Actress Tracee Ellis Ross is advocating for the extinction of mass incarceration because of how it negatively affects women.
On Thursday, Ross uploaded a video announcing the #BecauseShesPowerful pledge by the Essie Justice Group, a non-profit organization of women with incarcerated loved ones taking on the rampant injustices created by mass incarceration.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrlKz_kH5As/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1wmh1rzh1o0c1
“Today 1 in 4 women across the country has an incarcerated loved one.” – Tracee Ellis Ross
“In the age of mass incarceration mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, and grandmothers of incarcerated people are raising children and holding together families with very little support,” she said.
The black-ish start asked for people to sign up to learn how the political issue is “one of the greatest barriers to gender justice today.”
In her caption, Ross wrote, “END MASS INCARCERATION ~ i believe that we can build a future where all women have the chance to be bright, bold, and powerful. that’s why i joined with @essie4justice to support the #BecauseShesPowerful pledge.”
According to the pledge’s website, women are the fastest growing population of the combined 2.2 million people locked up across America. Statistically, 1 in 2 Black women has an incarcerated family member.
Mass incarceration increases a woman’s risk of poverty, homelessness and chronic illness.
Head over to act.becauseshespowerful.org to sign up for the pledge and get more information on the initiative.
