Advocates in Wisconsin Call for Task Force to Address the Disappearance of Black Women

On April 1, Sade Carleena Robinson, her daughter, had a conversation with Scarbrough through FaceTime. However, on April 3, Scarbrough discovered that her 19-year-old daughter had gone missing.

To her dismay, Scarbrough was not immediately informed about her daughter’s disappearance. Instead of receiving updates from the Milwaukee police or prosecutors, she found out more about the investigation through the evening television news.

“There are numerous other missing individuals in our community, and this has been an ongoing issue for a significant period,” she expressed. However, she believes in the power of voting.

She reflects on how having an advocate to assist with communication between herself and the police would have been invaluable during the investigation.

According to a recent study from Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, Black women in Wisconsin were 20 times more likely to be murdered than white women in 2020.

These statistics become even more alarming when examining the rates of intimate partner, domestic, and gun violence, as it disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous, and Latina women.

Stubbs, along with state Sens. LaTonya Johnson, a Democrat, and Jesse James, a Republican, have been advocating for an investigative task force to address these disparities.

They propose a task force similar to the existing task force for missing and murdered Indigenous women overseen by the state’s attorney general’s office.

However, the Republicans who stalled the bill from moving forward in the Senate have requested Attorney General Josh Kaul to take the lead.

Scarborough emphasized the importance of community awareness when voting for local government. He stressed the need to know which candidates are advocating for justice and funding for the task force.

He emphasized that this is not a partisan issue and called for all parties and individuals to support this initiative. Scarborough believes that having a task force is crucial for the community of Milwaukee.

“To be degraded, and ignored”

While driving through Madison, Wisconsin last month, Stubbs came across a missing person advertisement. Concerned for the person’s safety, she couldn’t help but notice the vivid colors, prominent print, and a distinct photograph of the missing individual, who happened to be Caucasian.

Stubbs parked her car to capture a photo, serving as a powerful symbol of her continuous efforts to ensure fair treatment in cases involving missing and murdered Black women and girls.

For the past three years, Stubbs has persistently advocated for a legislative inquiry into the unequal treatment of these cases by law enforcement.

The absence of such an investigation worries Stubbs, as she fears that the number of Black crime victims in Wisconsin may rise if immediate action is not taken.

The eye-catching flyer featuring a missing white person stands out starkly against the challenges that many Black families encounter when attempting to report a missing loved one.

Inaccurate descriptions, black and white flyers, interrogations instead of assistance, and outright refusals to file reports are all too common experiences that discourage families from seeking help from the police.

There is a pervasive fear that the response will be insufficient and tainted by racial prejudice.

Wisconsin ranks among the least favorable places for Black individuals to reside, earning the unfortunate distinction of being the fourth-worst state economically for this community.

A mother, whose daughter Lasheky Hill disappeared in Racine last March, recounted her distressing encounter with Stubbs. Instead of receiving the assistance she sought, she was subjected to questioning regarding her daughter’s possible involvement in criminal activities.

Reflecting on the countless families who have been turned away when trying to file a missing child report, Stubbs emphasizes the importance of not demeaning or dismissing these families in their time of need. She highlights the necessity of the task force, stating that it is crucial because there are numerous cases that have gone unreported.

Wisconsin Representative Gwen Moore and Michigan Representative Debbie Dingell have joined forces to reintroduce a resolution aimed at preventing abusers from accessing firearms.

The number of missing people in Wisconsin remains significantly underreported, despite receiving federal funding.

While the state Justice Department’s missing and exploited website lists only six missing Black women, Wisconsin Missing Person’s Advocacy Inc. has reported a count of 16.

Furthermore, two other organizations have identified four additional cases, indicating that the actual number of missing Black women and girls in Wisconsin since New Year’s Eve 1990, when Vanessa L. Smith was last seen, could be as high as 20.

Stubbs feels discouraged that, even though Robinson’s case has garnered significant public attention, there hasn’t been any reevaluation of the pending legislation by the senators.

“I couldn’t believe it,” exclaimed Stubbs.

“Still walking through grief”

Sade Robinson and 15-year-old Joniah Walker were both employed at the Pizza Shuttle in Milwaukee. Two years ago, Walker went missing, and Robinson vividly recalls the emotional time.

She stood by Walker’s mother, Tanesha Howard, as they distributed missing-person flyers throughout the city. Howard also took to social media, sharing daily updates that Robinson would repost on her own timeline.

Scarborough reflects on that April FaceTime call with Robinson.

Scarbrough, 43, recalled the morning when she saw her daughter looking absolutely angelic. She was radiating an exquisite glow that caught her attention. Reflecting on that moment, Scarbrough admitted, “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there was something about that call that felt special.”

Daily calls were a regular part of their routine. If one of them happened to be busy, they would resort to checking in through text messages. However, they would always go back to video or phone calls the next day.

Scarbrough had recently begun a new job and was getting ready for graduate school, where his goal was to become a licensed professional counselor.

As Scarbrough faced the police’s questioning, her family stood by her side, with her daughter’s father even coming all the way from Florida to provide his DNA for testing on a severed leg discovered on a beach.

Scarbrough cooperated with the detective by providing the last known location of her daughter’s phone, as they had been using phone tracking for safety purposes.

Robinson posthumously received her associate’s degree in May. In honor of her memory, Riverside University High School, her alma mater, has established a memorial scholarship. Additionally, a mural depicting Robinson has been painted on the Pizza Shuttle building where she dedicated four years of her life.

“It’s been a whirlwind since April, everything moving at lightning speed. It’s overwhelming because I’m still grappling with my grief,” Scarbrough shared, tears streaming down her face.

“I haven’t had a chance to catch my breath. I’ve had to take on responsibilities I never could have anticipated. Advocating for others and doing case management has always been my passion, but my family and I never asked to be thrust into this position.”

Scarbrough maintains a strong bond with Robinson and is convinced that her daughter still champions the cause of those who have gone missing.

“She’s been advocating and speaking on behalf of others, but my baby is still with me,” Scarbrough expressed, pausing momentarily and gently placing her hand on her chest. “She communicates with me and sends me messages. She’s still fighting for the other missing individuals who have yet to be found.”

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