From the suffragettes to the civil rights movement, a long list of powerful women have fought for justice in Virginia throughout history.
During the Jim Crow era, Evelyn Butts, a Norfolk seamstress, civil rights activist, and community organizer, helped strike down one of the most effective means by which Virginia and other Southern states disenfranchised Black voters. As a plaintiff in Harper v. Virginia Board of Electors, Evelyn sued the Commonwealth, claiming that the poll tax disproportionately affected poor Americans. The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 1966 declared the tax unconstitutional.
Today, from Richmond to Chesapeake, a new generation of changemakers are creating a more equitable and racially just future for Virginia’s youth. In the last seven years, RISE for Youth’s advocacy has led to the closure of three of the state’s youth prisons. It has helped shape legislative reforms aimed at reducing harmful fines and fees for families of incarcerated youth and, where possible, diverting youth from the system entirely. Despite RISE’s laundry list of successes, black youth are still 4.8 times more likely to be incarcerated than their white peers, even when faced with similar charges. Currently, children aged 6-10 years can be arrested in Virginia. Despite pushback from Governor Youngkin, RISE is fighting to pass legislation raising the minimum age for a young person to be arrested.
RISE is a shining example of what’s possible when youth and adult partnerships center not only on the needs of system-involved youth but also on ensuring that youth voices have a seat at the organizing table.
Iyana Scroggins is one of RISE for Youth’s fierce young change makers. Iyana, like many of the historic leaders before her, recognizes the critical role women of color play in facilitating change.
In an interview with the Youth First Justice Collaborative, Iyana describes the unique perspective women of color bring to our movement, “Women of color have a unique perspective when it comes to juvenile justice reform because a lot of our [young people] that are incarcerated that we’re trying to get out are sons and daughters of women of color. We all know that people of color are more likely to be arrested than the average white person.”
Watch and share Iyana’s interview on instagram HERE
In her interview, Iyana recognizes not only her impact as a youth leader but also the fierce leadership of RISE for Youth’s Executive Director, Valerie Slater. “I think Valerie Slater is the baddest-ass woman I know. If there’s a problem, she’s going to fix it.”
Valerie Slater is more than a fantastic lawyer and mentor; she also has a unique ability to center youth and cultivate the brilliance inherently inside them.
“Let’s remember that inside every child’s mind is brilliance,” said Valerie Slater, “It’s full of brilliance, and if we will cultivate brilliance, the world we will live in will be so much more incredible. Imagine channeling the brilliance of children instead of criminalizing and demonizing it. It’s time for us to do that.”
To learn more about RISE for Youth, we encourage you to visit their website and follow them on social media. We at the Youth First Justice Collaborative are excited to see what Iyana, Valerie, and RISE achieve next!
