That’s what I’m talking about….#RadicalBrownies pic.twitter.com/zErNo8QSDb
— RubenCastillaHerrera (@LatinoLdrSHIFT) January 24, 2015
Today in things I wish had existed when I was a kid: The Radical Brownies, a group of girls of color ages 8-12 taking part in a group designed to create opportunities to “form fierce sisterhood, celebrate their cultures and contribute radically to their communities.” They complete workshops that have to do with social protest and the celebration of racial diversity. Has anyone invented that time machine yet? I’d like to go back in time and gift this group to my younger self.
According to Fusion’s Jorge Rivas, the Radical Brownies were founded just last month by Anayvette Martinez and Marilyn Hollinquest. The group currently has 12 girls in Oakland, CA, and will be open to girls of all races once it expands, while still retaining its focus on young girls of color. Among the badges these girls can get are the Radical Beauty Badge, the Food Justice Badge, and one for Radical Self-Love. There was also a Black Lives Matter one after the troupe took part in a civil rights march in their area. Martinez wrote more about the founding in an FAQ on the group’s Facebook page:
Last year, my 4th grade daughter desperately wanted to join a young girl’s troupe. As she was blooming into a young girl of color, I watched her begin to navigate her identity and growth. I saw the need for a group that would empower and encourage her to form bonds of sisterhood with other girls in her community. I began to imagine what a radical young girl’s social justice troupe looked like; a group that centered and affirmed her experiences as a beautiful and brilliant brown girl against so many societal pressures to conform to mainstream ideals of girlhood. I shared this idea with her and she lit up with excitement.
And on the background of Martinez and Hollinquest:
As queer women of color and avid trans allies we believe in creating trans and gender non-conforming inclusive spaces. We embrace the spectrum of gender diversity throughout our lessons and activities with troupe members. As co-founders we each have 15 years of youth development and programming backgrounds with LGBTQ and youth of color, and are implementing best practices in building a strong structure for our group.
As part of their Radical Brownies education, the girls involved learn about the Black Panthers and the Brown Berets (and wear their own berets inspired by them), on top of doing things like studying “how Disney princesses define girls’ image of beauty, and how that can affect self-image.”
On the wall of todays troupe mtg… #MalcolmX #RadicalBrownies #StayWoke A photo posted by Radical Brownies (@radicalbrownies) on
Maritnez told Fusion one part of why this is necessary for children in this age group:
Children are more aware than we think; it’s important to not shelter children from real issues that we’re living,” she said. “It’s especially important for young girls of color to feel empowered.
This sounds like what a lot of young girls (and the world) needs, so lets hope this spreads like wildfire.
You can watch a video interview with the founders here.
(Boing Boing via Fusion)
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