Dear John,

I’m writing to you today from a place of love, and joy... and resolve. Today the National Women’s Law Center, along with our partners ‘me too.’ International and the TIME’S UP Foundation, are launching We, As Ourselves, an important initiative that will change the conversation about sexual violence and its impact on Black communities, and to spark a nuanced conversation about Black survivorhood.

For too long, the world has gone out of its way to tell Black survivors that we are not deserving of protection. Society and the media tell us that our stories don’t matter—that safety is only afforded to those who are deemed worthy. It’s time for us to take back the narrative. And we need your voice.

There is a long history of dismissing Black survivors who share our stories, or meeting the gift of our stories with the same patterns of re-traumatization, backlash, and criticism. We are then left with the idea that any conversation around sexual violence is taboo. No more.

We created We, As Ourselves because we know that a deeper cultural shift must happen in order to end sexual violence in the Black community. We can openly address the harms inflicted upon women, girls, gender nonconforming, and trans survivors and, though the road to realizing a world free of harm will be long, it’s time to reaffirm our commitment to healing and justice for Black Survivors. This initiative has been shaped alongside survivors, organizations, and advocates across the country who have spent decades working to dismantle sexual violence in our communities. We will continue to shape this new world together.

So today, I’m asking you to join in this celebration of us. Watch our Love Letter to Survivors and take the pledge to show love for those who have been shut out and silenced. Our letter – this work – is a recommitment to supporting survivors, and an invitation to our communities to do the same.

In Solidarity,