At first, as a white woman, I felt I have no place to say anything in the Black Lives Matter movement. I felt that I need to read and learn from others, and while that was essential, I realized that by staying silent, I was inadvertently doing more harm than good. I began to feel helpless in a movement I truly care about, so I compiled a list of resources to help those people that want to take a stand in the movement, but do not know where to start. I am still learning and I am completely responsive to criticism. For a while I was too afraid to contribute in fear that I might accidentally offend someone, but then I realized that staying silent is no longer an option, so here we go:
- Register to vote.
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This is the absolute best way to get involved, and it is so easy. Every voice matters; every vote matters. If you believe in this movement and a future of justice, we need your vote, this year more than ever. Registering to vote takes a total of two minutes maximum. Simply go to vote.org. On that same website, make sure to request a mail-in ballot because we are still in the middle of a global pandemic and need to remember to stay safe. This will take another two minutes. There is no reason not to be registered to vote, especially if you stand with the movement.
- Donate.
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If you are in a position where you feel comfortable donating, there are so many organizations that can use help right now. I will list a few below:
– Black Visions Collective
– Reclaim the Black
– National Bail Fund Network
– Reclaim the Block
– Black Trans Protesters Emergency Fund
Due to an expansive amount of donations given to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, they are asking donors to contribute to other organizations, such as the ones listed above, instead.
- Learn.
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There are so many amazing resources circulating around social media platforms right now. If you are white, educate yourself about the privilege that you obtain just because of the color of your skin. White privilege does not mean your life has not had difficulties, it just means the color of your skin has not contributed to those difficulties. Educate yourself about what a person is subjected to just because they are Black. I read an amazing quote on Instagram yesterday that said something along the lines of, “It is a privilege to be able to educate ourselves about racism, rather than having to face it.” If you cannot understand, learn. I absolutely recommend 13th and When They See Us. Both can be found on Netflix and both are great places to start learning.
- Sign petitions.
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Have your voice heard. Similar to voting, every voice is incredibly important in this movement; do not for a second believe that you have nothing to offer. Simply signing petitions that are fighting for justice is a great way to get involved. A few petitions that you should consider are:
– Justice For George Floyd- https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd?source_location=topic_page
– Text JUSTICE to 66-186
– Text FLOYD to 55-156
– Colors of Change:
https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/justiceforfloyd_george_floyd_minneapolis
– Raise The Degree: https://www.change.org/p/minneapolis-district-attorney-raise-the-degree
– Justice for Ahmaud Arbery: https://www.change.org/p/district-attorney-tom-durden-justice-for-ahmaud-arbery-i-run-with-maud
– Justice for Breonna Taylor: https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor
- Have difficult conversations with family and friends.
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Do not stick to having conversations with people that have the same views as you. Have those uncomfortable conversations. Call people out that refuse to acknowledge their privilege in demeaning the protests. Educate others. Broaden stubborn perspectives. It is our job to get the loved ones around us to listen, to understand, and to support the Black Lives Matter Movement.
There are so many more ways to get involved, but here are some places to begin. Remember, you do not have to be perfect, but you must keep learning and continue to help others learn. There truly is no justice, no equity until we are all treated with equality. We all must do our part if any of us ever want to see a world where one is not treated differently simply due to the color of their skin. Posting on Instagram is no longer enough; it is time to take real actions to tackle racial injustice, however that may look like to you. There is no singular way to show up; any effort you make is hopefully getting our world that much closer to justice.