by Morgan Jerkins for The Guardian

The other day, I was walking back to my Harlem apartment when I stumbled upon a very shocking sign in front of a black church. It read:

Interview by Michelle Denise Jackson

When we discuss the issues that Black women and girls face today, it’s hard to know where to begin. In the past year, there has been national discourse around police brutality and state-sanctioned violence executed against Black men, women, and children. We’re familiar with names like Aiyana Stanley-Jones, Tanesha Anderson, and Rekia Boyd. There have also been ongoing conversations around gender-based and sexual violence, with high profile cases like Janay Rice’s on-camera beating at the hands of her then fiancé, Ray Rice. Or the ongoing investigation of Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw, who raped and sexually assaulted dozens of women while on duty.

by Deonna Anderson

Ten years ago, the people of New Orleans, Louisiana experienced tragedy. Hurricane Katrina hit, destroying homes, taking lives and changing the city forever. While many were pushed out of the city, some Orleneans stayed post-Katrina and are continuing to work toward building New Orleans back up, and making it even better than it was before the hurricane. “I want us to work on where we want to be. Our primary focus is to ensure that we have an equitable city, that includes all segments of our community,” said Erika McConduit-Diggs, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans (ULGNO).