra Williams
Sarah Harris
Sarita Gaynor
Shani Melinda
Sharnette Clemons
Sharon Sharon
Sharon Vallera Robinson
Sharon Collins
Shauna Bain Smith Esq.
Shaunelle Curry
Shavon Moore – Cage
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Shawn LaRe Brinkley
Sheila Tyler Smith
Sheila Collins
Shellee Samuels
Shelia Bordeaux
Shere Cleckley
Sherron A Rouzan Shirley Pruitt,
Shonna McDaniels
Simboa Wright
Sonjia White
Sonya Burnham
Sonya Young Aadam
Stacey Cummings Susanne Diggs-Wilborn
Suzanne Edwards-Acton
Tabitha Johnson-Green
Taisha Brown
Talitha Watkins
Tamara Aburto
Tamela Mitchell
Tamika Lott
Tamiko Welch
Tammy Willis
Tamry McCauley
Tanya Lane
Tanya Diggs
Tanya T. Coats
Tatum Little
Taylor Sims
Taylor Kimber
Terence Perry
TeRenna Taylor
Teresa Jones
Teri Holoman
Terry Cummings
Terry Reed
Thelma Harris
Theresa Brunson, Esq
Tia Delaney
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Tia Smith
Tichia Sims Lindsay
Tiffany Hill
Tiffany Joy Murchison
Tina House Latiker
Tobeka Green
Tonia McMillian
Tony Alexander
Tonya Alston
Tonya Burke
Toya Wheeler-Tate
Tracey Crowell
Traci Hundley
Tracy Mitchell
Trena Lawson
Valencia Nicholson
Valerie Montague
Valerie Bouldin
Vanessa Tyson
Vanessa Scott
Velma Sykes
Velma Butler
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Veronica Smith
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Wanda Davis
Wanda Sabir
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Wanza Tolliver
Wendy Gladney
Wendy Hoyt
Yvette Elam
Yvette Wells
Yvonne Melton
Yvonne Wheeler
