Invisible Woman: The Vanishing of Kierra Coles

"In this episode of No Tears For Black Girls, host Samantha Paul confronts the stark reality of how missing Black women are often overlooked in America’s media and criminal justice systems. Marking the debut of the new song “Invisible Woman” from the upcoming novella The Price of Silence by J.C. Reedburg, we revisit the 2018 disappearance of 26-year-old postal worker Kierra Coles. Three months pregnant and last seen on surveillance tape leaving her Chicago apartment, Kierra vanished without a trace, her personal belongings left behind and her case languishing for years.

Through conversations with Kierra’s mother, Karen Phillips, and analysis of law enforcement practices, we explore the systemic failures that led the Chicago Police Department to classify her case as low-risk and suspend active investigation after only one year. We examine the phenomenon known as “missing white woman syndrome,” supported by studies showing far greater media attention for white victims, and discuss the impact of this bias on families and communities. In October 2022, the FBI finally announced a $45,000 reward following relentless advocacy, but the question remains: why did it take four years of public pressure for this milestone to occur?

“Invisible Woman” by The Crown & Soul Collective—and the companion novella releasing this Juneteenth—shines a light on those whose disappearances are met with indifference. We encourage listeners to keep Kierra’s story alive by sharing her likeness, following “Find Kierra Coles” on social media, and contacting Chicago officials for case updates. Join us as we refuse to let another Black woman slip into silence."

Episode Transcript

(00:22):
Welcome to No Tears for Black Girls.
I'm Samantha Paul, and today we're exploring a case that
embodies the painful reality of how missing Black women are
treated in America. This episode accompanies the
release of our new song Invisible Woman from the
soundtrack of the upcoming novella The Price of Silence,

(00:42):
written by JC Reedberg, creator of this podcast.
The book releases this Juneteenth.
In October 2018, a 26 year old pregnant postal worker named
Kiara Coles left her Chicago apartment, was captured briefly
on surveillance video, and then simply vanished.
She was three months pregnant with her first child.

(01:05):
Her purse, cell phone, and car were left behind.
Despite these suspicious circumstances, the investigation
quickly went cold. Chiara's disappearance
represents a devastating patternwe see repeatedly with missing
Black women. The initial media coverage was
minimal, the police investigation lacked urgency,

(01:26):
and as weeks turned to months and then years, Chiara's family
has been left to carry the burden of keeping her name alive
in the public consciousness. What makes Chiara's case
particularly troubling is how itreveals the systemic issues
within law enforcement's response to missing Black women.
Despite her status as a federal employee, despite clear evidence

(01:49):
of foul play, despite her pregnancy, the case was
classified as a non high risk missing person case.
The Chicago Police Department suspended their active
investigation after just one year.
Her mother, Karen Phillips, has been relentless in her fight for
justice. It's like they just forgot about

(02:11):
her, she told reporters on the 3rd anniversary of Kiara's
disappearance. If Kiara was a different color,
would they have looked harder? Would they have cared more?
The statistics support her suspicion.
A 2021 study found that missing white women received
significantly more media coverage than women of color.

(02:34):
This missing white woman syndrome means cases like
Chiara's don't generate the public pressure needed to keep
investigations active. This pattern of neglect is
exactly what our song Invisible Woman addresses, how Black women
can disappear not once, but twice, first physically, then

(02:54):
from public consciousness and institutional concern.
In our novella The Price of Silence, we explore how systems
meant to protect women often fail, Black women specifically.
When Tasha discovers her police officer husband's connection to
trafficking and confronts him, she finds herself trapped by the

(03:15):
very institutions meant to protect her.
Like Kiara's family, she discovers that some women's pain
goes unnoticed, that some women's absence creates barely a
ripple in the system's designed to maintain order.
In October 2022, four years after Kiara's disappearance, the
FBI announced a $45,000 reward for information leading to her

(03:39):
whereabouts. This came only after years of
advocacy from her family and community organizations.
It shouldn't take four years andconstant pressure for a missing
pregnant woman to receive this level of attention.
The song we're releasing today? Invisible Woman honors Kiara
Coles and countless other Black women who have gone missing

(04:02):
without receiving the attention and resources their cases
deserve. For those listening who want to
help, remember that keeping Kiara's name and image in public
awareness matters. Share her story.
Follow the fine Kiara Coles social media accounts.
Contact Chicago officials to askabout the status of her case.

(04:24):
Kiara was 5 feet 4 inches, weighed 125 lbs with black hair
and brown eyes. She has a tattoo of a heart on
her right hand and another that says Lucky Libra on her back.
She was last seen wearing her postal worker uniform.
Someone knows what happened to Kiara Coles.

(04:44):
Someone has information that could bring her family closure,
and until she is found, we will continue to say her name and
fight against the silence that too often surrounds missing
Black women. Thank you for listening to No
Tears for Black Girls. I'm Samantha Paul and I'll see
you next time. Stay loved, stay blessed, and

(05:05):
stay safe. Walking home that day, security

(05:26):
camera cut her. Then she faded away.
October chill in Chicago. Leaves were turning brown.
Another black woman missing, barely made the evening rounds.
Invisible. They don't see your crown,

(05:52):
Invisible Woman, they won't search the ground.
How many tears must fall before they hear our sound?
Invisible Woman, we won't let you down.

(06:13):
Three years of silence. Family screaming her name while
headlines chase white women. The pattern stays the same.
Her uniform's still hanging. Her baby never born.
The system keeps on moving like no absence to one invisible.

(06:42):
They don't see your crown invisible.
They won't search the ground. How many tears must fire before
they hear a sound? Invisible Woman, we won't let

(07:03):
you down Behind the blue wall. Questions just appear behind the
blue wall. Evidence runs clear.
But we keep speaking, we keep seeking till invisible women

(07:28):
finally appear. Say her name Kiera calls.
Say her name till she's fine, say.