Emerging Number of Missing Black and Latina Girls Missing in Washington, DC

In March, The Congressional Black Caucus has contacted the Office of the Attorney General and the FBI to help in the search for missing black girls in the Washington, D.C., area, following an alarming string of missing children cases from the nation's capital.

Earlier this year, the Women’s March On Washington drew crowds that totaled close to 5 million attendees. Simultaneous marches were held in cities worldwide as women from all walks of life banded together to protest against various women’s issues from equal pay to reproductive rights, which have long been central to political debate.

But where were these women when DC’s town hall meeting to address missing black and latina girls was taking place? Nowhere in sight.

Where were the white women and other activists from the Women's March in January? Why isn't the national news networks bringing this issue up? Their silence reveals the hypocrisy of the women's movement: organized by affluent white women who do not care about the lives of ordinary black and brown girls. Women's rights has traditionally struggled with acknowledging the untold stories and lived experiences of women of color. Since no white woman showed up, it proves that white feminists can be racist towards causes that does not fit their dominant narrative.

Black women cannot depend on white women and mainstream feminists to save these girls. These missing girls need to be found, and we need all the manpower--including local, state and federal officials--to get to the bottom of this grave situation. If these young girls are victims of human and sex trafficking, I pray that they are found safely and in good health as soon as possible.