If anything, we should be happy that a missing Black woman got the level of national attention that Carlee did, and we should be advocating for that to happen every time a Black woman or girl is missing. Black women and girls do not get the same level of publicity or attention that missing white girls and women do. This is a fact.
According to the National Crime Information Center, 268,884 women went missing in the year 2020, and of those, more than 90,000 were Black women and girls. This means that while Black women represent less than 15% of the entire U.S. population, they made up more than one-third of the women and girls reported missing. And cases involving Black girls and women, on average, stay open four times longer than other cases. Unfortunately, we don’t hear their stories because they don’t get told.
The Carlee Russell story isn’t going to make people stop believing Black women, and it isn’t going to make them stop looking for us. The simple fact is they already don’t believe us, and they already don’t look for us.
The Carlee Russell situation will not stop me from believing Black women
Carlethia Carlee Russell
Carlee Russell doesn’t owe us anything
LinkHere is where I inform you that Carlee Russell doesn’t owe anyone anything. She doesn’t have to talk about what happened to the public. The only questions she needs to answer are those from law enforcement investigators working on her case. That’s it, and that’s all.
The internet and social media specifically have put us in a space where people expect instant gratification at every turn.
A woman disappears on Thursday night, returns to her family safely on Saturday night, and by Tuesday, everyone is demanding that the police investigation be wrapped up and a full public disclosure be made about what happened in these last four days.
Except this is not an episode of “Law & Order: SUV.” This is someone’s real life.
Did you pray for her safe return because you actually wanted her to return safely, or did you post your “prayers” to social media for the likes and clout?
Do you actually care about the safety and well-being of Black women, or is Black suffering more your kink?
Carlee Russell doesn’t owe us anything