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What Do We Owe Black Children?

Black children deserve safety, joy, and the freedom to grow into themselves without violence, exploitation, or bias. Yet for too long, society has failed to protect Black children, especially when it comes to how we see, treat, and respond to their innocence.

me too. International is proud to present two powerful public service announcements (PSAs) that challenge harmful narratives and call us all to action. Created in collaboration with Verzuz TV, these PSAs shine a light on how misogynoir, patriarchy, and silence intersect to harm Black children. They ask us to reflect on the central question of this campaign:

What do we owe Black children?

We owe them safety. We owe them joy. We owe them protection from harm and the right to simply be children.

PSA #1: The Rules

From the classroom to the courtroom, Black girls are too often denied the grace of childhood. They are labeled “fast,” punished more harshly, and treated as older than they really are. This phenomenon, known as adultification bias, strips Black girls of protection, compassion, and care.

“The Rules” highlights the adultification of Black girls and the common experiences that inflict both physical and psychological harm on Black children, reinforcing rape culture narratives and endangering the safety of all children.

We premiered “The Rules” in June 2025 in Philadelphia at the Barnes, and livestreamed to over 12,000 viewers through our partners at ActTV. Following the premiere, Jos Duncan Asé moderated a robust panel where, survivors and advocates Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Chanel Dupree, Tashmica Torok, and Jessie Woo discussed how adultification bias appears in education, media, and institutions, and identified tangible actions for dismantling it.

Dani Ayers, our Chief Executive Officer, offered this reflection:

“Black girls are often still not seen as children. They’re treated like they’re grown before they’ve even had a chance to be young. But where harm happens, healing can also happen. And we owe it to Black girls to create a world where they are protected, believed, and allowed to just be.”

Catch "The Rules" Premiere + Panel Replay

PSA #2: Barbershop

Black boys are too often socialized into silence. Messages that normalize sexual violence as a “rite of passage” erase their pain, dismiss their survival, and reinforce harmful ideas about masculinity.

“Barbershop” shines a light on the rarely spoken truth: Black boys can and do experience sexual violence, and they deserve acknowledgment, support, and healing. Protecting them requires us to unlearn the myths we’ve inherited and commit to a culture where boys are believed, cared for, and safe.

We premiered “Barbershop” in New York City at the Apollo Procope Theater in August 2025. The PSA + Panel was also livestreamed to over 10,000 viewers through our partners at ActTV.

“Black boys are not immune to harm, and they are not inherently dangerous. They deserve safety, protection and the freedom to be vulnerable. And it’s up to us—parents, teachers, coaches, all of us—to create a culture where their trauma is no longer a punchline.” – Tarana Burke, our Founder and Chief Vision Officer

Following the screening, a 60-minute panel discussion moderated by Perry “Vision” DiVirgilio and featured Van Lathan, Marc Lamont Hill, Yolo Akili Robinson, and Kendis Gibson.

The PSA + Panel was also livestreamed to over 10,000 viewers through our partners at ActTV.

Catch the "Barbershop" Premiere + Panel Replay