United Search Corps Applauds The Ebony Alert: An Unprecedented Stride Toward Equal Attention for All Missing Persons
In a society where everyone should be accounted for and every disappearance matters, certain communities find their pleas for help often echo into a void, unaddressed and unheard. The disproportionate response towards the missing cases of disadvantaged communities, especially amongst Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), has long been a disconcerting reality. At United Search Corps, we proudly advocate for initiatives that aim to bridge this disparity and illuminate the unnoticed cases of missing persons, particularly in marginalized communities.
Recently, the State of California enacted a transformative law, the "Ebony Alert," aimed at magnifying the urgency and attention towards Black youths and young adults who have gone missing. Initiated by Senate Bill 673 and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, the Ebony Alert emulates the mechanisms of an Amber Alert, employing various media channels, including electronic highway signs, radio, TV, and social media, to expediently disseminate information regarding the missing individual.
The statistics suggest an urgent need for such systems. In 2022 alone, approximately 141,000 Black children under the age of 18 went missing, while Black women over 21 constituted nearly 16,500 missing persons cases, according to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Furthermore, over 30,000 Black individuals were still unaccounted for at the close of 2022. Even though Black individuals represented about 38% of all missing persons in 2022, their stories and plights are notably underrepresented in media and subsequent public attention. Often, cases involving Black individuals remain unresolved and open far longer than those involving white individuals, as evidenced by the unsettling reality that the majority of the 6,000 cases in the Black and Missing Foundation’s database remain unsolved.
In a commendable move to address a similar disparity, California also introduced the "Feather Alert," specifically designed to expedite the search and recovery efforts for missing Native Americans, another severely impacted demographic.
United Search Corps: Advocating for Equality
While the Ebony and Feather Alerts are pivotal steps towards bridging the gap, the introduction of these laws has not been without controversy and has received negative press from certain political factions. Nonetheless, at United Search Corps, our stance is unwavering: every individual, regardless of ethnicity, age, or socioeconomic status, deserves equal attention and resources when they go missing.
These alert systems, while facing scrutiny, symbolize progress towards ensuring that disadvantaged communities receive the spotlight they rightfully deserve in the search and recovery/rescue efforts for their missing loved ones. A society that equally values each missing person – that is the future United Search Corps envisions and staunchly supports.
Our mission aligns seamlessly with ANY initiative that amplifies the efforts to find missing persons, particularly in communities that have historically been sidelined. Together, through supportive collaborations and an unwavering commitment to every missing individual, we can enhance our collective ability to provide answers, solace, and, ultimately, reunite families, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origins.
-USC