2024 Black Mamas Bail Out
For immediate release
April 18, 2024
Black Mothers in Power and Wilmington Freedom Alliance have partnered to raise money to bail out Black Mamas and Black Femmes in Delaware for Mother's Day 2024
WILMINGTON, DE – This Mother’s Day, Black Mothers in Power and Wilmington Freedom Alliance are joining forces to bail out incarcerated Black Mamas and femmes. This collaboration aims to provide critical support to incarcerated mothers and caregivers in Delaware, allowing them the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones during these challenging times.
In 2020, over 50 percent of individuals in pretrial detention in Delaware were identified as Black, despite accounting for only 22 percent of the state's population. This stark disparity underscores the systemic failures of the cash bail system and serves as the driving force behind the creation of Delaware's first Black Mama Bailout. Inspired by the national movement, Black Mama's Bailout led by National Bailout, the organizers are determined to make a difference in the lives of those impacted by incarceration.
“It’s a well-known fact that Black and women and femmes are overrepresented in every aspect of the criminal justice system,” says Shané Darby, Executive Director and founder of BMIP. “Although there are more specific ways to approach the ills of the criminal justice system, this is specifically done to center the life, freedom, and joy of Black women and femmes–especially on a day to celebrate motherhood. When a parent goes to jail, even for a few days, it creates a lasting ripple effect on everyone in the family.”
The goal of the initiative is to raise $10,000 by Sunday, May 12, 2024, with all funds going towards making bail for incarcerated Black mamas and femmes. The term 'Mama' encompasses all Black women and femmes who self-identify as caregivers, including cis and Trans women, gender nonconforming individuals, and non-binary folks who provide care for their families and communities in various ways.
We are actively seeking Black Mamas & Black Femmes to bail out for this initiative. If you know of a loved one currently seeking bail assistance, complete this form.
More information can be found on our website: www.blackmothersinpower.org
Those interested in making a donation can do so here. The fundraiser officially ends Sunday, May 19, 2024.
Black Mothers In Power (BMIP) was birthed in 2019 as a grassroots issue campaign with Network Delaware and Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League in Wilmington, Delaware. Our main focus is addressing the disparities in maternal care for Black birthing people in Delaware. We seek to center the most marginalized groups of Black birthing people and understand how power systems operate to oppress and violently attack Black bodies, historically and systematically.
Wilmington Freedom Alliance, WFA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization providing free legal and bail assistance for indigent persons otherwise financially incapable of obtaining such services, providing relief to the poor and distressed.