Feminista Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Feminista Jones
|
|
|---|---|
Jones speaks at Widener University in 2015
|
|
| Born |
Michelle Taylor
April 6, 1979 New York City, U.S.
|
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BA) Hunter College (MSW) Temple University (PhD) |
| Occupation | Social worker, author, activist |
|
Notable work
|
Reclaiming Our Space: How Black Feminism is Changing the World from the Tweets to the Streets |
Feminista Jones, whose real name is Michelle Taylor, was born on April 6, 1979. She is an American social worker, writer, and activist. She is well-known for her work supporting Black feminism. Jones writes for many newspapers and magazines. She also hosts podcasts, writes books, and is active on social media.
Contents
Education and Early Career
Feminista Jones studied at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned a Master's degree in Social Work from Hunter College. She also received a PhD from Temple University.
In 2019, Jones wrote a book called Reclaiming Our Space. This book talks about how Black feminism is making a difference. In 2020, she started the Sankofa Summer School. This is an online school for students and adults aged 14 and older. It focuses on Afrocentric (African-centered) learning.
Activism and Social Change
In 2013, Feminista Jones was chosen as a Fellow by the United Nations Foundation. This was because of her strong influence on social media.
Fighting Street Harassment
In 2014, Jones started a worldwide campaign against street harassment. This campaign was called #YouOKSis. She began it after sharing her own experience. She had stepped in to help someone being harassed in New York. Another social media user, Mia McKenzie, suggested turning Jones's phrase "You OK, sis" into a hashtag. The goal was to raise awareness. It also encouraged people to ask victims if they needed help. Hundreds of people then used the hashtag. They shared their own experiences with street harassment.
Protesting Police Brutality
In the same year, Jones launched the National Moment of Silence. This protest was against police brutality. It was called #NMOS14. This campaign gained attention from news outlets around the world. #NMOS14 helped organize national vigils. These events happened after the death of Michael Brown. Jones was recognized for her work with #NMOS14. She was named one of the "Voices of the Year" in 2015. This award was given by SheKnows/BlogHer in their Impact category.
Speaking at the Women's March
On January 21, 2017, Jones was a main speaker. She spoke at the 2017 Women's March in Philadelphia. Her speech mainly focused on the difference. She explained the difference between allies and co-conspirators.
Other Contributions
In 2015, Jones helped start the Women's Freedom Conference. She also served as its general director. This was the first online conference. It was organized by and featured only women of color. Jones has written for many well-known publications. These include The Washington Post, Salon, Time, and Ebony.
She has also appeared on various TV shows. These include Huffington Post Live, The Dr. Oz Show, and the Exhale Show. Her work has been shown on C-SPAN and MSNBC. Jones also supports young children. She advocates for people who are homeless. She also helps those with psychiatric disabilities.
Views on Harriet Tubman and Money
Jones wrote an article for The Washington Post on May 14, 2015. It was titled "Keep Harriet Tubman—and all women—off the $20 bill." She argued that putting Black women on money is not right. She felt this was especially true for Harriet Tubman. This is because women, especially women of color, have historically lacked access to wealth. Jones believed that putting Tubman on the $20 bill would not help. She stated that Tubman's legacy is about fighting against American capitalism.
Reclaiming Our Space Book
In 2019, Feminista Jones published her book. It is titled Reclaiming Our Space: How Black Feminism is Changing the World from the Tweets to the Streets.
Publishers Weekly reviewed the book. They wrote that Jones "smartly looks at the details of Black female identity." Kirkus Reviews called the book "sharp and thought-provoking." They said the book is most powerful. It suggests that everyone, no matter their race or gender, now feels something similar. They feel what Black people have always experienced. Understanding Black women's struggles is therefore important for everyone. The book also explores how Black feminists take social action. This includes using "traditional African-rooted call and response" on Twitter.
Accolades and Recognition
- "Black Weblog Award" for Outstanding Online Activism (2014)
- The Root, Top 100 Black Social Influencers (2014)
- She Knows/Blog Her, "Voices of the Year" (2015)
- Philadelphia magazine, "The 100 Most Influential Philadelphians" (2018)
