To be young,
To be gifted
To be parent-less
Genetically black-listed
When even as kids
The melanin skin is a risk
How much value do we extend towards their adolescent existence
As a whole, in this state, they’re no more than 10%
How are black kids close to double that within the system?
How did we get here?
And these ain't new stats explored
Historically, the black community has been an over-repped minority
Yet we’re to weary to report on how disproportions distort realities
And manifests itself into bias
But since no one wants to be perceived as racist
We pretend we all have the Midas
That we’ll save every child, the same
Regardless of race, color, or ethnicity
Failing to see that race is a large part
Of children’s identity
It’s a part of who they are, how they live, in most definitely how they’ll be treated in this world
The children and families we serve can’t afford to exist color blindly, as we and our policies sometimes do
Black kids are the least likely to be reunified
Yet Nationally, last picked for adoption
Connection to culture stopped
And for some reason, congregate care seems to be a common and popular option for em
More than any other demographic
How is that possible?
When did the crossover shift from shaking defenders
To kids getting 'return to senders' from child welfare to juvenile justice back to child welfare until the cycle fails to cease
Considering the harm done by law enforcement on black communities, why are we still calling the police on them?
Intentionality moot, the truth is, these kids and families not falling, those cracks, we pushed them through it
And then we’re appalled and confused when their actions match what we ensued
When the way they see the world matches the way the world treats them
And in consequence, we cut the roots right from beneath them
They get no innocent nor are they extended the benefit of doubt
Even during a pandemic, systems sees their skin before they ever open their mouths
WE ARE COMPLICIT IN CREATING THIS REALITY: THEN WE PUNISHED THEM FOR LIVING IT OUT
I remember seeing nothing but black faces in almost all of my group home placements
See we had isolating behaviors that required more extensive surveillance
Our young mistakes would always be explicitly tied to our fate
Perpetually reiterated, from the staff, workers, cops, reporters and TV stations that we slick ain't meant to make it
So this young skin became a hindrance thus I learned to hate it
This was clearest to me while in dependency
Foster care ain’t really child friendly for anybody just yet. We working on it
But it’s historically scaled levels detriment for African Americans
And to the girls
Edges slicked but edged to the back
Is it still black girl magic
When we laid out in caskets
Or trafficked across the atlas
And the community barely gasps
I have to ask, do ya'll see us as human...or are we still fractions?
3/5s, right?
And all the love to those sitting in the margins
With intersecting identities as we struggle to see ALL of who they are
We see our LGBTQ+ kin being discarded the hardest
We standing for you regardless
Affirming all the kinds of black lives is the target here
And that’s the beauty of these hues
While often misconstrued even with bruises
Comes the ancestral ability to self-sooth and continue to move
These black girls are magnificent
And oh, how it STILL feels to be young, black and be gifted
Ruptured lineage but still part of the kindred
Look how many miles we forced when only given inches
So it’s gone take all of us in these trenches
On today, all we ask is that you listen
With open minds and hearts: and don’t shy away from the tension
Because it’s supposed to be there; self assessment is required change
Today and beyond, our intentions must match our actions
We’re looking at our Praxis and reflecting on anti-blackness
The ways that we’ve all channeled it and how we will dismantle it
We’re staying steadfast to our commitment
To the collective safety and wellbeing of all children
But today, I am explicitly talking about the black ones
Cuz they are young
And they are gifted
Afrocentric, our whole culture on they wishlist
Cuz they are young
And they are gifted
Not despite being black
But because they are black
Sade Daniels is the managing training director for the California Youth Connection and recently completed a tenure as Chair for the California Foster Youth Education Task Force. Sade is currently finishing her first novel to be released in 2021.