By Naima Chambers
For many Black women, the concept of public safety goes far beyond the criminal justice system. It’s about creating safe and thriving communities where everyone has access to the resources they need to succeed. This means focusing on community-based solutions rather than relying solely on law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Black women often advocate for investments in community resources such as affordable housing, health care, and education recognizing that these investments can help address the root causes of crime and violence and create more equitable and just communities.
Dating back to the enslavement of Black folks, where children were taken away from their mothers and sold, Black women have witnessed their men being beaten and stripped of their dignity, while they were forced to breastfeed and care for their masters’ children, leaving their own children without care. Reflecting on the experiences of our ancestors, positive and negative, sheds light on the Black woman’s experience and role in her family and community. For instance, my paternal great grandmother witnessed her husband’s murder by a white store owner for being late on his refrigerator lease payment. My paternal grandmother was the first lady of the church, community servant, and mother of six, who had to fake her husband’s death and send him out of the state to escape a lynch mob. My maternal grandmother was widowed at 30 due to racist violence.
Determined not to accept public assistance, she worked multiple jobs to support her children, which later reduced to three following a hit-and-run that took the life of her 4-year old child. My mother and her siblings were victims of their circumstances, Black-Asian Americans in the 1960s, raised in South Central Los Angeles, subjected to poverty, trauma, drug addiction, and systems of oppression that infest communities of color.
As a Black woman, these traumatic experiences of my female ancestors are unfortunately all too common in our community. Black women have been navigating through systems of oppression and discrimination that have disproportionately impacted our communities, where our psychological and physical safety, as well as that of our children, brothers, and fathers, are threatened daily. As a Black woman, we grow up, recognizing and developing a sense of responsibility to protect, care for, and uplift our community.
This deepened sense of community has led to solidarity of purpose among Black women, who understand that well-being is interconnected with that of our loved ones and neighbors. We are forced into the realization that if we don’t take care of each other and our community, no one else will. There is no room to wonder or question whether we should do something; the only question is what can we do and how can we do it.
Black women recognize the significance of economic advancement, fostering reliable community connections, and prioritizing emotional well-being as crucial components in promoting public safety. We acknowledge that poverty, limited economic prospects, and the ongoing effects of historical and intergenerational traumas are contributing factors to criminal activity and violence. That’s why many Black women advocate for policies that support economic mobility, such as affordable childcare, paid family leave, mental health resources, a family wage, and entrepreneurship.
We understand that building relationships and trust within the community is essential for creating safe and thriving neighborhoods, to address the common challenges historically under resourced and under-served communities have faced.
Braided wisdom serves as a powerful metaphor for the interconnectedness of the issues Black women face and the importance of collective action in addressing these issues. It reminds us that our ancestors have left us a legacy of strength, resilience, and community, and that we are responsible for honoring that legacy by working together to create a better future for ourselves and future generations. Braided wisdom reminds us of the intergenerational strength and knowledge that Black women have inherited from their ancestors and uplifts the importance of collective action in creating safe, healthy, and thriving communities.
As a Black woman, I honor my ancestor’s gift of braided wisdom that guides my steps and my actions as I strive to be a better woman, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and community servant.
Naima Chambers is founder and CEO of the Tri-Cities Diversity & Inclusion Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a unified community through education, advocacy, and the promotion of cultural competence and compassion.
