One Year Later and Y'all Still Haven't Learned

Another Women's March, huh? I didn't think there was a need for a second one especially after the first was a waste. I thought the purpose of the first Women's March was for White women to realize how they failed this country by voting for Donald Trump. For them to accept accountability and to start helping black women and women of color who have been saving the day over and over again. To make intersectional feminism their goal in their desire to be allies. To work for the advancement and liberation of black and brown folks. 

I guess everyone didn't get the message because the only thing they cared about was wearing those stupid pink hats (I don't want to see them anymore) and making cute, catchy signs to put on Instagram. These are the same women who failed to show up in the special elections in 2017 (they voted in large numbers for Roy Moore and Ed Gillespie); refused stand up and support women of color at the March for Black Women in September 2017; and continued to remain complicit when it came to their racist relatives and friends. The actions of white women over the last year has been indicative of a trend of not showing up for black issues.

Please explain to me why we needed to have another march if our politics and our unity was not going to be intersectional?

As if I needed one more reason not to care about this march, I then saw this Facebook post from one of the creators of the first march and it confirmed everything we have been saying all along. White women see this march as way to pat themselves on the back for the little work that they have put in. For making cute protest signs or tweeting something clever on Twitter that stands for their version of solidarity. No one talks about putting in the real work of calling out racism and bigotry, for ending anti-black policies, for reforming our criminal justice system, for ending broken windows policing, for economic advancement and wage equity, for achieving access to healthcare that isn't defined by zip code or ethnicity. There are so many things we could have done this year, and we had hope that the women's march was a sign things we could become more unified in our activism, but we have been disappointed thus far. 

Nope, that's way too hard. Many of them would rather live in a space where they are comfortable with their feminism and their privilege. It's tiring and to be honest, we're used to it. We've gotten so used to it that black women are creating own safe spaces and movements to uplift and support intersectional feminism. Actually, it's one reason why we started The 94 Percent. 

After the Alabama Senate election, people started to recognize the power of the black vote and what we have known for generations. Black women have been the backbone of this nation and so many others, without gratitude or recognition. 

Instead of sitting around, black women have been mobilizing and carving out spaces for us to thrive.  

The signs are cute and the it's nice to see people coming together for a cause that is grand in theory. We will keep creating these safe spaces for black women and women of color to encourage and uplift each other. Even if the world won't recognize our hard work, or now, expect us to save a world that doesn't care about us, we do care, and we will be here.

So we ask you, white women: what will you do to support black women this year? Voting alone won't free us from the labor people of color have endured for a country that doesn't care about them. How will you show up for people of color? For disabled, LGBTQA+, and gender non-conforming folks? For people of all religions, and socioeconomic statuses? Will you talk to other white people about racism and equality? Will you speak up when it's hard? 

"Screw it, we'll do it" has become more than just a phrase for us at The 94 Percent, it's a lifestyle. If no one else is going to step up to the plate, you better believe we will.