If you’re at all interested in Black Lives Matter, you have probably seen articles like this before. However, it’s important to keep on donating and fighting even when BLM is not a trending topic on social media. Of course it’s great if you can donate to the movement monetarily, but I very much understand that not everyone is able to do that. But it’s okay! Even if you’re a little tight on funds at the moment, there’s still plenty that you can do! So, without further ado, here are some ways to contribute to the BLM movement that do not require the use of money.
1. Watch YouTube videos
This idea was first introduced by a YouTuber called Zoe Amira who posted an hour-long YouTube video featuring black creators. All ad revenue from the video is donated to BLM organizations. From then on, the idea has spread and many other YouTubers have made similar videos. If you type “watch to donate to Black Lives Matter” on the YouTube search bar, you’ll find lots of videos where creators, for example, discuss the BLM movement; play all kinds of different music (for instance, there’s one with calm piano music and you can just let the video play while you’re studying); or even work out. A channel called Studio Jibby has an hour-long ab workout video where you can follow along for as long as you like. You can get fit and donate to BLM at the same time!
2. Sign petitions
If you go to Change.org, for instance, and type “Black Lives Matter” on the search bar, you’ll find tons of different petitions that you can sign. Each petition has a description saying more specifically what you’ll be supporting, so you can decide which ones you want to sign. If you ever have extra free time on your hands, signing petitions is a great way to spend it. And you’ll learn more about the movement while you’re doing it. When you sign a petition on change.org, the site will ask you if you want to contribute a couple of dollars for the cause. If this is not an option for you, you can also share the petition to your friends and family on social media and help it get more signatures.
3. Set up a fundraiser
Facebook and GoFundMe are great places to set up a fundraiser. Facebook in fact asks you if you want to set up a birthday fundraiser every year before your birthday. If you decide to set one up, you’ll get to choose which non-profit organization you want to support, and then your Facebook friends will see your fundraiser on their feeds and can contribute as well. Before setting up a fundraiser, however, you probably want to research different organizations quite a bit and give some thought to which one you want to support. Most BLM organizations are totally legit and truly for a good cause, but unfortunately some are not. As long as you do your research, setting up a fundraiser is a great way to help the movement!
4. Educate yourself
This is something that you’ve probably heard a hundred times, and I’m going to say it once more because it’s extremely important. There are many black creators out there who are so kind as to share their experiences and knowledge so that others could learn. Read articles written by black creators, listen to podcasts, watch YouTube videos, series or movies… The possibilities to learn are endless. If you’re not black, learn to be the best ally you can be. And most importantly, combat racism everywhere you see it and also in yourself. It’s not enough to just not be blatantly racist; we need to actively fight against racism if we ever wish to see real change.