Letters To Campaign

So often, Black women and girls who have lost their lives due to police brutality do not receive justice. Their stories remain untold, and society often ignores the unique way that racism and sexism compound to perpetuate violence towards Black women. Here, we hold space for these Black women and girls, and we remember them in both life and death. We ask that individuals remember their names and continue to tell their stories. Through these letters, each author has chosen to share the story of a Black girl or woman who lost her life due to police brutality or racism. The authors use their letters to uplift the memory of these women and girls and reflect on the ways in which the individual's death impacted them.

We remember you. We love you. We hold space for you.

The Origin of the Letters to Campaign

Dear Reader, 

As I conducted her research over the summer of 2020, interviewing Black girls across the United States, many of my interviewees reflected on the death of Breonna Taylor and the lack of justice that she and so many other Black girls and women receive. Repeatedly, Black girls expressed that they felt that the stories of their peers were not being told and that no one was fighting for their lives. 

So often, Black women and girls who have lost their lives due to police brutality do not receive justice. Society often ignores the unique way that racism and sexism compound to perpetuate violence towards Black women. I wanted to create a piece of art that truly honored the lives of Black girls and women who have tragically lost their lives by amplifying their names, stories, and experiences.

I decided to gather ten young Black women, asking each person to write a letter to a Black girl who lost her life, and her story remains untold. I asked authors to think about what they had in common with these girls, besides their shared racial and gender identity. I wanted girls to reflect on the ways that these deaths affected them while still honoring and amplifying the memories of the dearly departed. The following letters reflect the voices, stories, and emotions of the authors.

We hope that through this campaign, individuals will remember the lives of these young Black cis and trans women, as well as those whose stories still remain neglected.

Sincerely, 

Gabrielle Battle 

CREATOR & FOUNDER 

How You Can Help.

Write a Letter

Join the campaign! Write a letter to submit to the Just Us Initiative website. We invite you to write a letter to cis or trans-Black women or girls who have unjustly lost her life, and whose story remains untold. This is a space for you to share what happened to her and remember her in both life and death. Additionally, please feel free to share how this has impacted you.