October 24, 2023
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing civil unrest due to systemic racism and police violence, more than 400 girls and gender-expansive young people of color participated in virtual In Solidarity Conversations (IS Conversations).
These conversations were co-led by and for girls and gender-expansive young people of color to speak their truth and embolden them to engage in critical dialogue about their lived experiences, needs, and visions beyond this unprecedented moment.
The In Solidarity Conversations centered on the leadership and advocacy of girls and gender-expansive young people of color – whose voices are all too often pushed to the margins – to amplify their needs and ideas for change as the catalyst and crux for a nationwide movement.
Power in Our Truths builds from the knowledge, expertise, and leadership of young people who participated in and co-led the IS Conversations to further our understanding of key themes that surfaced in this initial study. Through survey research, the Power in Our Truths report series provides deeper insights into their experiences and feelings regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racism, police brutality, and the related impact on their physical, emotional, and mental health. It is our collective hope that the data and narratives shared in these reports will serve as a clarion call to action for local and national leaders, policymakers, and the broader public to end police violence and invest in the healing and futures of girls and gender-expansive young people of color.
Power in Our Truths: Series Overview
This report highlights our findings on participants’ feelings about police and police violence. We also offer insights into their ideas for how decision-makers can address police violence and advance safety in their communities.
Justice + Joy National Collaborative and Girls for Gender Equity will highlight findings from our recent survey, which explored the impact of police and police violence on girls and gender-expansive young folks of color. As part of the release of the four-part “Power in Our Truths” report series, the webinar will conclude with a youth forum space in which youth organizers and leaders will engage in conversation with the report authors to share their visions and strategies for addressing police violence and advancing safety in their communities.
Brief II: Girls and Gender-Expansive Young People of Color Speak Truth About How Videos of Police Brutality Detrimentally Affect their Mental Health
Findings in this report detail how girls and gender-expansive young people of color felt about seeing and watching videos of police violence on social media. We also center their voices to spotlight their coping strategies.
Brief III: Girls and Gender-Expansive Young People of Color on the Impact of COVID-19
This brief report includes the findings from survey questions focused on COVID-19 and its impact on the lives of 121 girls and gender-expansive young people of color. Finally, we describe the various strategies girls and gender-expansive young people of color used to cope during the first two years of the pandemic.
Brief IV: Listening to Girls and Gender Expansive Young People of Color
This final brief report includes findings from our open-ended survey responses in which we asked girls and gender-expansive young people of color what they want decision-makers to know about their experiences, what they want decision-makers and legislators to do, what additional thoughts they would like to share about their experiences, and finally, what other social issues are of importance to them.