WHY BLACK
FEMINISMS?
BFF defines Black feminisms as:
An ideology or belief system that explains how power and systems of oppression are both interconnected and systemic, and provides us with a blueprint for our individual and collective liberation.
Black feminisms explain how systems of oppression and power like white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, etc are both interconnected and systemic.
As Black people, we live lives of multiple identities and experiences that inform how our world is ordered and ultimately impact our daily interactions, thoughts, and lives. We experience power and oppression and our identities at the same time.
This also applies to how we experience our identities as Black people. Black feminisms helps us understand that we do not experience our identities singularly. The identities we hold are interconnected in the same way these systems are. For this reason, as Black feminists, know that to win we can not prioritize one system or identity over another, but instead use an intersectional or a Black feminist approach in our fights for freedom.
With this in mind, as Black feminists, we believe it is essential that we examine our personal lives as well as the roots of these systems to understand how power and oppression work.
Black feminisms take shape in many forms, hence we say Black feminism(s). The work of Black feminists is global, intersectional, pan-African, anti-capitalist, radical, socialist, afro-futurist, and so much more. It is a legacy of liberation work that has come before us, and that we continue. We invite you to use our definition of Black feminisms as a starting point for your exploration into advancing Black feminisms as the blueprint to our collective liberation.
Black feminisms is a way to analyze systems of power, especially impacting those of us marginalized by race, gender, class, sexuality, ability, and beyond.
This means we do not look at these systems as isolated, but instead interrogate how they all weave together into a larger picture.
OUR
APPROACH
ASSUMPTIONS
- There is a need for a 21st-century feminist movement and it must be led by Black feminist liberators and organizations
- All global systems of oppression are interlocked and harmful to everyone—they must be dismantled
- Racial gendered capitalism is a threat to all Black people
- Disrupting and undoing patriarchy is a long game but we must begin today
- Transformation of self, community, and society is required for Black feminist solutions to be actualized
OUR GOALS &
STRATEGIES
FIERCE INDIVIDUAL & ORGANIZATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
- Political education
- Leadership development
- Technical support
- Campaigns
BUILD BLACK FEMINIST
SOCIAL & NARRATIVE POWER
- Thought leadership
- Popularizing BF ideology, practices, and solutions
- Adoption of BF analysis in popular culture and political engagement
STRONG MOVEMENT CONNECTIVITY & ALIGNMENT
- Network weaving
- Movement Building
- Capacity building
- Strategic collaborative projects and initiatives
BIG PICTURE
GOAL & IMPACT
Defeating misogynoir and advancing Black feminisms for the collective liberation of Black people, in particular, Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people.
