Black History
The Black Girl Magic is Real—Taliaferro, Bennett latest Pittsburgh Black women to win elections
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER — Magic is defined as “the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.” But in Pittsburgh, Devon Taliaferro and Olivia Bennett aren’t “mysterious or supernatural forces.” They are Black women, born and raised in this area, who sought to make change—in Taliaferro’s case, the school system, or in Bennett’s case, the justice system.
By Rob Taylor Jr.
Magic is defined as “the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.”
But in Pittsburgh, Devon Taliaferro and Olivia Bennett aren’t “mysterious or supernatural forces.” They are Black women, born and raised in this area, who sought to make change—in Taliaferro’s case, the school system, or in Bennett’s case, the justice system.
There is a popular hashtag/trending topic circulating across America, labeled #Blackgirlmagic. The concept was formed in 2013 “to celebrate the beauty, power and resilience of Black women.”
You can add Taliaferro and Bennett to Pittsburgh’s growing list of #Blackgirlmagic, after they won their primary election races on May 21.
Taliaferro, 38, dominated the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board District 2 race, besting three other contenders with 34 percent of the total vote. Bennett, 40, surprised many with a victory over challenger Denise Ranalli Russell for Allegheny County Council District 13. Bennett had 58 percent of the vote, Russell tallied 41 percent.
In this heavily Democratic area, both Taliaferro and Bennett won’t have any problems winning the November general election. Thus, you can make their positions on the board and council, respectively, a formality.
“We handle stuff, we make stuff happen,” Bennett told the New Pittsburgh Courier, May 21, about Black women in general. “And I believe that we have the knowledge…we can talk intelligently about policy issues, about things that need to be done. Some of us are coming from a place of poverty, some of us are coming from socio-economic disadvantage, some of us are coming from projects, we have all these different perspectives. It just makes sense that we would be entering public office.”
Added Taliaferro: “Black women are taking over, the Black girl magic is real, and I think it’s important because Black women have so much power and we have a great voice.”
In just the last 18 months, the Pittsburgh area has watched Marita Garrett become Wilkinsburg’s first Black female mayor, Summer Lee become the first Black female state representative in Western Pennsylvania (outside city limits), Nickole Nesby become the first Black female mayor of Duquesne, and Chardae Jones take the throne as mayor of Braddock.
In the May 21 primary election for state Superior Court, Amanda Green-Hawkins garnered the most votes of any candidate—Democrat or Republican—and is in the running to win one of two vacant seats on the court in the November general election.
“I think it’s underrated (the power of Black women),” Taliaferro told the Courier moments after her victory. “We work hard…we deserve to be acknowledged for that hard work. I think it feels good when people can say, ‘I believe in you,’ ‘I think that you can do it,’ and that’s what I’ve experienced.”
Taliaferro grew up in Wilkinsburg, graduated from Wilkinsburg High School in 1999, then attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh. The East Allegheny resident currently is a program associate with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh. She runs two mentoring programs—one at Brashear High School, the other at Greenfield Elementary. With her being in the schools, Taliaferro’s decision for running for school board was “solely on the experiences that I’ve had and the conversations that I’ve had with my students. I talk to kids all the time, I hear that they don’t like lunch, I see them get suspended for outrageous reasons. I see the issues and I see the needs that they have and they deserve better,” she said.
Taliaferro has two main priorities as a soon-to-be board member—first, “making sure our kids are staying in the classroom, that we’re really working towards the solutions that need to happen in order for us to eliminate suspensions…and invest more into the restorative justice practices that exist in the district. And second, investing in more PPS-designated “community schools.” Taliaferro wants to increase the resources that students need to be successful in the home and classroom. But what are those resources? Taliaferro said that is best answered by the parents. Thus, he wants to “engage (parents) and meet them where they are,” such as their child’s football game.
As for Bennett, she couldn’t believe what happened to Antwon Rose II. “When we witnessed a young boy getting shot in the back three times, running away from an officer…we can’t blame a young boy,” she told the Courier after her victory. “This officer was out to serve and protect…I don’t think shooting a boy in the back three times is serving or protecting. We have over 100 police departments in Allegheny County. They are not all working on the same standards and protocols. We need to fix that.”
Rose, 17, was shot to death by former East Pittsburgh Police Officer Michael Rosfeld in June 2018, and was found not guilty of criminal homicide by a jury in March.
Bennett’s primary focus as a future member of county council is the implementation of a county-wide citizen police review board. “Just because you cross over into another municipality, which can happen just by crossing the street in some places,” Bennett said that doesn’t mean a police department’s policies should change.
“We need to have a clear definition on how we are policed in our communities and that is what that county citizen police review board (is for),” Bennett said.
Bennett is a 1996 graduate of Oakland Catholic High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Carlow University. She’s about to attend the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.
Bennett, a Northview Heights resident, celebrated with family, friends and the Taliaferro contingent at Walter’s BBQ Southern Kitchen in Lawrenceville, after learning of the election results.
The mood was festive, as one would expect. The hugs for Bennett and Taliaferro were aplenty, the outpouring of support was abundant.
Absent from the celebration were David Copperfield and David Blaine, two of America’s most famous magicians.
No problem. Taliaferro and Bennett brought their own magic—#Blackgirlmagic.
“We’re tired of people speaking for us that don’t look like us, that don’t live our experiences, but want to continue making policy that is harming us,” Bennett told the Courier. “I think that people around the county are fed up with this, and you see that today.”
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This article originally appeared in the New Pittsburgh Courier.
Activism
S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System
Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.
By Carla Thomas
San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).
Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.
“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”
According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.
“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”
Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.
SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.
Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.
Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.
Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.
Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.
“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.
This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.
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