Over the last several months, our nation, our state and our Knoxville community have been shaken to the core. Not only have we seen a pandemic spread and touch every one of our lives, but we have also been forced to look at some very ugly, very vile, very harsh realities of racism in America.

The uncomfortable truth that our country and community have failed to recognize and admit is that Black people and POC (People of Color) are consistently at a disadvantage through systemic and institutional racism and injustices. Here at Girl Talk, Inc. we stand in the fight with our black and brown brothers and sisters; and we say loud and proud that BLACK LIVES MATTER!

Internally, we pride ourselves as an organization on our diverse staff and board, and have started having conversations with each other about race, one another’s experiences, and the role that our white allies can play to help mitigate racism. We want to be a part of the solution, and we are asking our community to join us in this fight. This is not a political movement. This is a social movement. We encourage you to do the work to educate yourself. Don’t make assumptions; and learn about what racism looks like in all of its forms.

At Girl Talk, it is our duty and responsibility to equip our girls with the tools that they need to live their best lives, and that starts with having real and honest conversations with each other, as well as people who don’t look like them; hearing what they face on a daily basis; and empowering them to make the right decisions to keep themselves safe. The beauty of Girl Talk is that our girls come from so many different socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures. They have shared experiences, as well as different experiences. Yet they come together to appreciate each other for who they are, and not where they’ve been or what they’ve done. We should take notice of how to treat people who don’t look like us just by watching our younger generation.

Join us as we work harder to hold each other accountable. Join us as we work to educate ourselves. Join us as we wake each other up to the horrific injustices that our black and brown families face. We ask that our community look within their own social constructs and recognize the unjust systems. Hold each other accountable, and most importantly, don’t stop.