With nearly one-third of missing children in the United States being Black, some states are proposing “Ebony Alert” systems to address disparities in how missing cases receive public attention and law enforcement response compared with the existing AMBER Alert program.
Tag: Black children
Posted inOpinion
We can save Black mothers — if we better prepare Black fathers
Joshua Liston Zawadi, a Dad Doula and a public voices fellow of the OpEd Project in partnership with the National Black Child Development Institute, argues that improving Black maternal health requires intentionally preparing and empowering Black fathers to be active advocates before, during and after birth. Drawing from his experiences as a father and “dad doula,” he highlights how sidelining fathers in maternity care weakens family outcomes and supports policies like the Dads Matter Act of 2025 that center fathers as vital members of the care team.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Maryland must end the harmful practice of automatically charging youth as adults
Attorney Kisha Brown previously served as director of both the Maryland Attorney General’s Legislative Affairs division and the Civil Rights department. She was the first woman to lead the Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights. In this piece she argues Maryland’s criminal justice system continues to disproportionately harm Black communities, especially through its outdated practice of automatically charging some youth as adults, a policy critics argue urgently needs to end.
Posted inMaryland News
100 unmarked graves, 33 automatic offenses: Maryland must stop failing children
The discovery of 100 unmarked graves near Cheltenham Youth Detention Center highlights Maryland’s failure to protect children in the justice system.
Posted inWord In Black
Why the ADHD surge and punishment of Black students could be linked
Black children are more likely to be misdiagnosed with attention-deficit disorder, and are less likely to receive treatment, leading to disproportionate discipline in schools and a lack of resources and counseling for the disorder.