Since the early 1980s in South Los Angeles, at least 200 Black women and girls were victims of serial murders or missing and presumed to be victims. They were victims of the multiple serial killers (including the notorious “Grim Sleeper”) who preyed on vulnerable and impoverished Black women, including sex workers, homeless women, and those who used drugs to self-medicate. Most media outlets paid little or no attention to these murders due to the marginalized and devalued lives of the victims. Some in law enforcement referred to the victims as “N.H.I.” (‘no humans involved’). Most city and county officials made little attempt to raise the alarm even as women continued to be killed.

The murders created a public health crisis in South LA. The community has been traumatized by the violent loss of so many precious lives over such a protracted period, and a space of healing and reflection is needed. We refuse to accept the silence and indifference that followed these murders. We say the names of these Black women and girls. Each victim is a mother’s child, a father’s daughter, a sibling’s sister, an auntie, a friend.

Black Women’s Lives Count!

The victims and the impacted community deserve a dignified space for reflection and healing.