I am pausing my blog series on starting a YouTube channel because there’s something more important to talk about right now.
The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have sparked outrage and protests across the country … and the world.
The sad thing: we all know this isn’t new, and they aren’t the only ones. Why the hell is this still happening?
Inaction.
Inaction from our leaders. And for a lot of us, inaction from ourselves.
So, let’s act. I’ve compiled some of the resources that have been circulating social media. This work is not my own; I’ve merely put them together. This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you have come across more, please post in the comments.
Take immediate action
Demand Justice & Change
- Resources for Accountability and Actions for Black Lives: This document was put together by Carlisa Johnson. The top of the document includes steps to demand accountability and justice for David Mcattee, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Sean Reed, and James Scurlock. There are also links of bail funds and other organizations to donate.
- H.Res.988 – Condemning All Acts of Police Brutality, Racial Profiling, and the Use of Excessive and Militarized Force: Email your rep in Congress and ask them to sign on to support.
Donate
- Black Lives Matter
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund
- Bail funds by city/region: Support protesters in your area
- Bail funds: split your donation: You can split your donation across all of the bail funds
- Other consolidated lists:
Protest
- Wired: How to Protest Safely: What to Bring, What to Do, and What to Avoid
- Amnesty International: Safety During Protest
- Vox: How to more safely protest in a pandemic
Educate
Consolidated Resources
- Talking About Race portal from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
- Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources
- Anti-racism resources for white people
- Resources: Asians for Black Lives
Reading Lists
- San Francisco Public Library reading list about racism, #BlackLivesMatter and the pervasiveness of white supremacy.
- Children’s books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance
Be an Ally
Support Black Businesses
- Black-owned restaurants in the Bay Area
- EatOkra app: find local Black-owned restaurants
- WeBuyBlack: global marketplace for Black-owned businesses
- Official Black Wall Street app: Search & discover thousands of Black-owned businesses near you.
Make it a Long-term Mission
After the media coverage and protests have died down, it will be easy to fall back into inaction. But if history has taught us anything, this is a long-term fight, and we need to keep the momentum going.
We won’t necessarily always do or say the right thing. This is a time for learning, re-educating and listening with humility.
The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward. https://t.co/DL3c2vIXcB
— Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 15, 2019