About
Stephanie Younger is an 18-year-old student, organizer and writer who advocates for womanism, Black female representation in S.T.E.A.M, the abolition of youth prisons and gun violence prevention.
Articles by this Author
A Call-to-Action to “Well-Intentioned” White Liberals in the Capital of the Confederacy
By Stephanie Younger • On June 3rd, I spoke in front of a crowd comprised of thousands of protesters at the Lee Statue in Richmond, Virginia. I began by sharing an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” (the part where he said that he is “gravely disappointed with the white … Continue reading A Call-to-Action to “Well-Intentioned” White Liberals in the Capital of the Confederacy
Analysis: The Movement that Cancelled R. Kelly
By Stephanie Younger • CW: This article has descriptions of sexual violence. Could a hashtag topple the career of a popular artist? Hashtags have the power to raise social consciousness about the exploitation of marginalized communities, to give them a platform that influences public discourse, and to ultimately change the status quo. Notably, “#MuteRKelly” was … Continue reading Analysis: The Movement that Cancelled R. Kelly
6 Anti-Racist Steps White Liberals Need to Take
By Stephanie Younger • As a young Black female organizer, there have been times where white liberals have invited me to work with them. Each time this happened, and as time passed, I realized that I was experiencing tokenism, that I was consistently being spoken over and stereotyped. So, I wrote this in response white … Continue reading 6 Anti-Racist Steps White Liberals Need to Take
The Backlash Against “Karen” Memes is Peak White Feminism
By Stephanie Younger • In late January, during my break in between college lectures, I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed when I suddenly came across a blog post, in which the author, a white woman, claims that “Karen” memes are “misogynistic,” and make white women feel “marginalized,” and “invisible,” and as though their … Continue reading The Backlash Against “Karen” Memes is Peak White Feminism
Facing Anti-Black Racism at the Hands of “Gun Reform Activists”
By Stephanie Younger • There were good and bad experiences that I had as a young Black organizer between then and now, leading up to where I am today. When I was 15, I was taught to maintain resilience in the face of an empowering, defining moment in my activism, followed by a devastating experience. … Continue reading Facing Anti-Black Racism at the Hands of “Gun Reform Activists”
Why This New Black Female Voter is not “Voting Blue No Matter Who”
By Stephanie Younger • When I learned that 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden won 10 states on Super Tuesday on March 3rd, I couldn’t help but think of his political legacy of fighting for segregation, and enforcing the criminalization of Black and Brown people. Appalled by the amount of Virginians that chose Biden in this … Continue reading Why This New Black Female Voter is not “Voting Blue No Matter Who”
Analysis: The Ways we Talk About Gender Stereotypes Do not Represent the Struggles we All Go Through
By Stephanie Younger • Do the ways we talk about gender stereotypes represent the struggles we all go through? In Katherine Toland Frith and Barbara Mueller’s article entitled, “Advertisements Stereotype Women” written for the book, “Advertising and Societies: Global Issues,” they write about how the media degrades women and girls. Gender stereotypes obviously affect women … Continue reading Analysis: The Ways we Talk About Gender Stereotypes Do not Represent the Struggles we All Go Through
Ways the Mental Health Stigma Harms Black Youth
By Stephanie Younger • In the Black community, talking down to, speaking poorly of, publicly humiliating and criminalizing Black youth as a whole is acceptable. In the Black community, body shaming, and devaluing dark skin and type 4 hair on Black girls is acceptable. In the Black community, being violent against Black women and girls, … Continue reading Ways the Mental Health Stigma Harms Black Youth
Analysis: How Racial Profiling Affects Black and Brown Women and Youth
By Stephanie Younger • Are all people in America served and protected by the law? In the documentary, “Profiled – The Mothers of Murdered Black and Latino Youth,” director Kathleen Foster utilizes the power of art, amplifies the voices of Black and Latin American women and youth, and directs attention to protest and dissent. This … Continue reading Analysis: How Racial Profiling Affects Black and Brown Women and Youth
Black Youth Have Been Combating Gun Violence for Generations
By Stephanie Younger • I’d like to start this article by thanking Mobilizing Youth Project and Women’s March Youth Empower for inviting me to speak at the Town Hall For Gun Violence Prevention. At the town hall, I shared my story of being on the organizing committee of Richmond’s National School Walkout and conveyed why … Continue reading Black Youth Have Been Combating Gun Violence for Generations
An Open Essay About My Experiences with the White Moderate
By Stephanie Younger • In Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” (1963), he wrote, “…I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride towards freedom is not the White Citizens Counciler, or the Ku Klux Klanner, … Continue reading An Open Essay About My Experiences with the White Moderate
Why I am More Included in the Womanist Movement
By Stephanie Younger • I recently had the opportunity to be on the organizing committee of the Women’s March & Expo. Today, I Delivered a Speech at this year’s event. “Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender.” – Alice Walker At age 13, people would rather comment on my body than my intellect. … Continue reading Why I am More Included in the Womanist Movement
Havana Chapman-Edwards on Activism and Girl Power
