“Thanking” Black Women isn’t enough.

Black Women have done it again. Over 90% of black women voted to move this country forward. As the results came in, people immediately moved to thank black women for overperforming in the polls, registering hundreds of thousands of voters, and just generally going above and beyond to “save the country”, again. While it’s understood and appreciated that people are finally acknowledging the contributions of black women, the “thank you” is not enough.

Black women of all experiences are the most consistent voting block. Black women voters made the difference between “democracy” and fascism. And black women voters will continue to be the “backbone”, heart, and soul of this nation. While this may provides a sense of pride for some, our loyalty has not yet yielded the proper responses from political parties, elected officials or even community members, at large.

Black women are murdered by the police at alarming rates, are disproportionately dying in childbirth and are underpaid in every industry. We do not need lip service and a thank you that is too little, too late. What we need are accomplices and allies to step up and act like those titles are verbs, not nouns. Here are some tangible ways that people can put their “thank you” into action:

• Pay black women their worth and add tax.
• Stop expecting black women to be your mammy.
• Stop expecting free labor from black women.
• Stop expecting black women to save the country every election.
• Stop taking black women for granted.
• Stop expecting black women to be your moral compassion.
• Stop expecting perfection from black women.
• Protect the legacies of black women.
• Donate to organizations that support black women.
• Give your money directly to individual black women.
• Trust black women to make the best decision about themselves and their bodies. (Shoutout to the Reproductive Justice movement.)
• Cite black women and give them credit for their work and contributions.
• Stop expecting black women to teach you how to be less racist and sexist.
• Respect the leadership of black women.
• Acknowledge when you have wronged black women in your life and at large.
• Be intentional in sharing resources with black women.
• Stop policing #blackgirljoy.
• Stop holding black women to a stricter standard of excellence.
• Stop gaslighting black women.
• Listen to black women. Yes, this includes your coworker that you speak over all the time.
• Stop stealing black women aesthetics and calling in your own.
• Center the needs of ALL black women.
• Move out of black women’s way.
• Respect black women’s right to rest.
• Stop forcing black women to compete against each other.
• Stop silencing black women’s voices and experiences.
• Believe black women.
• Stop abusing black women.
• Remember that black women are whole humans.

This is not a full list. I want to encourage those that are thanking black women for the most recent election results to do some reflecting. I also want those people to think about the ways that black women have been used by our political process and how we can begin to show up for black women daily, and not just for their vote.