WASHINGTON, D.C. — Youth advocate Kawana Billy nearly jumped out of her chair listening to the way a white D.C. Council member described Black youth in Washington. To him, they were “dangerous” and “radioactive,” and at one point, he alleged young people carry guns and scare residents. “It’s very interesting how folks are using these […]
Black youths
Posted inEconomic Development, Housing, Rural Issues
In Rural Mississippi, a Black Town Bets on New Homes to Build Wealth
JONESTOWN, Mississippi — Felisha Stevenson has lived her whole life in this all-Black town of 852 people where everybody knows everybody. “My family, my mom, my cousin, my uncles, we’re just close,” the 40-year-old said. “In the neighborhood that I stay in right now, my sister is next door. My uncle is across the street.” […]
Posted inLGBTQ
Black Transgender Youth Weren’t Getting Help So These Parents Stepped In
Editor’s Note: Due to the sensitive nature of this discussion, Capital B has chosen not to use last names to protect the families’ safety. WASHINGTON — Milissa’s parents initially didn’t embrace her identity when she came out as transgender about 10 years ago, when she was still a preteen. Instead, they told her to love […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Calls for ‘New Blood’ Grow at Congressional Black Caucus Gathering
WASHINGTON — Twenty-two-year-old Dequavius Pitts was excited to be at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The recent Georgia Southern University graduate is interning in the city, and curious to see how panelists discussed issues such as LGBTQ rights. Pitts can talk about his concerns with more seasoned Black members of […]
Posted inLGBTQ, Partner Content
Black LGBTQ+ Youth Need Spaces That Embrace Them Fully, Researchers Say
Originally published by The 19th Twenty-one percent of Black trans, nonbinary and questioning youth have made a suicide attempt in the last year, nearly half said they felt unsafe at school, and 64% said they had encountered transphobia, according to two recent reports that advocates say should serve as a call to action for LGBTQ+ […]
Posted inHealth, Mental Health
What’s Driving Black Kids to the ER?
This story contains discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Black children and adolescents have the highest rate of mental health-related emergency department visits, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released this week. It’s an […]