It’s been almost a year since the death of Breonna Taylor and the fight for social justice is far from over. Organizations such as Until Freedom dedicate their work to addressing these systemic and racial injustices in our country on a daily basis.
On Thursday, February 18th, Until Freedom partnered up REVOLT Black News to bring a special program around the state of Black America, police brutality and social justice. The 15-minute address was co-hosted by social activist and Until Freedom co-founder, Tamika D. Mallory alongside music sensation, Willow Smith to discuss the importance of continued engagement in the fight for social justice.
Mallory has made her mark as a passionate, dedicated civil rights expert since
spearheading the 2017 Women’s March as well as many Black Lives Matter-themed demonstrations. Until Freedom has played a vital role in keeping Breonna Taylor’s name alive since the brutal tragedy that occurred in March 2020.Deemed as “one our generation’s most popular voices and a personal inspiration” by Willow Smith, Tamika D. Mallory voices her powerful opinions and call to action during “State of Emergency” on REVOLT.
BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke with Mallory on her inspiration behind her speech, why she chose REVOLT as the platform to reach audiences and more.
Why did you start Until Freedom?
After departing from my executive role in the Women’s March, which was an organization with a lot of white women, I wanted to take my resources and the education I received leading a global organization, and use them to service to Black and Brown communities. That’s when Until Freedom was born.
What are three takeaways you want audiences to understand after State of Emergency?
I want viewers to realize that this past year people, especially Black women, have worked tirelessly to change the face of the nation. However, the substantive, systemic changes we are fighting for will only happen through strategic, intentional pressure applied on the current administration, as well as local communities. Winning an election does not ensure policy change, justice, or equity. Justice for Breonna Taylor is not a trend; it is a lifelong commitment we are willing to fight for, forever.
What are you trying to accomplish with this speech? Who do you want to learn from this?
I want to encourage Black people to use our strength and power for justice and liberation. I also want to keep the pressure on.
Why did you choose REVOLT as your platform to speak to the masses?
We chose REVOLT because the network represents a population that Until Freedom is targeting – young people, people of color, and low-propensity voters. At Until Freedom, we feel like we have the biggest opportunity to change the way people think and look at it from a different perspective. We think of REVOLT as a partner in the movement and wherever we can infuse political education and community empowerment into conversation, we are on board.
How do you feel Social Justice is being covered in the media? How would you change it?
In this moment, after a year with tremendous attention on racial justice protests around the county, media coverage surrounding Social Justice is getting better. However, there are many false equivalencies or the rush for a false “balanced” narrative. That does real harm to people of color. For instance, the Black Lives Matter movement is not equivalent to the violent insurrectionists who murdered a police officer in our US Capitol.
Check out State of Emergency featuring Tamika D. Mallory only on REVOLT’s YouTube Channel HERE.