Invest in Black Women

Dear Friends,

As we process yesterday’s election results among our families, friends, and communities, Ohio Women’s Alliance is here to remind you that no politician can ever take away the strength and power that lives within us. We've been here before, and just like in 2016, we know Black women will continue to advocate and care for one another while consistently voting on the right side of justice. We have asked you to trust Black women, vote like Black women, and believe Black women; today, we ask that you embrace our right to peace and healing.

We will not be defeated.

We will not respond to fascism. We will respond to realism. And the reality is that under Trump policies and Trump-appointed SCOTUS judges, Black women in states with abortion restrictions have died at unprecedented rates. Once again, Black women face the highest risk over the next four years. National maternal mortality rates are already 2-3 higher than our white counterparts due to a lack of access to physical, reproductive, mental, and emotional care. During a fascist presidential regime, these rates could get worse. Our power and bodily autonomy directly threaten white supremacy and patriarchy, and so they will take every opportunity to strip us of our freedoms. 

We will always take care of us

Black women have always been at the forefront of revolutionary change, and today, we observe the right to resist the reactionary response to save others, and instead choose rest. 

We keep our heads high, take a collective breath, and pour into Black women, preserving our peace and humanity. 

Black women have a deep understanding of struggle; collectively, we will get through this through strategy, funding, organizing, and healing. But first, we must rest to sustain ourselves for the work ahead. 

We need you to stay with us in the fight to build a stronger Ohio and nation, so please take care of yourselves and your loved ones today, as we will never concede to a culture of harm and hate. 

Forever in Solidarity,
Rhiannon Carnes
Founder & Executive Director