As you can see this design may look familiar to many of us. This design was inspired by “I Am a Man!” When I created #IAMABBIEMILLS, this movement was all I kept thinking about. A quick history lesson..I AM A MAN was created because of the terms “boy/girl” being used as an insult to people of color and slaves, showing a social status of being “less than a man.” Three-Fifths Compromise anyone? The reason why we are here today is for Grace Abigail Mills. Brilliantly portrayed by Nicole Beharie, Abbie’s life was cut short within a few minutes of the Sleepy Hollow season 3 finale. To me, Abbie was so much more than a character. She is someone we can all identify with. It doesn’t matter who we are or where we come from Abbie is us. She IS the audience, the person we navigate each mission through, the person that we want to be in our own lives. Abbie Mills is US. Killing Abbie in this way KILLED US/ME. When she hurt so did we, she cried so did we, and she smiled so did we. Her final word were “I’ve done all I was meant to do. I was meant to move you forward Crane.” In a few words all this woman has done in her life was quickly diminished and turned Her/the Mills-Dixon family line into “the help”. Women of Color have always been sidelined or moved to the background. Having Nicole in this lead role has been epic and she deserves better. We deserve better. Our voices need to be heard and our stories from our perspective. She (Abbie) is me, a strong young woman who has so much to give to the world and WE will not be reduced to the background any longer. The money for each shirt sold we go straight to Black Girls Rock! Why you ask? Because this is for every one of us that has been told we aren’t good enough….that little girl that has a dream of being more than just a name on a paper.