By Stephanie Younger • 7-year-old student activist Havana Chapman-Edwards (@TheTinyDiplomat) was the only student at her school to participate in the national school walkout to honor the victims of the 1999 Columbine school shooting. Her story went viral and captured the attention of CNN, Refinery29, The Washington Post, USA Today and more. With her honorees … Continue reading Havana Chapman-Edwards on Activism and Girl Power
‘Justice Parade For Youth’ Organized by Youth
By Stephanie Younger • On Saturday Nov. 3rd, the Richmond community joined RISE For Youth, Art 180, and Performing Statistics, to “honor the voices, dreams and demands of youth affected by the school-to-prison pipeline.” The community, composed of speakers, dancers, singers, poets and other performers gathered outside of Hotchkiss Community Center to raise awareness about … Continue reading ‘Justice Parade For Youth’ Organized by Youth
Review: The Hate U Give
By Stephanie Younger • A movie entitled, The Hate U Give—based on the acclaimed YA novel by Angie Thomas, debuts with a then 9-year-old Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), her younger brother Sekani (TJ Wright), who was one year old, and her older half-brother Seven (Lamar Johnson), who was ten, being given “the talk” by their … Continue reading Review: The Hate U Give
“Lift Us Up, Don’t Push Us Out:” Art 180 Opens Exhibition About School Push-Out
By Stephanie Younger • Art 180 is an RVA-based organization that gives marginalized young people the opportunity to create change by expressing themselves through music, poetry, dance, and more. On Friday, October 5th, they opened “Lift Us Up! Don’t Push Us Out!” a mixed-reality exhibit that raises awareness about the school-to-prison pipeline, the youth and … Continue reading “Lift Us Up, Don’t Push Us Out:” Art 180 Opens Exhibition About School Push-Out
The Story Behind the Hashtag “#HelpNotDeath”
By Stephanie Younger • At an art build for the National March For Justice and Reformation for Marcus-David Peters, I met with Princess Blanding, a co-founder of Justice and Reformation to interview her about how the murder of her brother, Marcus-David Peters motivated her to take action. The Richmond Police Department (RPD) recently ruled the … Continue reading The Story Behind the Hashtag “#HelpNotDeath”
A Conversation With Patrisse Khan-Cullors
By Stephanie Younger • On June 11, I had the unforgettable experiences of meeting Patrisse Khan-Cullors (@Osopepatrisse), briefly after she accepted the “Next Generation Award” at the ACLU National Membership Conference. I recently interviewed the artist, organizer, and writer, who founded Dignity and Power Now, co-founded Black Lives Matter, and recently authored her memoir, “When … Continue reading A Conversation With Patrisse Khan-Cullors
When Black Girls are Robbed of their Innocence
By Stephanie Younger • I’d like to start this article thanking Art 180 for giving me a platform to share my story with racism and online harassment through this painting at their gallery “Everything is Connected.” My painting embodies both the fact that Black youth have been rallying against gun violence for generations and my … Continue reading When Black Girls are Robbed of their Innocence
Black Lives Matter Activist Nupol Kiazolu on Womanism
By Stephanie Younger • The murder of Trayvon Martin ignited a fire within a then 12-year-old Nupol Kiazolu “that [she’s] never felt before.” “I couldn’t fully articulate how I felt at the time, but I knew I was angry,” she wrote in a post on Instagram. “A few days after your murder, I came to … Continue reading Black Lives Matter Activist Nupol Kiazolu on Womanism
Why I Didn’t Participate in the National School Walkout
By Stephanie Younger • I am writing this as a Black student activist who was turned away and excluded from speaking by the white student organizers of the Virginia #NationalSchoolWalkout Protest, that took place on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting, at Brown’s Island in Richmond, Virginia. weeks ago, I was informed that … Continue reading Why I Didn’t Participate in the National School Walkout
20 Things Black Girls Should Never Have to Hear or Experience
By Stephanie Younger • The following list is based on real micro-aggressions and instances of racism I’ve experienced, written on the mixed-media piece I created in a VCU Future Studio program at the VCU Arts’ Department of Sculpture + Extended Media, and exhibited at Art 180. It symbolizes how I have transcended the misogyny and … Continue reading 20 Things Black Girls Should Never Have to Hear or Experience
It’s Important to Listen to Black Girls in the Fight Against Gun Violence
By Stephanie Younger • Today, I had the opportunity to speak at a March For Our Lives demonstration in Richmond addressing the fatal school shooting at Majory Stoneman Douglas High school in Parkland, Florida. My speech shed some light onto how gun violence disproportionately affects women, queer and trans people, and Black communities. From NBC12’s coverage … Continue reading It’s Important to Listen to Black Girls in the Fight Against Gun Violence
How Girls Who Code Helped Me Give Back
By Stephanie Younger • I first became interested in robotics in the second grade, and built one for my school’s science fair. I spent the 4th and 5th grade on competitive F.I.R.S.T Lego League robotics teams based at my school, and before the 6th grade, I attended a STEM camp program hosted by The Harris … Continue reading How Girls Who Code Helped Me Give Back
14 Black Girls, Women & Non-Binary People Every Womanist Should Know About
By Stephanie Younger • Many institutions fail to educate Black History and Women’s History from the most marginalized voices in the Black community. Black women, girls and non-binary people are often discredited for our contributions to the feminist movement and the civil rights movement. Civil Rights is often centered around cisgender and heterosexual Black men, … Continue reading 14 Black Girls, Women & Non-Binary People Every Womanist Should Know About
