♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Martin: WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK," SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I'M PHILLIP MARTIN, SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, GBH NEWS CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING.

CALLIE CROSSLEY IS OFF.

TONIGHT: MISSING BLACK GIRLS.

WE, LIKE YOU, ARE DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS.

WE ARE WORKING WITH LIMITED STAFF AND OUR GUESTS ARE JOINING US REMOTELY.

IT'S EVERY PARENT'S NIGHTMARE, LEARNING THAT THEIR CHILD HAS GONE MISSING.

ACCORDING TO THE LATEST FIGURES FROM THE FBI's N.C.I.C.

DATABASE, OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE WERE REPORTED MISSING IN 2021-- OVER 350,000 WERE CHILDREN.

MANY OF THOSE CASES WERE CLOSED, BUT OF THE CASES STILL OPEN-- MORE THAN 70,000 ARE MISSING BLACK GIRLS.

SADLY, GETTING HELP AND ASSISTANCE IN CASES INVOLVING MISSING BLACK GIRLS CAN BE NON-EXISTENT, VERSUS CASES INVOLVING WHITE WOMEN, MANY BECOMING HOUSEHOLD NAMES.

BOTH ARE TRAGIC, BUT THE COMPARATIVE INATTENTION TO MISSING BLACK GIRLS MAKES IT DOUBLY SO.

EXPERTS SAY TIME IS CRUCIAL WHEN LOCATING A MISSING CHILD.

SO, WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE TO FIND MISSING BLACK GIRLS?

JOINING US REMOTELY: BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR, TANIA FERNANDES ANDERSON, REPRESENTING DISTRICT SEVEN, CONSISTING OF ROXBURY, DORCHESTER, FENWAY, AND PART OF THE SOUTH END; BOSTON POLICE RAHSAAN HALL, PRINCIPAL AT RAHSAAN HALL CONSULTING-- HE IS ALSO RUNNING FOR PLYMOUTH COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY; ALEXANDRIA ONUOHA, DIRECTOR OF POLITICAL ADVOCACY AT BLACK BOSTON AND A PhD CANDIDATE IN APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AT SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY; AND GAEÉTANE BORDERS, PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF "PEAS IN THEIR PODS," A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION BASED IN ATLANTA, ADVOCATING FOR MISSING CHILDREN OF COLOR, THEIR FAMILIES AND TO FIGHT AGAINST CHILD ABUSE AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION.

I WELCOME TO YOU ALL.

WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR ESTABLISHING WHETHER SOMEONE IS MISSING AND RAHSAAN LET ME START WITH YOU ON THAT QUESTION BECAUSE PART OF THAT DEFINITION IS LEGAL AND MART OF IT IS ALSO -- PART OF IT IS SUBJECTIVE.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THAT?

>> WELL THANK YOU MARTIN AND THEY A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.

ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT LOOKS AT IT IS, A PERIOD OF TIME THAT A PERSON HAS NOT BEEN ABILITY TO BE IDENTIFIED, AND IN MANY INSTANCES THEY'LL LOOK FOR 24 TO 72 HOURS.

BUT THINKING WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO BLACK GIRLS AND WOMEN, IS THE DISPARITY THAT YOU MENTIONED, THE UNDERSTANDING IN SOCIETY AND THE BIASES TOWARDS BLACK WOMEN THAT BLACK WOMEN CAN BEAR MORE PAIN, ARE STRONGER, CAPABLE OF DOING ALL THINGS, AND NOTHING PHASES THEM.

SIMILARLY, BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS IN PARTICULAR ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS BEING VULNERABLE OR ABLE TO BE VICTIMS OR BEING ABLE TO BE EXPLOITED.

AND I THINK THAT LEADS TO SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES IN THE RESOURCES THAT GET INVESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT BLACK GIRLS AND WOMEN ARE SAFE AND ARE FOUND.

AND THAT THE VALUE IN THE COMMUNITIES IS HIGHER.

SO THAT THE RESOURCES ARE INVESTED THERE APPROPRIATELY.

BUT IN MANY INSTANCES, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WILL SAY WELL MAYBE THEY'RE WAY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND THEY'LL COME BACK ON THEIR OWN.

BUT WHIT BECOMES CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE NORMAL MEANS OF REACHING OUT OR IDENTIFYING SOMEONE HAVE FAILED, THAT THEY WOULD THEN LOOK TO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PUT OUT BULLETINS OR START SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE OR START AN INVESTIGATION AND OFTENTIMES PEOPLE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY ARE LEFT WANTING FOR MORE.

>> Martin: YOU EXTRAPOLATED ON THE DATA FOR MISSING CHILDREN AND A PIECE FOR COMMONWEALTH MAGAZINE YOU DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS -- THAT THAT DATA AND I THINK ALL OUR PANELS AGREE, SHOWED EXTRAORDINARY DISPROPORTIONATE ATTENTION TO GIRLS OF COLOR.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DATA WHAT YOU FOUND, AND OF -- >> YES.

>> Martin: AND ALSO IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THE LATE GWEN IFIL CALLED MISSING WHITE WOMAN SYNDROME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

AND IN THAT COMMONWEALTH OP ED PIECE I TALKED ALSO ABOUT THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF HUMAN TRAFFICING AND MISSING BLACK GIRLS AND HOW THOSE ARE LINKED.

AND WITHIN THE DATA RECENTLY THE FBI IN 2020, THEY REPORTED THAT BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS WERE MURDERED 74 TIMES PER DAY LIKE FOUR BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS WERE MURDERED PER DAY IN 2020.

AND THEN IN 2018, THERE WAS OVER 64,000 BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS MISSING IN THE UNITED STATES, WHEN 7% OF THE POPULATION COMPROMISES OF BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS.

WE SEE THIS DISPARITY AND I ALSO WANT TO CHIME IN HERE AND SAY THAT DATA COLLECTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

GOING BACK TO WHAT RAHSAAN SAID ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ETHICAL PROTOCOLS, A LOT OF THAT COULD BE SOLVED IN MY OPINION WITH PROBABLY DATA COLLECTION.

IT ALLOWS POLICY TO BE MORE DIRECTED.

NOT NECESSARILY INDIVIDUALIZED BECAUSE THIS IS A MULTILAYERED ISSUE.

BUT WHAT IT ALLOWS IS DATA ALLOWS US WHERE THE THESE ISSUES ARE HAPPENING AND ALSO THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND ALL OF THESE OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.

>> Martin: I'M GOING TO LOOK AT THE -- I'M GOING TO EXPAND THIS IN A SECOND TO TALK ABOUT THE NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS WITH YOU GAETANE BUT NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN TO THE COUNSELOR TO MICROFOCUS ON SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE MISSING BLACK GIRLS AND LATINA AND PEOPLE OF YOUR DISTRICT, WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AND WHO YOU'VE HEARD FROM, IN TRYING TO APPEAL TO THE POLICE, TRYING TO PEOPLE TO THE COMMUNITY TO FIND THESE CHILDREN.

>> THANK YOU PHILLIP SO MUCH FOR HAVING YOU ON THE SHOW.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL.

I THINK I WOULD SPEAK ON MORE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A FOSTER PARENT.

I FOSTER CHILDREN FOR 11 YEARS, AND PREDOMINANTLY, SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN BUT WHEN I DID FOSTER GIRLS LATINA OR BLACK, MS. ALEXANDRIA IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT IN HER STATEMENT IT IS DIRECTLY CORRELATE WEDNESDAY SEX TRAFFICING OR SOME SORT OF ADDICTION OR ABUSE.

AND IT'S DEVASTATING TO KNOW THAT THE FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITIES AS A BLACK WOMAN, I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO BE DEHUMANIZED AND UNAPPRECIATED SO THAT WHEN WE ARE -- WHEN WE DO GO MISSING, IT'S ALMOST FORGOTTEN.

IT'S ALMOST A THING OF OH, THAT'S SAD AND YOU SEE A SOCIAL MEDIA POST AND IT'S -- EVERYONE ALMOST BYPASSES IT I.

PEOPLE OF COMPASSIONATE, PEOPLE EXPRESS EMOTION BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY SEE THE FOLLOW-UP RIGHT?

AND MOST OF THE TIME AS YOUR STATISTICS SHOW, THEY GO UNRESOLVED.

FROM MY EXPERIENCES, IT WASN'T UNTIL MY -- THE GIRLS THAT WENT MISSING UNDER MY CARE ARE WERE 18 AND WE ARE STILL IN CONTACT NOW, THAT I DISCOVERED WHERE THEY WERE, AND WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE.

AND OF COURSE NOW, GOING THROUGH THERAPY AND HOPEFULLY RECOVERING.

>> Martin: THIS IS AS YOU SAID, A MATTER OF DEFINITION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

OFTENTIMES, THEY USE THE TERM RUN AWAYS WHEN FAMILIES MIGHT USE THE APPROPRIATE TERM, MISSING, IN ORDER TO PRIORITIZE THESE YOUNG WOMEN, THESE YOUNG GIRLS.

AND GAETANE, YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND IT'S QUITE APPROPRIATE PEAS IN A POD, YOU'RE RIGHT, TOO, YOU FOCUS ON CHILDREN WHO ARE MISSING.

CHILDREN ACROSS THE BOARD OF ALL COLORS, RACES, ETHNICITIES.

BT WHAT YOU FIND, A DISPROPORTION AT NUMBER ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

NOT LONG AGO GEORGIA LAW ENFORCEMENT, A TASK FORCE HAS BEEN SET UP, A LAW ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE LOCATED 30 MISSING CHILDREN, MOST OF THEM CHILDREN OF COLOR.

WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED, IF YOUR ORGANIZATION AND OTHERS HAD NOT VOACTD HEAVILY IN ORDER -- VOACTED HEAVILY IN ORDER TO?

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON TODAY.

THIS CONVERSATION IS SO IMPORTANT AND IMPACTFUL AND ALWAYS BEEN.

THIS ISSUE IS CERTAINLY NOT A NEW ISSUE.

THIS EPIDEMIC AS WE CALL IT THROUGH OUR ORGANIZATION OCCURRED FOR DECADES, RIGHT?

SO MORE RENT THERE'S BEEN MORE TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE MISSING WHITE WOMAN SYNDROME THAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN CIRCLES.

BUT THIS ISSUE IS -- IT IS SO PROFOUND AND IT WOULD NOT OCCUR IF T WEREN'T FOR SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS BEING PROBLEMATIC.

OF COURSE WE KNOW.

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, SYSTEMIC RACISM, BIAS, IS AT THE HEART OF IT ALL.

THE ISUE OF SEX TRAFFICING WHICH IS THE ISSUE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, THAT FINDING OF THOSE 40 SOME ODD KIDS HERE IN GEORGIA, THOSE WERE KIDS THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY PREYED UPON, WITHIN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACK CHILDREN OF COLOR UMBRELLA.

THOSE CHILDREN ARE OFTEN TARGETED FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THESE TRAFFICKERS OFTEN TARGET THESE PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COVERED BY THE LAW.

THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN SWOOP AND COME IN AND TAKE A CHILD, A BLACK CHILD, AND THEY MIGHT NOT DO ANY TIME FOR IT.

OR IT MIGHT GO UNNOTICED.

BECAUSE THESE PARTICULAR CHILDREN SOMETIMES DON'T HAVE APPROPRIATE LEGAL REPRESENTATION.

THEY DON'T HAVE RECOURSE WITH THE POLICE.

THEY LITERALLY ARE SNATCHED OFF THE STREET.

AND SO TRAFFICKERS ARE WILLING TO DO SO BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT TYPICALLY, THE BLACK FAMILY DOES NOT HAVE A VOICE THAT WILL BE LOUD, AND WILL BE HEARD, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE MEDIA OR EVEN IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

SO IF IT WEREN'T FOR INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU ON THIS PANEL TALKING ABOUT THIS, IT WOULD NOT RAISE AWARENESS.

BECAUSE A BIG PART OF THIS IS THE REACTIVE PART TO HELPING TO FIND CHILDREN.

BUT THE OTHER MOST IMPORTANT PART AS WELL IS THE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.

IF WE DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS OCCURRING THEN WE WON'T PUT PROPER THING IN PLACE TO HELP SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR CHILDREN IF WE'RE NOT REPRESENTED IN THE MEDIA THEN WE'RE LEFT TO THINK THAT MAYBE IT DOESN'T IMPACT US, RIGHT?

BUT THE REALITY IS, 40% OF CHILDREN THAT GO MISSING, 42% TO BE HONEST, OF CHILDREN THAT GO MISSING ARE BLACK AND BROWN.

AND THEY ARE NOT REPRESENTED IN THE MEDIA BY ANY MEANS.

>> Martin: THOSE STATISTICS ARE ASTOUNDING AND I HOPE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS -- THIS IS AN ISSUE AGAIN, AS YOU POINTED OUT, ALSO RELATES TO HUMAN TRAFFICING, AND DRUG ADDICTION, SO ON, SO FORTH.

IN MINNESOTA YOU HAD MINNESOTA GOVERNOR WHO HAD PROPOSED LAST, I THINK IT WAS LAST DECEMBER, A LAW CREATING A TASK FORCE THAT WOULD PRIORITIZE AND FIRST OF ALL INVESTIGATE AND THEN PRIORITIZE MISSING BLACK AND NATIVE AMERICAN GIRLS.

MINNESOTA HAS A LARGE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

DO ANYONE ON THE PANEL, ALL OF YOU IN FACT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT CREATING LOCAL TASK FORCE AND STATEWIDE TASK FORCE, BUT PRIORITIZE FINDING MISSING BLACK AND OTHER CHILDREN OF COLOR?

>> I THINK I CAN START OFF AND SAY I AM A PROPONENT OF THAT.

IN MY OP ED THAT WAS ONE OF THE ACTIONABLE ITEMS THAT I STATED.

AND TO YOUR POINT, REPRESENTATIVE RUTH RICHARDSON IS TAKING LEAD ON THAT CHARGE FOR THAT TASK FORCE.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS AGAIN IS A MULTILAYERED ISSUE.

SO NOT JUST ONE AREA OF KNOWLEDGE IS CRUCIAL.

WE NEED YOUTH PRACTITIONERS.

WE NEED COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS WE NEED OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

WITHIN MASSACHUSETTS WE HAVE THE CHILD JUSTICE UNIT, WE ALSO HAVE THE HUMAN TRAFFICING DIVISION BUT ALSO COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS INCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.

WE CAN'T WORK IN ISOLATION, WE HAVE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF HAVING A TASK FORCE AND OTHER THINGS.

THIS IS MULTILAYERED SOLUTION, NOT ONE LAYERED SOLUTION, WHERE MULTIPLE PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR OPINING THE BLACK GIRLS.

>> Martin: A TASK FORCE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL THE STATE LEVEL, YOUR VIEW ON THAT?

>> I MEAN I AGREE WITH MS. ALEXANDER.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, AS LONG AS WE HAVE REPRESENTATION THAT REPRESENTS DEMOGRAPHICS, SLOWS WE HAVE CULTURAL COMPETENCY, I THINK MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT WHENEVER WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT TURNS AND IT SOMEHOW CONNECTS TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THAT WE'RE ENSURING THAT IT'S A REFORMED APPROACH THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY CRIMINALIZING, RIGHT?

SO WITH MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE NEVER -- I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH THING AND AT LEAST IN MY PRACTICE NOW OR IN MY JOB NOW, I AM FILING FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS SORT OF WHAT IS THE AFTER SCHOOL STRUCTURE OR HOW IS GOVERNMENT SUPPORTING PARENTS TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN WITH WHETHER IT BE MENTAL -- BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT PLANS OR BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION CHARTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND I THINK THAT AFTER SCHOOL STRUCTURE AND HAVING SUPPORT FROM OUR GOVERNMENT WITH RESOURCES AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO NAVIGATE THEM IS SEVERELY IMPORTANT, RIGHT?

SO THIS IS ALSO SUPPORTING PARENTS AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING DOES GO WRONG.

SO I SUPPORT THE TASK FORCE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT AS WELL.

>> Martin: AND RAHSAAN THE NOTION OF THE -- THESE YOUNG GIRLS NOT BEING CRIMINALIZED, FURTHER CRIMINALIZED, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICING WHO HAVE BEEN REPORTED MISSING, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS AN ALTERNATE, ALTERNATIVE PATH TO GUARANTEEING THAT THESE YOUNG WOMEN ARE NOT CRIMINALIZED?

WE KNOW THE LAWS HAVE CHANGED IN MASSACHUSETTS, FOCUSED ON THE 2012 HUMIDITY TRAFFICING REFORM BILLS AND THE NEW LAW THAT WAS ENACTED IN 2012, BUT IS THERE ENOUGH TO GUARANTEE THE NONCRIMINALIZATION OF MISSING BLACK CHILDREN AND OTHER CHILDREN OF COLOR?

>> WELL I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE ROALT OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BECOMES CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S THAT ARE SEEING CASES OF YOUNG GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE COMING BEFORE COURT WITH CASES THAT ARE RELATED TO THEIR EXPERIENCE OF BEING TRAFFICKED.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT IS NOT JUST THE CHARNLS OF SEX FOR A FEE OR THE PROSECUTION COMMON NIGHT WALKER TYPE OF OFFENSES WHEN IN REALITY THEY ARE BEING TRAFFICKED BUT THE OFFENSES THAT ARE APERTINENT TO THAT.

SO IF THERE ARE DRUG DISTRIBUTION CHARGES THAT ARE A PART OF THEIR CHARGES, INDUCE INDUCE SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER, THAT IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE SYSTEM WRITTEN LARGE THAT WE TRY TO ADDRESS TOO MANY OF SOCIETAL ISSUES OR SOCIETY'S ISSUES, THROUGH CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.

AND GET TERRIBLE RESULTS.

AND SO FINDING OUT WHAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSES, WHAT IS LEADING TO YOUNG GIRLS AND WOMEN BEING TRAFFICKED IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHAT ARE THE UNMET NEEDS THAT EXIST, WHAT RESOURCES NEED TO BE IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT SUSCEPTIBLE AND VULNERABLE TO BEING TRAFFICKED, WHAT TYPE OF EDUCATION NEEDS TO HAPPEN ONLINE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER AND CONNECTING WITH FEEX THAT THEY DON'T KNOW, MAKING -- PEOPLE THEY DON'T KNOW, AS WELL AS YOUNG BOYS AND YOUNG HE MEN KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND THE RISKS OF TRAFFICING AND ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR.

BUT TO YOUR INITIAL QUESTION, WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ENSURING THAT THE STAFF IS WELL TRAINED AND UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUE AND IS IN CONTACT AND CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED.

SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICING TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE EXPERIENCE IS LIKE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE A PROSECUTOR SITTING IN A COURTROOM WHO HAS NO IDEA WHAT THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT, MAKING DECISIONS FROM A FILE FOLDER THAT THEY RECEIVED NEARLY MINUTES BEFORE.

>> Martin: THAT PASSION THAT YOU JUST BROUGHT TO THIS ISSUE IS ONE THAT'S -- THAT OUR ENTIRE PANEL IS BRINGING TO THIS ISSUE.

AND I THINK THAT IS WHY THE ISSUE HAS COME TO THE FOREFRONT, BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY IS NOT BECAUSE OF FOLKS I'M AFRAID IN MY PROFESSION, THE MEDIA.

THE MEDIA HAS FOLLOWED AS OPPOSED TO BEING BROUGHT ALONG.

GAETANE, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT THIS CASE, WE HAVE A LOCAL CASE THAT MAY SOUND FAMILIAR FOR YOU.

A YOUNG WOMAN, WENT MISSING AND IT WAS HER FAMILY, IT WAS HER FAMILY THAT BASICALLY DID THE GROUNDWORK, THE LEGWORK, TRACKING HER PHONE, FINDING OUT WHO SHE LAST SAW.

