I want this post to be a reference for everyone who is wanting to be an activist and an ally in the times we are in.
The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the form of the protests we are experiencing now is much deeper than yet another Black man being murdered by the police.
If you have been paying attention, the display of anger we are seeing started with George Floyd, but it grew with Black folks facing the reality of our modern day situation.
In the span of less than a month, we had three widely publicized police murders that shook us to our core. We have seen, even in a pandemic, racism, hatred, and discrimination are disseminated more aggressively than we thought we could even begin to imagine.
I made this blog to make a difference. To be able to have my voice and the voice of the oppressed heard. There is no movement without community.
And community isn't a building or a restaurant or a gentrified mirage. Community is people fighting for their rights, kicking and screaming, desperate for change.
One thing I want to preface with is that not everyone's activism looks the same, especially in 2020. I saw this tweet from @Lindss_tastic and wanted to share it with you all:
Recognize that just because you aren't actively attending protests doesn't mean you're not doing anything.
Additionally, just because you aren't actively attending protests doesn't mean you're not responsible for anything either. We need all of the lanes as is said above. If all you can see yourself doing is sharing information and donating at the end of the month do that.
This post serves as a guide to the different ways you can be involved in activism in the BLM movement because trust me, you want to be on this side of the history we are constructing.
Educate Yourself
History
The history of race in America is one that is both horrifying and necessary. If we do not know where we're coming from, we are quick to deny exactly where we are. This is why we find ourselves having to explain history and its connection to our lives today because people aren't aware of it. So especially if you are not Black or a non black person of color, you should make an effort to educate yourself on the history of racism in this country.
Understanding the history also helps you empathize with Black people. Just knowing what we have gone through for 450 years will allow you to feel some of the same anger and unrest that a lot of Black people are feeling right now.
When we look at what is being referred to as the "rioting" and looting of "our communities", there needs to be history understood behind why people are doing that. Black people have historically been looked at as property. That is exactly what they were classified as less than a century ago.
A book I have labeled as the Book of the Month is Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates Jr. This book gives a detailed account and history of the circumstances that led us to where we are in the race relations of this country even providing a parallel between the 'redemption' period that served as a white supremacist response to the successes of freed slaves after the Civil War and the Trump era and increase of hate we see today.
This is the community of Tulsa, referred to as Black Wall Street to some. It was an economic center flourishing on self sufficiency despite all odds. Made for Black people, by Black people. Creating something for yourself and the ones you care about: this is what America is all about... right?
Not according to White Americans and those in power.
An assault accusation directed towards a Black man against a white woman led to the massacre of up to 300 men, women, and children in Tulsa, Oklahoma, using their corrupt 'legal' system to justify the harm done to this community.
The fact that this is something that isn't taught in schools is exactly why it is so important for us to educate ourselves on the history behind racism in this country.
Literature and Art
A way that Black people have always had available to them to express themselves was through their art. Black literature in America is especially profound because centuries ago, people that looked like me weren't even allowed to learn to read or write. People fought for our right to do this. Because of that, there is a lot to be learned from Black art and literature. Stories are told so beautifully in a way that allows you to place yourself in someone else's shoes as well as elevate their voices when we live in a society that has always tried to silence them.
The diversity in the material produced by Black people is also important to note. Our society has fallen into what Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie cites as "the danger of a single story". When Black people are written and illustrated by white artists, like they have been throughout history, this single narrative of Black people has been perpetuated that has proven harmful to producing stereotypes and biases. Even Black creators (i.e.Tyler Perry) are guilty of writing Black characters with little to no dimension or variety in their stories. So America isn't able to see the successful black family that has created wealth in their communities. They aren't able to see the black doctors, business-people, laborers who experience discrimination, the good, the bad, the real. That is why decolonizing the content you consume is so important.
Decolonizing just means looking at stories that are written by the oppressed. There is a saying that says that history is written by the victor. Decolonizing your bookshelf and your content means to see history through the eyes of the conquered and oftentimes, you will learn a very different story. In the context of Black liberation, this can be digested in the form of books by James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and Angela Y. Davis. If you are interested in understanding police and prison abolition and how the prison industrial complex is inherently racist, Angela Y. Davis is an activist and scholar who has been guiding me on my journey to understanding these issues.
Music is art too. Lockdown by Anderson .Paak just kind of hits different right now.
