California’s Ebony Alert system will put a focus on missing Black children

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October 10, 2023

By TheGrio Staff

An alarming disparity in the treatment and coverage of missing Black children — particularly Black girls — has surfaced in the U.S., sparking a movement urging change.

State Sen. Steven Bradford (above) introduced legislation that California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed establishing Ebony Alerts to help locate missing Black children, and young adults who are disproportionately represented in missing youth cases. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool, File)

California has joined a rising number of states in making more efforts to locate missing Black young people.

According to CBS News Sacramento, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation state Sen. Steven Bradford introduced establishing Ebony Alerts for a population disproportionately represented in missing youth cases.

“African Americans, whether they are children or young adults, are often listed as runaways,” said Bradford, who represents Gardena.

The system is modeled on Amber Alerts, which have been in place for two decades and have assisted in recovering over 370 children and at-risk persons — but critics claim the notification system frequently ignores African Americans.

Find out the system’s launch date and more information in the full article.

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