“Being a part of this amazing project has been really eye opening for me. Talking to all of these wonderful, talented young girls, and hearing their stories has really put a light on the mistreatment of girls of color in schools. Listening to these girls stories I can also relate to what they have been through, and through this project I hope that I can continue to fight for change and I hope others can use their voice as well.”

“As a community, it is our responsibility to understand the experiences of Black and Brown girls. It has been an honor to serve on this this Board as we worked to learn about Black and Brown girls’ experiences and the ways in which we could support them. I hope this report inspires you all to center and support Black and Brown girls.”

“It is important to give light and meaningful data to inequities we know exist in the Commonwealth and beyond. By listening to the voices of our youth we are better able to drive the changes at which they need to be successful.”

“Black Girls… Don’t be afraid to use your voice. Your thoughts, opinions, and ideas are just as important as anybody else’s. When you speak, speak with boldness and purpose. Have courage, be confident, and always be true to yourself! Live your life fearlessly! Your voice has GREAT power; don’t be afraid to utilize it when needed. You’re NOT an angry Black woman; you’re a woman who has something important to say. Your voice matters and so do YOU.”

“Joining this Community Advisory board gave me the opportunity to highlight and uplift the voices of girls of color in Massachusetts as well as gain experience and connections with the people I worked with. I often advocate for myself and other students of color at the PWI [primarily white institution] I attend and am often viewed as someone who “complains too much” or is just “unhappy” when truly schools all over Massachusetts still mistreat and ignore students of color, especially the girls of color. If I cannot get through to my school I hope that the work we all have invested here breaks through to some other schools we reach. I hope the Massachusetts educational system and school administrators see this report, see us Black girls, and hear us. I hope that educators will reflect on themselves and devote themselves to supporting girls and boys of color. I want to continue this work so I thank MA Appleseed for this opportunity and assisting me embark on my journey of activism for women and girls of color.”

“I joined this Community Advisory Board as a representative for Elevated Thought because I believe that we have the power to change our realities. Community-building work like this, the work that we have done in supporting the creation of this report, and the reading and internalizing of this report that I hope you all will do are the first steps. My hope is that you will read this report with care and compassion in your heart for all of the Black and Brown young women that have had to endure the harmful effects of exclusionary discipline. I hope that this report moves you to listen to the voices of young people and young women when they ask for what they need. Thank you to the Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice for bringing together a wide array of folks and supporting us in doing this important work.”

“These are authentic stories from real girls living and attending our schools here in Massachusetts, and unfortunately their experiences are not unique. Their bravery, perseverance, and understanding of self at such a young age is remarkable. I could see my younger self in so many of their experiences, the version of myself that was too timid to speak up. Though I wish these scenarios were not still arising for young girls of color, I’m so proud to see them use their voices in this way. I also want to commend MA Appleseed for taking the lead on this study and allowing individuals like myself to have the opportunity to have a significant role in this unique experience.”

“The opportunity to participate in this project has been such an honor to us at JDI. JDI recognizes that the trauma inflicted by systems – including school systems – is deeply intertwined with the harm and trauma of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. We are fully committed to ensuring that the experiences shared by the courageous BIPOC girls in this report will become the basis for systems and culture change and healing in Massachusetts for years to come.”