Women, our worth is not tied to the services we can provide, the comfort that we bring, or the futures we create.
They are tied to our innate right to take up space on this earth, our love for ourselves, and the love we pour into the women around us.
We are history makers. We are artists. We are thinkers. We are changemakers. And yes, we are mothers. We create, nurture, and shape history just by being here and by raising the generations who will be here long after us.
And for that Queen, you deserve all the praise. Not just for a month but every. single. day. for the rest of your life. And long after it.
So even as we end Women’s History Month, remind yourself that there is no end to your greatness. There is no end to the power you have, the change you can make, and the impact you can leave on history. You do it every day and that reach has gotten wider just by being in community with us.
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
— Maya Angelou
Big News To Share
1M4 Founder and Board Member Will Be On Good Morning America 3rd Hour!
Tansy McNulty and Laurie Hall will be speaking on a segment of GMA3’s What You Need To Know Show this Wednesday April 10th at 1pm EST. Check your local listings for the channel and air time. We are excited to share the importance of decriminalizing mental illness on this international platform while sharing the work we have done to get The Right Response directory into the hands of all who need it.
This is a MAJOR deal for our organization and we wanted you all to be the FIRST to know. You have supported us, shared our resources, volunteered with us, and continued to encourage our work every step of the way. We thank YOU!
Though we will not share publicly on social media until after April 3rd, we wanted to share with you so you can tune in with us in real time.
Sista Spotlight
In our community, we team up when needed.
But don’t get it twisted; our Sistas are out there changing lives on their own.
Today, get to know one of our Sistas, and see how she inspires us!
Taun Hall
Taun is the mother of Miles Hall and a fierce advocate for decriminalizing mental illness. After the tragic loss of Miles at the hands of police, Taun and her family began rallying the community to reduce the chances of others being harmed during a mental health crisis.
Taun leads the Miles Hall Foundation and they have a 24/7 call center which is listed at the top of The Right Response directory as A3 Miles Hall Crisis Call Center servicing Contra Costa County, California.
Follow and support The Miles Hall Foundation and the lifesaving work of Taun:
Case Update On: Jamarion Robinson
Jamarion’s mother, Monteria, is awaiting the ruling by the judge assigned to their case on whether she believes excessive force was used in the murder of Jamarion.
Please continue to support Monteria’s work towards accountability.
This case is approaching 8 years of litigation. It is a long journey for impacted families. They need our care and consistent support.
Election Check-In
With just 8 months until the Presidential Election, we need you to be mindful of your voter registration status.
Are you registered to vote? Because it doesn’t matter how many policies we share with you, if you are not empowered to vote for (or against) those tasked with creating and interpreting these laws.
Check your registration power here:
Flex your personal power and be sure you are ready to vote come November. (and every election before and after cause they ALL matter)
Article of the Week
Check out what we’re reading and make sure to hit reply and tell us your thoughts!
Exposure to police violence linked to poor sleep in Black adults, study finds
We are diving into how police violence adversely impacts the sleep of Black people. Police violence is not just a civil rights issue, it is also a health issue for us.
Check out the findings of this recent study and then let us know your thoughts.
Do you feel your sleep or the quality of your rest is impacting by state sanctioned violence?
A Mental Health Tip For You!
This month we talked a lot about how you treat yourself. Because whether you identify as a superwoman or not, your self-care and mental health deserve to be high on your to-do list. And as Women’s History Month comes to a close, there’s something you should be on the lookout for that can sabotage all that self-care, no matter how much you try to attend to it: Your mind.
How we let our inner voice talk to us throughout the day and even during those self-care moments is vital because it seeps into your subconscious and it becomes your belief system. If you tell yourself you never have time for yourself, or that you won’t ever be able to get back to that XYZ hobby or get to the physical health you want, then you’ll start to believe it. And subconsciously, you’ll actively block your path to greatness.
So as we phase out of March, phase into consciousness of how you’re talking to yourself. When are you putting yourself down? When are you leaning into lies other people have told you about yourself? When are you standing in your own way? Be on the lookout for these answers and then make the choice to flip the script.
Spread Some Blessings!
The consequences of police violence extend far beyond the loss of life. For families affected, it’s the loss of income, the sacrifice of basic necessities, and the start of a high-cost legal fight. If you have the capacity, consider donating to 1M4. Proceeds help support impacted families and sustain the work of 1M4 toward ending police violence for good.
By themselves, every woman is a force to be reckoned with. But in community? We’re unstoppable. Our impact increases tenfold and our reach steps into places our eyes have never seen.
Remember: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go further, go together.
That’s what women do in community. When you join organizations like 1M4 we go further.
And you’re doing that every time you open or forward our emails, every time you join us as a volunteer or spread the word on life-saving resources like The Right Response directory, or every time you tell another Sista about the emotional support we can give her and the ways we show up for her community.
You’re holding our hand as we all go further.
Your Sistas In ALL Of This,
The Ladies of 1M4
Spotlight on Our Work
Our Founder was featured in Business Insider this week discussing why she started 1M4 and the importance of The Right Response directory.
Check out the article and share with your network. We need as many people as possible to know about The Right Response and our growing grassroots organization.
Join GirlTrek’s Spring Walking Challenge
Over the next 10 weeks we will join GirlTrek in promoting self-care for Freedom Fighters.
That’s each one of us.
We must take care of ourselves so we can not just survive but thrive in this life.
Take The Release The Pressure Pledge
With high blood pressure being an issue for nearly 80% of Black people, 1M4 is committed to doing what’s needed to protect our heart’s health and we’re asking you to do the same.
Emerging Leader Fellowship 2024 Application
“The Emerging Leaders Fellowship is a semester-long program designed for organizers building power in community organizations, labor unions, or advocacy groups.”
Deadline: May 5th
Freedom Summer ‘24
Apply to join the JULIAN organization in commemorating 60 years since the Freedom Summer. The coalition building effort for voter access, advocacy, and policy innovations will take place this summer in Mississippi. Applications accepted until May 10th on a rolling basis.
Let’s run this one back.
Women’s history month is closing out. But around here, the topic of your mental health stays on the docket. Because sometimes the hats that you wear and the weight of the role that you play can be heavy — and when left unchecked, can cause a mental health emergency. Tap into this July 2023 Sista Check-in replay as we review the stats, reminders, and tips when it comes to Black women and thoughts of suicide.
