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This week Eric Garner’s daughter, Erica, inspired a Twitter hashtag about the silencing of Black women following a town hall with the President. “That’s what I have to do? A Black person has to yell to be heard?” she said.
On Thursday, news hit the internets that Eric Garner’s daughter, Erica, walked out after the ABC taping of President Obama’s Town Hall on race, justice and police brutality. Garner later explained that she had been denied every opportunity to address the President and there was little room to ask genuine questions. According the New York Times: “I was railroaded!” Ms. Garner shouted, noting that the event fell two years after her father’s death. “That’s what I have to do? A Black person has to yell to be heard?”
She further clarified her thoughts to Buzzfeed News, saying “I’m tired of having this conversation. I’m tired. And I think the only way do this is to shut shit down. That’s not what I wanted to do or intend to do, but it’s a shame that I have to be loud and act ‘ghetto’ to get my point across. But I will be not be used and I will not be silent.”
We’re sure you know exactly what she feels. It’s a problem we, as Black women, continually endure. Activist Feminista Jones spoke out — in a string of tweets — on the need for Black women to scream and shout just to be heard. And from this, the #LoudBlackGirl hashtag was born.
Erica Garner said she had to be belligerent to be heard.
— Feminista Jones (@FeministaJones) July 15, 2016
I have a thread somewhere about Black girls/women and the "loud" stereotype
“… Erica’s frustration spoke to me,” Jones tweeted. “I’ve been there. I’ve been silenced. Ignored. Pushed aside as though I didn’t matter #LoudBlackGirls”
“I heartily encourage Black girls and women to be as loud and vocal and ‘ratchet’ and ‘ghetto’ and whatever else they say #LoudBlackGirls,” she added.
The hashtag trended among Black women, touching on nuances like how a fear of appearing “angry” has been a form of silence. And how they are often spoken over, or even overlooked.
Ultimately, the Twitter testimonies were triumphant in shining a spotlight on the support and pride in being a #LoudBlackGirl
"I could not remain silent."
— Yukio Strachan (@boldandworthy) July 15, 2016
—Anita Hill
#LoudBlackGirls pic.twitter.com/DseA4MFzGB
#LoudBlackGirls are the reason #BlackLivesMatter is making progress black men should be praising these women not tearing them down!
— Cumoverbro (@cumoverbro) July 15, 2016
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