In late September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Ebony Alert system into law—becoming the first state to notify the public when Black children and young Black women between the ages of 12 and 25 disappear. It mirrors the AMBER Alert system, which generates emergency alerts on smartphones and electronic road signs. It also encourages the media to share news when someone vanishes.
But while this new system is a fantastic first step to alleviating racial disparities when it comes to paying attention to missing Black women and children, it doesn’t go far enough.
Black people—Black women—deserve better. Way better. The Ebony Alert system should be worldwide, just like its predecessor.