Cyntoia Brown was sex-trafficked, drugged, and raped repeatedly at age 16. She worked up the courage to fight back and shoot the 43 year old predator who bought her for which she was convicted as an adult and sentenced to life in prison. She is a victim failed by the justice system. No child should be sentenced to serve the rest of their life in prison. Enough is enough!

This is just another devastating example of how the justice system continues to fail POC, especially young WOC. The justice system punishes and criminalizes some for using their agency to fight back against abusers, leaving many to sit in prison for decades. 

Cyntoia's story has gathered many people's attention and people are asking for her case to be reopened. Below are a couple of petitions that you can sign to make this happen.

Color For Change.org

https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/justice-for-cyntoiabrown/

Moveon.org

https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/free-cyntoia-brown

I've also made of list of organizations doing important work to protect the children:

Color For Change 

Is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over one million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America.

Assata's Daughters 

Was formed in March 2015 in order to address a shortage in programming and community for women identified young black people in Chicago. Founded, planned, and operated by black women, Assata's Daughters carries on the tradition of radical liberators activism encompassed by Assata Shakur. 

Schools Not Prisons

Is a public education campaign by Californians for Safety and Justice that is raising awareness about who California sends to prison, the cost and how that spending affects investments in education, health and other community needs.

Decarcerate PA

Is a coalition of organizations and individuals seeking an end to mass incarceration and the harms it brings our communities. Decarcerate PA seeks mechanisms to build whole, healthy communities and believes that imprisonment exacerbates the problems we face. We therefore demand an immediate and lasting moratorium on all new prisons: no new prisons, no new county or city jails, no prison expansions, no new beds in county jails, no immigrant detention facilities, no private prisons. We also demand changes in policing, sentencing and legislation to reduce the prison population.

California Coalition For Women Prisoners

CCWP is a grassroots social justice organization, with members inside and outside prison, that challenges the institutional violence imposed on women, transgender people, and communities of color by the prison industrial complex (PIC). We see the struggle for racial and gender justice as central to dismantling the PIC and we prioritize the leadership of the people, families, and communities most impacted in building this movement.

* 100% of the proceeds to Female's Collective's t-shirt Free Cyntoia will go directly to Cyntoia Brown and go straight onto her books! Link below!

https://femalecollective.org/products/free-cyntoia-brown

Below is her address show Cyntoia some love and write to her:

Ms Cyntoia D Brown #410593

Tennessee Prison For Women

2 North, B49

3881 Stewarts Lane

Nashville, TN 37218

Hurricane Maria is the 13th hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane season and it brought devastation to a number of islands that were still trying to recover from Hurricane Irma. Organizations on the ground need your support now more than ever — be it through volunteering, offering monetary donations, or sending supplies to the area. Below you'll find a list of organizations that could use your help:

Local Charities

Puerto Rico

The Hurricane Maria Community Relief & Recovery Fund

Low-income communities of color often face the worst destruction and slowest recovery and have fewer resources to safeguard homes, vehicles, and other property.  When the winds die down and the floods recede, these communities are often forgotten by reconstruction efforts. 100% of money raised will be used to support immediate relief, recovery, and equitable rebuilding in Puerto Rico for the communities hit hardest by the storm. 

Unidos Por Puerto Rico

Was created by the island’s First Lady as a response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Donations can be sent online and on October 1, there will be a telethon and concert to raise funds for those impacted by the storm.

ConPRmetidos

A millennial-led organization that builds partnerships between private and public organizations to strengthen Puerto Rico’s economic development. The group is working to raise $150,000 to be used for food, shelter and water, with remaining funds to be applied to long-term recovery efforts.

El Concilio

Who's mission is to cultivate the strength and resilience of children and families, improve the quality of life in our community, and maintain our community’s heritage, history, and culture, has launched Unidos PA’ Puerto Rico to raise money for hurricane relief.

Taller Salud

The Puerto Rican women's health organization has created a relief fund for families on the island.

