The Ebony Alert system — which will be used for Black people aged 12 to 25 — takes effect in California on Jan. 1, 2024, when it will become the first statewide program of its kind in the country.

The foundation is partnering with families of missing Black and brown people and groups dedicated to raising awareness of these cases. One case Mr. Petito is advocating for is of 24-year-old ...

In contrast, White people account for 54% of missing person reports and 75% of the US population. “I did a deep dive into it,” Petito told CNN.

While cases of missing White women receive more focus, people of color are disappearing at disproportionate rates. According to 2022 FBI data, Black people make up 31% of missing person reports ...

In 2022, up to 546,000 people were reported missing across the U.S. — with 36% of those cases identified as Black youth and women.

Advocates for missing persons say Carlee Russell's story should not diminish the reality that more than 30,000 Black people in the U.S. remained missing at the end of 2022.