Black women are neglected, unprotected, and disrespected. Black women experience both gender and racial discrimination, hold few positions of political or economic power, and are often ignored by both political parties. Black women are given nothing but are expected to “make it work.”
The uncanny ability to “make it work” makes Black women the ultimate social justice warriors and servant leaders. Black women fight for the economic, social, and political equality of others. They create opportunities where they did not exist. HBCUs, or Historically Black Colleges and Universities, are often the training ground for such leaders because of their focus on fostering leadership, excellence, and social responsibility. Three Black women – Keisha Lance Bottoms, Kamala Harris, and Stacey Abrams, all HBCU graduates, have shown the world just how incredible Black women are.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a graduate of Florida A&M University, immediately responded to COVID-19 through the use of executive orders – declaring a state of emergency and enforcing a mask mandate, despite a lawsuit from the governor of Georgia. She established COVID-19 policies before some states did and halted evictions in housing developments that serve low-income and at-risk populations of all races and genders.
Kamala Harris, the first woman to hold the Office of Vice President of the United States, is a graduate of Howard University. She has defended the Affordable Care Act, fought for immigrants’ rights, supported legislation to provide resources for low-income communities, and pushed for additional COVID-19 relief. When her male opponent continued to speak over her, she reminded him and the world that, “I’m speaking.”
Tabitha S.M. Morton, Ph.D.
Stacey Abrams, a graduate of Spelman College, is a prominent figure in the fight against voter suppression. Abrams and her organization are a significant reason why Raphael G. Warnock, a graduate of Morehouse College, became Georgia’s first Black senator, and President Biden won the traditionally red state. She worked to register new voters, decrease barriers to access, and promote fairness in voting laws. While not a political official, she turned her loss into a national fight for voting rights.
In only a few months, and during a global pandemic, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Kamala Harris, and Stacey Abrams proved why Black women belong in positions of power. They fought for policies that impact all Americans, not just special interests. They proved that a degree from an HBCU is no different from that of a PWI, a Predominantly White Institution. They show that the most disrespected, unprotected, and neglected group in America could lead the very communities that disregard them.
Tabitha S.M. Morton, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of political science at Prairie View A&M University.