Dominica

Dominica Hurricane Relief Fund

The government of Dominica is collecting donations through JustGiving, a crowdfunding website. The money will go toward temporary roofing, blankets and non-perishable foods.

National and Global Charities

Global Giving

This crowdfunding website connects donors to nonprofits and companies around the world. All donations to their fund will support hurricane recovery and relief efforts in the Caribbean. Initially, the fund will help first responders meet survivors' immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, hygiene products, and shelter. Once initial relief work is complete, this fund will transition to support longer-term recovery efforts run by local, vetted organizations responding to this disaster

All Hands

All Hands works with local volunteers and groups to respond to natural disasters. With Hurricanes Harvey and Maria, it is focusing its efforts on the U.S. Virgin Islands

Save The Children

Will lead relief efforts for families and children impacted by the hurricane in the region.

Unicef

Continues to provide emergency relief and help for children in the region.

Mexico

Below are organizations helping those in Mexico after the deadly earthquake:

Mexico was hit by a devastating 7.1 earthquake on Tuesday Sep 19th, which tore down homes, apartments, and businesses. This comes on the heels of an 8.1 magnitude earthquake just days earlier on September 8. Local and international organizations are are accepting monetary donations and supplies for earthquake relief. You can donate things like clothes, water, food and other goods to charities, or send money to the nonprofits and crowdfunding efforts

Oxfam Mexico

Oxfam is assessing the damage and identifying the most urgent needs of affected people. We are coordinating with the government and other aid organizations, and developing a response plan.

ProjectPaz

100% of donations made through the El Paso Community Foundation and its partners in Mexico will go to help victims of the earthquakes in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Mexico City, Morelos, Puebla, and Estado de Mexico

Topos Mexico

This is a professional non-profit Mexican rescue team. They have helped in various International Disasters. More than ever they need our support and any donation is more than appreciated

Save the Children Mexico

Will lead relief efforts for families and children impacted by the earthquake in the region.

UNICEF Mexico

Continues to provide emergency relief and help for children in the region.

GlobalGiving

This fund will provide immediate relief to survivors: food, shelter, water, and medicine. In addition, it will support longer-term assistance to help residents recover and rebuild

If you don't have resources to help, you can also share this post so we can continue spreading the word.

Guatemala is in a state of emergency. The eruption of “Volcán de Fuego” (Volcano of Fire), located less than 30 miles away from Guatemala City, has killed at least 99 people and left nearly 200 more missing. It has also forced 3,500 Guatemalans in communities close to the volcano to flee their homes and into shelters. 

About 1.7 million people in all have been affected by Guatemala’s most aggressive eruption in over a century. 

Here is how you can help Guatemalans as they begin to rebuild and recover from the disaster:

GoFundMe has also complied a list of verified campaigns to help those affected by the Fuego volcano eruption.

Arca de Noé, the largest pet store chain in Guatemala, is collecting donations for animals and humans alike at their shops.

The U.S.-based God’s Child Project, which operates facilities in Guatemala, has launched a massive relief effort, with the support of generous donors who will match donations. Their staff are working around the clock to make sure victims have shelter, medical care, food and clothing.

World Vision is on the ground providing immediate relief to survivors.Your donation will help them continue providing food, water, and support in shelters to victims of the volcano eruption, as well as the many long-term needs of families as they work to rebuild homes, schools, roads, re-plant crops, and more. Our staff will remain in the area helping families who have been devastated as they recover and rebuild.

The Miguel Vargas Association is accepting donations to aid with recovery, specifically to help with medical assistance and supplies.

Helps International, the nonprofit organization located in Guatemala City provides programs in healthcare, education and economic development. The team is on the ground in affected areas distributing water filters and eye medications.

Raise Awareness: In addition to monetary donations and goods, you can raise awareness on social media. The hashtags #VolcanDeFuego, #PrayForGuatemala, #GuatemalaEstoyContigo and #AidGuatemala have helped bring attention to the devastation caused by the volcanic eruption.