Black girls in LA keep seeing women around them getting killed. They’re driving change
Summary
Tioni Theus, a 16-year-old from South Los Angeles, was found shot dead in January 2021 after a period of instability following her mother’s serious car accident. Five years later, no arrests have been made, and Black families and organizers say more action is needed to protect Black women and girls; local women and teens are building programs and raising awareness themselves.Key Facts
- Theus’s mother was critically injured in a car accident when Theus was 13, and Theus later left her family’s care and stopped attending school, according to her cousin.
- Authorities found Theus’s body on a highway on January 8, 2021, with a gunshot wound to her neck; how she got there remains unknown.
- The article says no arrests have been made in Theus’s killing, despite a $115,000 reward and a city-commissioned report on violence against Black women.
- Black women and girls make up about four percent of the Los Angeles region’s population but account for a disproportionately large share of female homicide victims, the article reports.
- Families and organizers are calling for stronger public attention, more research, and funding for programs addressing domestic and community violence.
- Black women in Los Angeles are using task forces, rallies, summer programs, and podcasts to share experiences and promote safety.
- The article says the Trump administration cut millions of dollars in federal funding for gun violence prevention.
- Ken’Niyia, a 15-year-old Inglewood resident, joined a summer program for teen girls to connect with one another.
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