Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on the US Supreme Court Matters.
This is an important moment in history. President Joe Biden Nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson To The Supreme Court, The 1st Black Woman to Sit on The Supreme Court.
Representation Matters
While Women’s History Month is empowering for all women, we need to remember that representation matters. Black women have historically been silenced in feminist movements. Feminism has largely focused on middle and upper class white women. In varying cultures, diverse communities, different societies, it is vital to amplify the voices and share the stories of all.
Representation is important for a number of reasons, but the most prominent is that it is imperative to amplify the voices and share the stories of all. While a lack of representation is harmful in itself, the misrepresentation of the underserved is harmful.
In the end, representation matters. Not only does it help to bring to light stories and people that have previously been ignored, but it helps those who have previously been misrepresented feel seen and heard. It fosters empathy between communities, which is an important step as we move towards a more inclusive society. All of our stories are important and changes begins with representation.
Intersectionality
Intersectionality is the recognition that all oppression is connected. It accounts for the fact that some groups are marginalized in more ways than one. For example, a Black woman may experience discrimination because of her African-American culture and her gender. Another person may experience racism and oppression due to a disability. We see intersectionality come into play with issues such as voting rights. Black men were granted voting rights in 1870. This right did not extend to Black women. We’ve all heard people say that American women first gained the right to vote on August 18th, 1920, but this mainly applied to white women. Due to rampant voter suppression, racism, and sexism, many Black women could not vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This is why representation of all members matters within social movements.
Empowering Black Women
President Biden has selected Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to the Supreme Court, the setting in motion a historic confirmation process for the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the nation. Biden’s conscious effort to break up the overwhelmingly white, male make-up of American politics is especially significant for Black women. His ongoing emphasis on putting African-American women in empowering positions suggests he has some understanding of how they’ve been underrepresented and underserved in America.
A Seat at the Table
How different would the United States look if Black women got their long overdue seat at the political table? We can only imagine that issues that disproportionately affect Black women and African-American culture would finally be taken seriously and addressed.
When Black women have their rightful seat at the table, everybody stands to win.
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