The #1 thing you can do right now today, is speak up and speak often. Let people know where you stand.
Below are some resources you can use to educate, to organize and to act. I will be adding to it as I become aware more of what is out there, I encourage you to reach out if you have an organization, a group or know of any that is working toward change.
BANK BLACK
This one is easy, park some cash so they can loan the cash to Black business and re-invest into communities of color that don’t always have a great banking relationship. While I’m doing it for the obvious reasons, it doesn’t hurt that I got to pick out this dope debit card. Holla Harriet (it’s limited edition for 2020 only)!
Don’t worry if you’re trying represent a bit more subtlety they also have just the plain black card.
I’m an advocate so please sign up and park some cash using my link: oneunited.com/referral?MARIK2
Girl we don’t need to wait till your on our money, we can honor you TODAY (and everyday).
5 min Wake Up: Quick Education in five minutes.
These don’t cover everything, but are great to get you in the right mindset. The problems with racism in this country start with slavery but, of course, didn’t end when we were deemed “free”. This is why the effects of slavery are still tangible today.
Educate, Organize and Act.
Shaun King (no relation) with the North Star has been doing social justice work for decades. I came to be aware of him on his Instagram at : @shaunking
He like many sadly posts videos that people sent him asking for help and justice. While you can follow him there to see what’s going on and of course the comments I encourage you to listen to his podcast:
The Break Down with Shaun King
Apple / Spotify / Stitcher / iHeartRadio / YouTube
He usually will break down something that has happened in the world, why it is wrong, how it feeds into the structural system and what you, who is listening can do about it.
These action steps largely involve signing petitions, calling the “powers that be” out on the injustice they are allowing to happen and (respectfully) demanding action.
I have seen and heard many stories that are just now making it to popular national outlets and sparking peoples ire; that Shaun was urging us to act in WEEKS prior. Many never make it to major news stations but I have seen him give us action steps and in less then a week perpetrators brought to justice. We only get the justice we demand and this is a great place to start.
Organize
Black Lives Matter they seemingly started it all.
They didn’t, but they have a great name and message behind it. They are on everyone’s lips but not in everyone’s backyard.
They don’t even have chapters in the south. Yikes.
Police brutality and asking for the laws to apply equally isn’t a race thing or a political thing, it is the thing we all should be working towards as Americans.
If you really want to help and you are in the south maybe you should start a chapter.
Volunteer
Lists of Lists
There are some working documents and lists out there for white people and I will post some here but a couple things.
One they are great for anyone, we all have room to learn more.
Two, many of the tips on this list this specific list
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
are things that can be done all the time and embedded in this list are some organizations as well.
Read the lists and find things that apply to you as many may be just alot to take on to start.
The #1 thing you can do right now today, is speak up and speak often. Let people know where you stand.
(Especially if you happen to be white)
Let them know that you see the systematic injustice happening and you will not be part of the problem by being quiet about it OR by drowning out the voices of the movement by complaining about the chaos.
The anarchy in the streets is not black peoples’ fault and black leaders are already doing the work of communicating to the few that participate, so please compartmentalize your feelings on the matter and have some humility.
Focus on the issue at hand and go one step beyond condemning the obvious.
Realize there is more reason for non-black people to introduce chaos to this movement than not. Black people have been peacefully protesting for years. Opportunists are human and come in all races so lets not take the oxygen out of the room about that.
We all support our small and large business owners and hope they can escape these injustices too.
(more resources to come)
updated: July 1, 2020