Charlene Carruthers facts for kids

Charlene A. Carruthers is an activist and author. She is known for her work in helping young Black people become leaders. She is also a feminist, which means she believes in equal rights for all genders.

Charlene has worked with important groups like Color of Change and the Women's Media Center. She was also a key person in starting the Black Youth Project 100. She was the main leader for BYP100 from 2013 to 2018.

Charlene's Activism

Charlene says her time studying in South Africa at age 18 made her realize how important it was to fight for fairness. Since then, much of her work has been about helping people from groups who often face unfair treatment to get involved in politics and become leaders.

She has worked with or been on the boards of groups like the Arcus Foundation and the NAACP. She also helps different groups work together. For example, she traveled with other African-American activists to Palestine. This trip helped create connections between organizers in both places. In the 2020 US elections, Charlene said she planned to vote for Joe Biden.

Starting Black Youth Project 100

In July 2013, Charlene was one of 100 young Black leaders who met in Chicago. They wanted to build a network for young Black activists across the country. On the second day of their meeting, news came that George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the death of Trayvon Martin. This news made Charlene and the other activists decide to form the Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100). Their goal was to organize young Black people to stand up against unfair systems.

Charlene was at first unsure about leading the group. But she soon realized this was a special chance to make a difference. BYP100 focuses a lot on training leaders and teaching people how to make changes. This helps a new generation of Black activists.

Charlene has often said that unfair systems like those based on race, gender, how you identify, and money are all connected. She believes you can't fight just one type of unfairness at a time. Instead, all groups who face unfairness need to work together to change the whole system. BYP100's projects show this idea of connected unfairness. They work on issues that link to many unfair systems. For example, their plan "Agenda to Keep us Safe" says that fair money practices and local economic power are key to achieving fairness for all genders and races. Charlene has also spoken out about how the justice system and the "school-to-prison pipeline" unfairly affect people of color, transgender and non-binary people, and those who are poor.

Speaking Out Against Police Actions

Charlene is a strong voice against unfair actions by police. She also speaks out about how the government doesn't do enough when serious cases of police unfairness happen. She believes the American justice system needs big changes. In August 2014, she went to Ferguson, Missouri. She helped train and organize young Black people there after the death of 18-year-old Mike Brown.

Focus on Chicago Police

Charlene grew up on Chicago's South Side. She has often criticized the Chicago Police Department. She organized protests after the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Rekia Boyd. Charlene also spoke out after the death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by a police officer. She said the city handled the event poorly, especially how the mayor's office helped hide the video for a year. She asked Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State Attorney Anita Alvarez to step down.

Films

Charlene Carruthers wrote, directed, and helped produce a short film called The Funnel. It is a story about love, family history, and the Black experience of being moved from home and being strong.