Before I was old enough to grasp the intricacies of Little’s case, I understood that the tales about her were a lesson about our family values–about preserving one’s honor and dignity in the face of pervasive racism and sexism. Now that I know the full story, I know that Little advanced those values on a larger scale than I’d ever imagined: Her case galvanized a diverse movement of activists across the nation to band together and demand justice for Joan, as well as for other women of color, sexual assault survivors and victims of police brutality.
Author: Jamia Wilson
Jamia Wilson is a feminist media activist based in New York City. Her words and works have been featured in GOOD Magazine, CBS News, Alternet, GRIT TV, In These Times, NBC’s The Today Show, ABC.com, The Washington Post, and Fox.com. Check out her website at www.jamiawilson.com.