In this 2018 op-ed video from NowThis, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Co-founder and Executive Director of the African American Policy Forum, talks about the Say Her Name campaign, which began in May 2015. She explains how it highlights the stories of Black women who have been killed by the police but are often overlooked in public discussions about race and police violence. The video includes interviews with two mothers of women who were killed by police officers and highlights the high percentage of Black women who die the same way. According to Crenshaw, the Say Her Name campaign aims to lift the silence around this issue and calls for meaningful policy changes to address the intersecting conditions that endanger Black women.

discussion

What is the main purpose of the #SayHerName campaign, according to Kimberlé Crenshaw?

What is the impact of having the victims’ family members share their stories in the Say Her Name campaign? Would these stories be as powerful if told by someone not connected to the victims? 

Crenshaw describes how race, gender and class intersect to endanger Black women. How does this help explain why Black women’s stories are often left out of larger conversations about police violence? 

How do intersecting identities impact the way different people experience racism and violence, and why is it important to consider them?