SACRAMENTO – Hundreds showed up to the State Capitol recently to celebrate the power of Black women and put folks on notice about how that power is being wielded in unprecedented ways.
The third annual Black Women’s March was hosted by the local group Black Women United Sacramento. The event started with a march from Crocker Park to the West steps of the Capitol. Along the way women, and supportive men, carried inspiration banners and shared encouraging chants that highlighted the many ways that Black women are magic.
This year’s march theme was She Leads and the culminating rally featured remarks from a number of women in leadership roles, including BWU Executive Director Elika Bernard, Dr. Gina Warren, Courtney Dempsey, Ericka Burns, Maureen Craft and Assemblymember Dr. Shirley N. Weber. Much attention is being given to Dr. Weber’s police use of deadly force bill, AB 392 as is SB 188: The Crown Act, authored by fellow African American lawmaker, Senator Holly Mitcell, which seeks to protect natural hairstyles in the workplace.
Community advocate RoLanda Wilkins of Earth Mama Healing spoke plainly about what steps Black women should be making to claim their power and how women can truly support sisterhood by lifting each other up and encouraging the next generation.
“Voting and all of that is great, every position we have in America, the first Black this, the first Black that, that is all very beautiful, but the point we have to get on is how we treat each other,” Ms. Wilkins shared.
“No law on the books is going to help you love yourself. You have all you need, you don’t need another hero, because you are it. You don’t need another leader, for you must lead yourself,” she continued.
Genoa Barrow |OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer