Black Women Artists and Activists Drop 17-Minute “Say Her Name” Anthem

Style Magazine Newswire | 10/8/2021, 1:01 p.m.

Musician, actor and activist Janelle Monáe partnered with the African American Policy Forum to create “Say Her Name (Hell You Talmbout),” an anthem protesting police violence and calling attention to 61 Black women and girls who were killed by law enforcement.

The 17-minute song features 15 other Black female artists and activists, including Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Chloe x Halle, Tierra Whack, Isis V., Zoë Kravitz, Brittany Howard, Asiahn, Jovian Zayne, Angela Rye, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Brittany Packnett-Cunningham, Alicia Garza and MJ Rodriguez.

“This International Daughter’s Day and we are proud to stand with the African American Policy Forum’s #SayHerName Mothers Network & Kimberlé Crenshaw as we honor the Black women and girls who lost their lives at the hands of police,” Monáe said in a statement.

“We support the tireless work that #SayHerName has been doing for years to help bring these mothers justice for their daughters. This work is too important to do alone and can only be sustained through our collective voices,” she added. “We take up this call to action as daughters ourselves trying to create a world where stories like these are no longer commonplace. This is a rally cry.”

Monáe said the group aims “to give reverence to the countless Black women and girls” who have died and “to their mothers who have suffered this unbearable loss.”

“They matter. Their names matter. Their stories matter. And justice needs to be served,” she said. “May we all commit ourselves to protecting Black women and girls and making systemic changes to protect our sisters from the abuse of power in the police force. Please join us and #SayHerName.”

there is the #SayHerName: Song Release Party and Activation, during which AAPF and the Mothers Network will speak to the importance of the new song and reflect on what the song means for the #SayHerName movement and our community of families.