With the newest spike in cases, it’s been made clear we’re about to face the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic does not mean you get to step aside in the civil rights movement. If you or someone you live with is a high-risk person, these are some helpful ways you can actually contribute without risking exposure.
- Educating others
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Coming from someone who was born in an extremely conservative region, Staten Island, I find myself correcting people every single day. Conversations with your family about race can be difficult, but it needs to be done. You need to help hold people accountable for their actions and words, whether they realize they are being racist or not. If you hear your uncle calling a person of color a derogatory word, politely call them out. For many people of older generations, it was acceptable to use offensive words when referring to any race other than their own. As a younger generation, we need to educate them on what white privilege really means, and why it may apply to them. Explain to them what systemic racism is, and how real it is in today’s society. Recommend educational movies to watch are 13th, Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement, or Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story. You should also be constantly educating yourself by listening to Black people. Do not try to compare your struggles to theirs, it is essential for Black voices to be heard right now.
- Donations
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There are so many different donations being promoted in your community. You can donate money to the family of Walter Wallace or contribute to protesters’ bails. If you’re unable to donate money, there are also YouTube videos that allow you to help raise money simply by watching the whole video without skipping the ads.
- Petitions
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While signing petitions may not always work, it will bring attention to the purpose of the petition. The family of George Floyd created a petition to get the attention of the DA and to fire the officers who were involved. The petition currently has 19,000,000+ signatures and has gained the attention of millions.
- Support Black-owned businesses
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According to the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency, Black business owners are less likely to be approved for business loans than white business owners. How can you protest economic racism? The answer is to support your local black-owned businesses. This is important now more than ever with the pandemic closing thousands of small businesses.
- Volunteer
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There are hundreds of thousands of protestors in America. If you’re unable to protest, volunteer childcare for those who can protest. If you’re good at sewing or a quick learner, you can help sew masks for protestors in need. If you’re a great cook, offer to help make meals. Another volunteer opportunity is a medic for those who are hurt by tear gas or rubber bullets.
Being an avid supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement does not mean you must protest. However, you can not call yourself a supporter and/or activist by watching others do the work and refusing to do your part. If you’re unable to protest due to the pandemic, there are hundreds of other ways to help besides the five listed above. It is imperative that we all contribute to the movement throughout the pandemic no matter what the election results are.