(image by Danielle Coke @ohhappydani on Instagram)
Social Media
I have used my social media as a way to spread knowledge that I am learning from other people about the Black Lives Matter movement, police abolition, and other topics that we hear about often in media yet don't receive much education on. @urdoinggreat on Instagram is doing a group reading series on Angela Y. Davis' 'Are Prisons Obsolete' where the author explores the legitimacy and necessity of prison abolition. Social media can be a great tool to spread your opinions but can also be an amazing resource to spread knowledge. Additionally, the image-focused interface of Instagram has allowed me to share infographics and pictures that are able to disseminate factual information. Additionally, authors like @ijeomaoluo share information relating to their anti-racism content on their Instagram stories and will even host Q & A's. Recognize that using social media only isn't a replacement for advocacy work outside of the screen, but a great way to learn and share.
Stories
Sometimes someone will tell us about their experience and it shapes the entire way we look at the world. The experiences of Black folks in this country tells you a lot about just how much we have been disenfranchised by this government. Listen to us. Believe us.
Donate: time and money
Protest
I just want yo encourage you in the fact that the protests should not be "going away". They are continuing even after news outlets are tired of it. They are happening everyday all around the world STILL and that is exactly how it should be. If we look at the history, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed after years and years of protesting and petition. Keep showing up to protests, keep organizing, keep filling town halls and voicing your opinions. We won't be silenced by the apathy of others.
At a protest in my hometown where we laid on the ground and shouted "I can't breathe" at the law enforcement.
Bail funds
Our criminal justice system has failed Black and brown folks since its conception. I am linking bail funds that you can donate to for those wrongfully accused as well as those arrested for exercising their right to protest. I also want to point out that legality does not equal morality. For example, a Black mother who cannot afford or find childcare to attend her probation appointment while being denied the opportunity to bring her children ended up in jail for 42 days. She wasn't trying to break the law. She just was left with very little options and cannot be blamed for wanting to make sure her children were safe. She was able to spend Mother's Day with her family because of a bail out fund. Mutual support is one way that you can have a real impact in reversing the effects of the injustice so many face.
- Bail funds for protesters by state: https://bailfunds.github.io/
- Article about the Black Mamas Bail Out Initiative: https://abcnews.go.com/US/jailed-moms-bailed-mothers-day/story?id=62903038
- National Bail Out, a Black centered collective of bail out funds: https://www.nationalbailout.org/
- Innocence Project, helping those who have been wrongfully convicted or accused: https://www.innocenceproject.org/about/
Community organizations
There are so many different community organizations doing amazing work relating to the Black Lives Matter movement and racial justice. These are great ways to get involved and its even better to find something in your local area! I will list some below:
- Black Lives Matter partners: https://blacklivesmatter.com/partners/
- The Strategist has an incredible article linking over 100 different community organizations, bail funds, and more that you can donate your time and money to: https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-for-black-lives-matter.html
Sign petitions
Petitions are a great way to get the attention of lawmakers and are so easy to sign. The BLM Caard link (https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/) is great for finding a one stop shop for resources to help the Black community and the movement.
Amplify Black Voices
If you are not Black, don't make it your goal to make it seem like you are the most "woke". Your work as a public servant is not defined by how loudly you can speak. It is defined by your actions. One thing that you should always prioritize is uplifting and amplifying Black voices. We have been silenced and told how to accept and experience our "freedom" for too long. I can't tell you how much it means to us to be able to speak our truth and be listened to by those who actually have the power to make a difference in our lives. Being an ally means putting your comfort and pride on the back burner for the sake of a greater purpose.
Use Your Own Voice
I want to emphasize that just because you are not Black does not mean that you don't have anything to add. You should be working to firstly elevate the voices of Black people in America because our lived experiences are just that: ours. However, do not weaponize Black voices meaning do not use your own anecdotal situations of one Black person you know (or yourself if you are Black) to disqualify the experiences of others. There are over 328 million people living in the United States, it isn't unlikely that some of us have different experiences with police or racism. If you are white, talk to your friends and family about racism and hold them accountable. You may never change their opinions but let them know that their racist ideologies are not okay with you. In the times we're in where we are better able to hold people accountable when someone speaks up, silence really is violence.
VOTE and put pressure on your local offices and lawmakers
Part of using your voice is exercising your legal right to hold elected officials accountable. As their constituents, you have the power to determine whether or not they will have a job in a few years. Use that to your advantage. Research who you are voting for. Make sure their legislative record aligns with your values. Know how different systems impact the lives of Black and brown people and others who are disadvantaged and advocate for the changes that need to be implemented for a more equitable society.
Register to vote here: https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/
I know this is tiring, I'm tired too. I wish we didn't have to do this. These past few weeks I have struggled to find peace. But I am committed to doing everything I can to dismantle the systems of oppression that this country was built on and to me, it is one of the most worthwhile things I could give my time to. As a Black woman in a country that did not intend for me to thrive, this fight is personal for me. We need transformation. We need a revolution.
I love y'all.
Cover Image by artist Reyna Noriega (@reynanoriega_ on Instagram)
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