AND FINALLY, DISCOVERING SADLY, TRAGICALLY, THAT THIS YOUNG WOMAN HAD BEEN KILLED IN I THINK IT WAS IN STOTON, THEY FOUND HER BODY IN STOTON.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING HOW FAMILIAR IS THAT PARTICULAR CASE TO YOU, DOES IT RESONATE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING NATIONWIDE?

>> IT RESONATES GREATLY.

AND IT'S SO SAD TO SAY THAT THIS YOUNG WOMAN'S STORY IS ONE THAT IS REPEATED DAILY.

SADLY, SADLY TO SAY.

AND MOST OFTENTIMES, BLACK FAMILIES FIND THEMSELVES IN THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCE THAT HER FAMILY FOUND THEMSELVES.

SO IT'S SELF ADVOCATING, KNOWING WHAT TO DO AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM, IS THAT MOST FAMILIES DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

THEY WERE BETTER QUIPPED SO THEY DID WHAT THEY COULD DO TO HELP FIND HER AND IT WAS A TRAGIC ENDING BUT SO MANY BLACK FAMILIES THEY FACE A BRICK WALL.

IMMEDIATELY EVEN UPON RECORDING THEIR LOVED ONE MISSING.

THE RESPONSE THAT THEY GET FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, IS ONE THAT YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO RECEIVE WHEN YOUR MOTHER, YOUR SISTER, YOUR CHILD, IS MISSING AND YOU CAN'T FIND THEM.

LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

OF SOME OF THE HARDSHIPS OUR FAMILIES FACE, THE ONES THAT WE WORK WITH.

THEY WILL CALL AND NOW KEEP IN MIND THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO REPORT YOUR CHILD MISSING.

THERE'S NO LAW.

BUT YET, SOMETIMES WHEN THEY CALL LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY'LL BE TOLD, THE LAST CASE I WORKED WITH THEY TOLD THE MOM TO COME BACK IN 72 HOURS.

72 HOURS.

LET THAT RESONATE.

ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THE MISSING KNOWS THAT EVERY SECOND MATTERS.

SO 72 HOURS TO WAIT AND COME BACK, WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO THAT CHILD IN THOSE 72 HOURS IS INCONCEIVABLE.

BUT THIS IS THE TYPE OF REACTION, RESPONSE THAT THEY'RE GETTING OFTENTIMES FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT.

SO IT LEAVES THE FAMILY ON THEIR OWN OR TO SEEK OUT NONPROFITS LIKE MYSELF OR ADVOCATES FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM BREAK DOWN THOSE WALLS OR ALSO SEARCH FOR THEIR LOVED ONES.

>> Martin: AND YOU'VE DONE THIS IN PART FOR SOMETHING CALLED THE AURELIA ALERT, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY?

>> YES, THE AURELIA ALERT IS NAMED AFTER A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WENT MISSING, IT'S AN ACRONYM, REMEMBER I LOVE YOU ALWAYS.

REMEMBER, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE OF COLOR, CHILDREN OF COLOR DON'T GET THE AMBER ALERT SYSTEM THAT WE ALL KNOW SO WELL WHICH IS A WONDERFUL SYSTEM BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON CHILDREN OF COLOR DON'T REACH THE CRITERIA NECESSARY TO TRIGGER THAT ALERT SYSTEM.

AT THE TIME THAT WE DECIDED TO DO OUR OWN ALERT SYSTEM IT WAS REALLY WHEN SOCIAL MEDIA STARTED TAKING HOLD.

AND HAD A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

SO WE REALIZED THAT WE COULD USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO HELP SPREAD AWARENESS QUICKLY FOR THE MISSING LOVED ONES, THE MISSING CHILDREN OF THE FAMILIES WITH WHOM WE WORKED.

SO WE STARTED THAT ALERT SYSTEM IN AURELIA'S HONOR.

NO CHILD SHOULD GO MISSING IN SECRECY WHEN EVER SOMEONE GOES MISSING EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEY'RE MISSING HOW CAN YOU HELP?

THAT WAS THE PREMISE AND THAT'S WHY WE PUT OUT THE ALERT FOR OUR MISSING CHILDREN.

>> Martin: OKAY, WE ARE COUNTING DOWN QUICKLY TO THE END OF OUR SHOW AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW FROM EACH OF YOU, MAYBE IN A BILLBOARD TYPE OF WAY, WHAT'S NEXT, WHAT DO WE DO AS A SOCIETY TO GUARANTEE THAT CHILDREN WHO GO MISSING ARE FOUND?

AND THAT THE SOCIETY IS ALERTED AND THAT THEY ARE PRIORITIZE ED ALONG WITH EVERY OTHER -- PRIORITIZED ALONG WITH EARTH OVER CHILD WHO GOES MISSING.

COUNSELOR LET ME START WITH YOU, AGAIN BUILDER, WHAT'S NEXT?

>> I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE STRATEGY.

WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TREATING THIS JUST AS VALUABLE, AS IMPORTANT AS A WHITE WOMAN.

WHEN SHE GOES MISSING.

I THINK THAT IT'S EDUCATION, FOR THE PARENTS, BUT IT'S ALSO, IT'S NOT FOR US TO BLAME THE VICTIM OR TO SHAME THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS, RIGHT?

SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO LEGISLATIVELY RAISE SOME SORT OF EFFORT TO MAKE -- ENSURE THAT OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS DOING THEIR JOB.

AND THAT WE HAVE TO CAMPAIGN AROUND DESTIGMATIZING WHEN YOUNG GIRLS GO MISSING ESPECIALLY BLACK GIRLS THAT WE ARE NOT JUST SEX OBJECTS AND THAT IF WE ARE MISSING, THAT WE ARE GRUS AS HUMAN AROUND -- JUST AS HUMAN AND VALUABLE AND LOVED AND DESERVE AS MUCH ATTENTION.

EDUCATION AWARENESS ARE TOOLS THAT WE CAN AID FAMILIES, YES, BUT DEFINITELY I THINK THAT IT'S FOR OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO DO A BETTER JOB ON THIS ISSUE.

>> Martin: THANK YOU.

ALEXANDRIA, YOUR BILLBOARD, 30 SECONDS.

>> I HAVE TWO.

ONE IS SCHOLAR TO THE COUNCILOR, WE NEED EDUCATION, THAT WOS SUBJUGATE YOUNG GIRLS WE WOULD BE FURTHER ALONG.

THEN THE SECOND APPROACH IS IT GOES BEYOND MISSING BLACK GIRLD.

WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL SUPPORTS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUTH PRACTITIONERS, EDUCATORS, INQUIRING ABOUT HOW YOUR DAY IS GOING, SIMPLE THINGS LIKE THAT AND REALLY COMING FROM A PLACE OF CENSORING LOVE, HAVING THAT TASK FORCE THAT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

>> Martin: EXCELLENT.

RAHSAAN 30 SECONDS.

>> I THINK BIGGEST TAKE AWAY, YOU KNOW, THINK HE SAY WHAT IS IT THE JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH ONE STEP.

AND THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER THAT WE HAVE TO OVERCOME WHICH IS THE DEVALUING OF BLACK LIVES.

AND THAT'S WHY WHEN BLACK GIRLS GO MISSING, THERE'S NOT THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT IN ENSURING THAT THEY'RE CONSIDERED MITTSING.

BUT THEN, TOO, THAT THEY ARE FOUND.

BUT I THINK THE WAY THAT WE OVERCOME THAT IS CONTINUING TO HOLD OUR INSTITUTIONS ACCOUNT ACCOUNTABLE TO RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN OVERLOOKED AND MARGINALIZED.

SO HOLDING THE MEDIA ACCOUNTABLE TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE TELLING THE STORIES OF THESE BLACK GIRLS, HOLDING OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT OUR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEING EDUCATED ON THE DANGERS AND THREATS AROUND THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM POLICE AND PROSECUTORS OFFICES ARE BEING WELL TRAINED AND EQUIPPED ON IDENTIFYING THESE ISSUES.

>> Martin: I APPRECIATE THAT, GAETANE WE WILL TALK TO YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROGRAM.

THAT'S THE END OF OUR BROADCAST AND THE END OF OUR SHOW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND NOW STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS, FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