“The verdict represents the first criminal consequence for the singer after decades of accusations of sexual abuse.”

This was a long time coming and although it doesn’t bring automatic healing , I hope it brings a sense of closure that can help facilitate the healing process.

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1442570163539222530

The real story here is about the relentless activism of Black women who refused to let rampant, open abuse and violence toward Black girls and young women fall on deaf ears.

Black women were ringing the alarm long before the world knew what ‘me too’ was about.

I’ve had a lot of questions publicly and privately about Times Up and it’s connection to the Cuomo case. There is a lot of criticism being tossed around. Some of it constructive. A lot of questions being asked. Much of them warranted.

timesupfoundation.org/newsroom/a-not… In my opinion this is a survivor issue. Survivors, after all are the main constituents. I think it’s important to hear @TinaTchen in her own words speaking directly to survivors, just like it’s important for survivors to be heard by @TIMESUPNOW

He’s gone. Not much more to say about that - but listen…

This “generational difference” and “rules have changed” nonsense is WRONG.

The *rules* have NOT changed. It was WRONG 50 years ago and today. The difference is there were few paths to accountability years ago. Please stop saying “well the rules have changed” because it’s not true. The attention to sexual violence has changed. The rule of “keep your hands to yourself” is universal. We all learned that in Kindergarten.

There isn’t much more to be said about Congressman John Lewis than has already been said or shown in his deep legacy, so I want to share a personal story from my days at the National Voting Rights Museum in Selma, AL. Somewhere in the early 2000s we were honoring Congressman Lewis at the Annual Freedom Flame Awards. I had just finished redoing a number of exhibits in the museum and had done some extensive research about that Nashville movement connection.

A few months ago my dude was looking for a tote bag to carry some things to the post office. I gave the biggest bag I had which happened to be bright pink and red. He saw the bag and immediately asked for another one. When I asked why he just insisted on a different color bag. His insistence annoyed me and I started in on him fussing about it being sexist and homophobic, even to reject a bag based on thinking it’s too effeminate!
He let me fuss at him for a minute and then finally she said “Baby, please stop. That’s not it!”

One of the most amazing things about working at the National Voting Rights Museum in Selma was meeting random, interesting people. Folks would often just wonder into the museum and have fascinating information or artifacts from the Movement. #MalcolmXDay One of the greatest example was this man who came in and told us that he was in Selma reporting on the Movement when Malcolm X came to speak. For those who don’t know the story there was a bit of happenstance that led to that visit. Bro. Malcolm wasn’t originally scheduled.

This is being read as an endorsement of Joe Biden or somehow giving him a pass, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Let me clarify.

https://twitter.com/TaranaBurke/status/1255164418133983233

Those defending Joe Biden by saying that he’s a “good guy” and therefore could never harm anyone are instead harming survivors and this movement. Relying on him being “the only hope” against Trump wouldn’t excuse his behavior either.

I took a moment away from work and movement-related issues to be present where I was needed as my family was affected with COVID. But, I know many of you are wondering about my “take” on the Tara Reade story.
1/14 My stance has never wavered: survivors have a right to speak their truth and to be given the space to heal.
2/14

I went back and forth about talking about this but my partner has Covid and the last two weeks of my life have been some of the scariest. The reason why I’m sharing is because I’ve read so much information but the most informative has been first person accounts of folks with it. We were both exposed in mid-March. He was deemed an “essential worker” because he works with the homeless and was exposed again at work. It took about three days to figure out that we were probably dealing with Covid. In 3 days he went from feeling a little weak to 101.5 fever.

Most folks don’t know that I knew @Ava long before #metoo popped off. This thread made me reflect on the last decade too and how her glow up in some ways begat my own. Weird I know...but follow me.

https://twitter.com/ava/status/1211755643440263169

I met @Ava in 2010. I was Managing Director of a Black Arts Org in Philly and we partnered with other local orgs to promote #IWillFollow movie by getting people to the theater on opening weekend. I remember her laying out the plan in a small meeting and I thought it was brills.

Annual Holiday reminder for Survivors of sexual violence to be gentle with yourself. It’s a hard time of year for so many who are returning to the places where they were harmed, being around the harm doers, or who are reminded why they no longer are close with family. Take it easy, have a plan in place for how you will cope with triggers (or avoid if possible). Things like having a friend to call on standby or giving your partner a code to let them know you are not okay could be helpful.

