Many Black women and young girls are still missing in 2020.

Millions of black women and girls go missing in various areas of the country. Just this year alone, thousands of black women and girls went missing and while the search continues national attention has died out. We saw when President Obama and Michelle were in office and Michelle created the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. And still, we have one of the highest missing persons rate in the country of black and brown communities. The hashtag created by Michelle Obama had erupted a massive outcry. In response to the kidnapping of nearly 300 young Black girls in Nigeria by a trafficker named Boko Haram, the hashtag sought to bring global awareness to the mass kidnapping and bring acknowledgment that black women and girls go missing at a rapid rate every single day. Although many can and did debate the efficacy of this social media campaign, it was heartening to see the world did in many aspects at least show that they care about the abduction of Black women and young girls.

Washington, D.C had seen a massive uproar of missing black girls thus the hashtag was once again gaining national attention back in 2017 alone. The lack of response from the district was harshly criticized but even into the year 2020, 3years later there is still an epidemic of black women and young girls missing. A lot of black and brown girls are more likely to be homeless or in economically disadvantaged households, a stigma that is still present causing an increase in runways, kidnappings, trafficking, rape and murder.

Black girls/women may be lured or forced into dangerous situations such as sexual trafficking because of for example physical, sexual and mental abuse at home, not being accepted because of gender or sexual identity and overall trauma to their wellbeing. The list goes on as to why black girls would rather run away than be trapped in an unstable environment, risking their very own lives in order to get some kind of normalcy and safety. There has also been an increase in the torture, kidnappings and rape/murder of black female activists like Oluwatoyin Salau. RIP Toyin. Black women and young girls have become a bigger target in recent years.

Black girls, whether in shelters or on the streets, as well as those in foster care, are targets for sex trafficking and other forms of vicious violence. Although some Black girls reside in loving and supportive foster homes or homes in general, quite often Black women and girls without stable living situations run away from their homes or shelters and unknowingly enter into circumstances that are life-threatening and life-ending.

Outrage is lacking, media coverage is lacking, and most importantly, people caring about black women and girls lives is severely lacking. Bring our black women and girls home for good.