Why I'm on Substack
1. Why this, why now
After 25 years in criminal justice leadership, I've witnessed a painful pattern: systems designed to protect girls and women of color consistently fail them, often becoming sources of harm instead of help. I've seen anti-bullying laws that criminalize Black girls for defending themselves. I've prosecuted cases where women of color faced harsher sentences while their trauma went unrecognized. I've watched brilliant young women like Yvonnie overcome academic obstacles only to be derailed by institutional failures that followed them from high school to college.
These aren't isolated incidents—they're symptoms of systemic design flaws that treat women and girls of color as problems to manage rather than people to protect. At 58, I'm transitioning from working within these systems to exposing how they fail and advocating for healing-centered alternatives. The current moment demands this work: as attacks on racial equity intensify, we need clear documentation of how protection policies actually operate—and concrete roadmaps for change.
2. What kind of community are you looking to build here
This space is for anyone committed to transforming how systems serve girls and women of color. Whether you're an educator seeing disciplinary disparities in your school, a policy maker seeking evidence-based reforms, a parent navigating hostile institutions, or someone who's experienced these failures personally—this community is for you.
I'm building a network of change-makers who understand that real protection requires intentional design. We're not here to debate whether problems exist—we're here to document how they operate and develop solutions that center healing, dignity, and justice for girls and women of color.
3. Be specific
Here's what to expect:
Regular analysis examining how protection policies fail girls and women of color across institutions—schools, workplaces, healthcare, criminal justice
Regular sharing of solution spotlights highlighting healing-centered approaches and policy innovations that actually work
Routine resource toolkits with concrete implementation guides for advocates, administrators, and policy makers
Free subscribers get: All weekly analysis posts, community discussions, and access to basic resource materials
Paid subscribers get: Detailed solution toolkits, monthly Q&A sessions, early access to research findings, policy template libraries, and priority access to speaking/consulting opportunities.
