It takes a village. That’s what they are saying, proper? However what occurs when the village disappears—when the people who find themselves supposed to assist flip their backs, and the system that claims to assist you throws you in jail as a substitute?
Chris Louis realized that lesson the onerous manner on March 22, when he was arrested for leaving his three kids at a McDonald’s play space whereas he went to job interviews. He checked on them a number of instances, however a McDonald’s worker referred to as the police. As a substitute of seeing a father making an attempt to safe a greater future for his household, they noticed against the law. And similar to that, one other Black guardian was punished for being poor.
Louis’ story is one in all many. In 2014, Shanesha Taylor, a homeless mom in Arizona, left her two youngsters in a automobile whereas attending a job interview—her solely shot at stability. She was arrested and charged with felony little one abuse. Public outcry led to over $100,000 in donations, however why did she should be arrested earlier than individuals cared? The identical occurred to Laura Browder in Texas, who was detained for leaving her kids in a mall meals court docket whereas she interviewed. Or Debra Harrell in South Carolina, arrested for letting her 9-year-old play in a park whereas she labored at McDonald’s.
After which there’s Tateona Williams—a reputation that ought to make this nation take an extended, onerous take a look at itself. She begged for assist from town. She begged for assist from her kids’s father. Nobody confirmed up. And when her infants froze to loss of life, solely then did the system determine to supply her housing. However as a substitute of discovering reduction, she was thrown in jail. The message was clear: struggling mother and father aren’t seen as individuals in want of assist—they’re seen as criminals.
The reality is, this nation doesn’t care about Black mother and father till it’s time to punish them. Childcare is a privilege, not a proper. The so-called “village” is gone, and too many households are left fending for themselves. However it doesn’t should be this manner.
If you transfer to a brand new metropolis as a guardian, discovering a village isn’t only a luxurious—it’s a necessity. Whether or not it’s by way of a church, a group heart, or a bunch of trusted mates, mother and father want individuals who can step in after they can’t. As a result of the choice is watching extra mother and father get arrested for doing their greatest, whereas the actual difficulty—America’s full lack of a assist system—goes unchecked.
The village isn’t a relic of the previous. It’s a survival software. And it’s time to rebuild it. Louis has since had a GoFundMe arrange by ex-NFL star Antonio Brown the place he has raised $57,000.