The Just-Us Initiative . . .

The Just-Us Initiative was born out of Gabrielle Battle’s independent research, conducted in the summer of 2020. Situated in the backdrop of the murder of Breonna Taylor, she lead her own research entitled, Just-Us: Young Black Women’s Perspectives on Justice, Inequality, and Liberation. 

This project was an attempt to understand the ways that Black girls navigate their complex lives within the United States. In a world where the voices of Black women are continually silenced and ignored, this work sought to amplify the voices and experiences of Black girls. For many, the events of the summer of 2020 revealed the racist and sexist divisions present in our society. However, for Black girls, the injustice surrounding the death of Breonna Taylor and many others illustrated a reality that they were all too familiar with. 

After interviewing over 50 Black girls across the United States, Gabrielle knew that research alone aimed at elevating the experiences of Black girls would not be enough. Her research had to be accompanied by action. It was through Black girls’ articulation of their experiences that she started to understand the common experiences that bind us all together, and Gabrielle knew that there had to be more spaces available to create community.

She decided to create an online platform with three key prongs to help address the needs that Black girls discussed. The Just-Us Initiative works to help foster community, generate knowledge and resources, and amplify the Black girl experience. The Initiative is a space for all Black girls (cis and trans) to feel seen, heard, celebrated, and understood. Here, we work to create space to showcase the reality of our lived experience but also provide girls with resources that are instrumental for their ability to succeed and thrive. 

Community.

Time and time again, Gabrielle’s interviewees said that they felt most supported when they were in community with other Black girls. They stated that there was no one else who truly understood their stories and experiences in the same way as their peers. Through this platform, she hopes that girls will be able to connect with their peers and know that they are not alone in their stories and experiences.

Resources.

The Just-Us Initiative aims to provide Black girls with resources that are instrumental for our ability to succeed and thrive. We want to equip Black girls with the knowledge necessary to go out into the world and thrive! We want all Black girls to be able to have access to important information.

Awareness.

Often, the experiences of Black girls go unaddressed. Through campaigns like The Letters to Campaign, we hope to bring awareness to the issues and challenges that Black girls uniquely experience.

Gabrielle wanted to give Black girls this beautiful gift, where they feel celebrated and truly understood in their most authentic form because she believes the key to freedom and liberation lies in Black girls’ ability to claim their own narrative and live in their truth every day.

Toni Morrison once said, “Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership over that freed self was another.” Black girls, Gabrielle hopes this space is your opportunity to claim your freedom in a supportive space alongside your peers. 

You are heard.

You are accepted.

You are understood.

You are loved.

You are enough.

We will continue to work towards our collective freedom.