An Open Letter to Nia Green
August 3, 2016Nia Green is a 16-year-old girl whose mother beat her after finding pictures on Facebook of the teen and her boyfriend wearing only towels. The beating was livestreamed to Facebook and went viral. This is an open letter dedicated to her, from one Black girl to another.
Dear Nia,
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry that you’re another Black girl that the world didn’t protect. But, I guess the world doesn’t really protect any of us Black girls. I’m not going to use this letter to condemn your mother. No, I’m not condoning her actions, but I think far too many people have used their Twitter fingers and Facebook statuses to yet again scrutinize the way a Black mother parents. When white parents make parenting decisions, it’s a private matter. When Black parents, particularly Black mothers, parent, it’s always up for public discussion. The Department of Family and Children Services seems to only be necessary for Black and Brown folks.