Thread by @emilyslist

Today’s announcement in the Breonna Taylor case was horrifying. But not surprising.

It reveals a deeply-ingrained system that undervalues, ignores, and denies justice to Black women.

Black women, who make up just 13% of all women in this country, make up 20% of the women shot and killed by police.

And too often, their names don’t even make the news cycle.

Black women face often insurmountable barriers to accessing reproductive services such as birth control, abortion care, and prenatal care.

When Black women do decide to start a family, they face a maternal mortality rate 4 times greater than that of white mothers.

And it’s not a coincidence. It is the abject failure of our systems.

These are all symptoms of a policing system, a criminal justice system, and a health care system that has FAILED to recognize and prioritize the humanity of Black women.

For months, we took to the streets and demanded justice for Breonna Taylor.

But we were demanding justice from a system that was not designed to get justice for women like Breonna.

In order for our justice system and our health care system to work the way we need them to, we must elect leaders that look like us.

Black women, and women of color, are needed in every office — from district attorney’s offices to the United States Senate to the White House.

We need to vote in November for leaders who will fight to reform our criminal justice system, improve our health care system, and reject white supremacy in all its forms.

On the pavement and at the ballot box — we will denounce those who have stood in the way of progress.

We will vote for new leaders and change who represents us. That’s how we’ll change the system.

Breonna’s memory deserves it. #JusticeforBreonnaTaylor