So my friend @RonanFarrow released his book yesterday! Ronan is the kind of journalist that activist like myself rely on. He is consistent, determined, honest and intellectually curious. Catch and Kill will underscore all of that for readers in page after riveting page! It’s so masterfully written and goes into the nuances that so many of us wondered about in the uncovering of these monumental stories. His care and compassion for the survivors stories that he was trusted with shows in how diligently he investigated each claim.

Still reeling from last night's debates and thinking about the various ways sexual violence could have been introduced into the conversation as opposed to rehashing the same ol' issues and a random round of 'what about your friends?'
#MeTooVoter The Be Heard Act. There is legislation introduced right that would completely overhaul workplace harassment laws. Do the candidates support it? #MeTooVoter
aclu.org/blog/womens-ri…

Okay we are taking a quick break.

So if I am keeping up...we have covered a number of topics tonight on the #DemDebates and no candidate has tied any of it to sexual violence.

Let me see if I can help them out.

#metooVoter #askaboutmetoo They started with impeachment of the current president for the Ukrainian controversy. I have another reason. #metooVoter
businessinsider.com/women-accused-…

So now he’s making jokes? This is disrespectful and inexcusable. People have been asking me all week if what @LucyFlores experienced was worth coming forward about. My answer is YES. I support her wholeheartedly. And here is why:

washingtonpost.com/amphtml/politi… What she experienced, in her own words, made her feel embarrassed, shocked and confused - at the hands of the VP of the United States. She described her deep discomfort with this level of intimacy and most important she described how *powerless* it made her feel.

Events in the news have some people questioning @metooMVMT and our stance on believing survivors so I wanted to speak up and add some thoughts... I’ve always said this movement was about centering survivors and not about scandals, no matter what the headlines say. Before you ask, see my ted talk here in case you’re looking for how I talk about this work.
t.ted.com/NIcGuBm

Friends,

We have an exciting announcement!

@MeTooMVMT has always centered the survivor's journey. It’s how we begin the hard work of transforming a culture where sexual violence is permissible into one where bodily autonomy is universal. We must shift the narrative. Today, I’m excited to launch our Survivor Stories on a number of digital platforms, a suite of powerful videos produced with @DeutschInc that feature the journeys of individual survivors. See the announcement on Refinery29 here: refinery29.com/en-us/2019/01/…

A year ago today I thought my world was falling apart. I woke up to find out that the hashtag #metoo had gone viral and I didn't see any of the work I laid out over the previous decade attached to it. I thought for sure I would be erased from a thing I worked so hard to build. +

https://twitter.com/MeTooMVMT/status/1051804941759774727

I remember calling my friends frantic and trying to figure out what to do. I didn't know whether to go online and say - THIS ALREADY EXISTS! Or to just let it go, but then I realized letting it go wasn't an option in this moment.

I’ve said repeatedly that the #metooMVMT is for all of us, including these brave young men who are now coming forward. It will continue to be jarring when we hear the names of some of our faves connected to sexual violence unless we shift from talking about individuals [+] ...and begin to talk about power. Sexual violence is about power and privilege. That doesn’t change if the perpetrator is your favorite actress, activist or professor of any gender.
And we won’t shift the culture unless we get serious about shifting these false narratives.

At first the quote from #HenryCavill regarding #metooMVMT just annoyed me because it reinforced the ridiculous notions I hear constantly from men and trivializes the lived experience of people who have bravely spoken up...

yahoo.com/amphtml/lifest… ...but here is the OTHER thing that is annoying. The way the media talks about the #metooMVMT in relation to men whose sexual misconduct has been exposed. We all know language matters. Look at this language from the article on #HenryCanvill

Tonight at 10PM folks need to watch @DatelineNBC for this exclusive with @tvkatesnow interviewing the women ACTUALLY in the center of the Cosby trial #AndreaConstand. I saw clips yesterday. It is gut wrenching. #metoomvmt #supportsurvivors This is the clip from yesterday:
*trigger warning*

msnbc.com/craig-melvin/w…