Organizational Spotlight: Raise Black Voices

Founded on Juneteenth of 2020, Raise Black Voices (RBV) is a labor of love, shining a light on systemic racism as it plays out in every sector of our country: from housing to education. RBV highlights the Black-lived experience through their newsletters and published articles from academia and various news publications. RBV informs its readers and followers to help them identify ways to solve the problem of systemic racism.

This May marks one year after George Floyd’s murder. In response to the tragedy, RBV is inspiring and activating communities across the country to spark change. The organization is opening readers’ eyes to systemic racism to help ensure tragedies, like Floyd’s death, do not happen again. Finding new pathways, building a more equitable, ethical, and safer community, and implementing policies are just some ways to drive down incarcerations and violence. It’s by increasing access to opportunities that our country can create an equitable uplift. One specific policy to help prevent future Black generations from enduring another loss like George Floyd’s life would be increasing the number of counselors in our schools.

However, to see these changes, we as a community need to educate ourselves and others on what is occurring. That way, when it comes time to vote, we can elect the right people into office who will make better decisions to bring about the economic and social policy changes needed including investments into our communities.

Currently, RBV is completely self-funded and volunteer-based. Individuals can submit content about systemic racism and the Black-lived experience here. Reposting and following their Instagram, Twitter, Facebook will expand their reach, informing classmates, teachers, family about RBV. By subscribing to their newsletter and resending their newsletter to others we all can help educate and inform others about pertinent and timely issues to help amplify the need for change.

Only through an understanding of what is at stake, can we engage in productive conversations across the country and reimagine public and school safety. It is imperative that people understand and have empathy for the Black experience. Through various partnerships with community groups, institutions, and organizations, RBV will continue to expand their reach and be able to raise Black voices.