Watch the doc about the troop, who earn badges for Black Lives Matter, radical pride, disabillity justice, and more
By Malaya Nordyke, Salon
In 2015, a group of young girls wearing matching brown berets and uniforms, decorated with colorful badges, arrived at a Black Lives Matter protest in Oakland, CA. The group, aged from 8 to 10 years old, looked like your typical Girl Scout troop, but instead of selling cookies, they were calling for justice and reform.
This troop is now called the Radical Monarchs, an organization made to empower young girls of color to celebrate their identities and learn about social justice. The Radical Monarchs point not only to the future of girl troops, but also to the bright future of youth activism and social justice.
A core mission of the Radical Monarchs is centering girls of color. “Girls of color and girl identifiees of color live at the margins of so many different oppressions,” Anayvette Martinez, cofounder of the Radical Monarchs, told Salon. They’re often othered or excluded, so having a space made for and by girls of color is rare. The Radical Monarchs reveals the power of friendship among girls of color, or what they call “fierce sisterhood.” The environment fosters radical self love and celebrates individuality.
Featured Image, Courtesy of Linda Goldstein Knowlton/PBS
Full article @ Salon