Before I start this, I should acknowledge the state of our country, and the world, with everything that has been going on. My condolences to the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and all the black men, women, and children taken away due to the systemic injustices of this country. The past week, I have had my timeline flooded with images and videos of my people being carted away, abused, and even killed due to senseless violence. Growing up in Tinley Park, I learned early on about what it meant to be the only black person in a room of white faces. I learned that my humanity, my talent, and my potential were always seen as a threat in the face of a country based on white supremacy. So, I’m here writing this today to tell you how to support the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
- Donate to the Cause
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First off, I want to admit in the wake of a pandemic, I understand if you cannot afford to donate. But to those who can, I urge you to put that money, however much you can spare, towards a good cause. It’s incredibly difficult to organize such a movement. Activists do need funds. So, if you can, please donate to the funds to support George Floyd’s family or help bail out the hundreds of protestors who have been arrested for raising their voices against police brutality.
Here are some links:
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund (via GoFundMe):
https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
The National Bail Fund Network:
https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory
Official Black Lives Matter:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019
Reclaim the Block:
https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/home
NAACP Legal Defense Fund:
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU):
https://action.aclu.org/give/now
- Protest
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Due to the national outrage, the support for the Black Lives Matter movement is growing stronger than ever. The Black Lives Matter movement is more than a hashtag, it is a revolution of people coming together to preserve the idea that “All men are equal.” To fight for equality, we must gather together and unite the country for the greater good. If you feel comfortable, I urge you to go out and protest. However, it would be irresponsible of me to tell you to just go out and protest without even so much as telling you how to protest safely and responsibly. In the wake of a pandemic, we are being urged to practice social distancing. If you are going to protest, make sure to protect yourself, not just from Covid-19, but from others. Wear a mask at all times. Be careful about sharing your identity on social media and the news. Know your rights as a protestor. And also, you should be prepared to deal with law enforcement, especially if you want to go to a demonstration in a big city. As of now, well over 1,000 protestors have been detained across America over the past few days. Please consider all of these things before protesting.
Here is a link from CNN informing you on your rights as a protestor:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/02/us/how-to-protest-safely-know-your-rights-wellness-trnd/index.html
- Take Advantage of Your Social Media Platform
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In the wake of such a powerful movement, it’s important to remember what we as younger people have been able to leverage in the wake of such technology. A lot of the encounters black people face every day are made known in large part due to sharing images and videos on social media. However, I don’t encourage sharing videos of innocent black people being murdered. Rather, we should focus our attention on informing others about the movement. Share petitions, links, whatever it takes to inform others about police brutality and how they can make a difference. Right now, use your social media to stand in solidarity with us, whether you’re a part of the community or a non-black ally. Stand in support with us and use your voice to help others.
- Sign Petitions
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To make a difference, we need to show and demonstrate to the people who approve of social justice to make such a change. By signing petitions, we pledge our names to a cause and remind ourselves that we are not alone in this fight. So, here are some links for some petitions if you want to voice your support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Defund the Police:
https://blacklivesmatter.com/defundthepolice/
Justice for George Floyd:
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd
Justice for Breonna Taylor:
https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor
Justice for Ahmaud Arbery:
https://www.change.org/p/district-attorney-tom-durden-justice-for-ahmaud-arbery-i-run-with-maud
National Action Against Police Brutality:
https://www.change.org/p/national-action-against-police-brutality-and-murder
- Support Black Businesses
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To make real change, we as a people must recognize the power behind our dollar. Think about where your hard-owned money goes. Do the corporations and companies you pay for support black creators? Do they support Black Lives Matter? We, as customers, provide billions of dollars of revenue every year to a corporation. So, as quoted by the City Girls, “Make his pockets hurt.” Put your dollars, your support, and your appreciation to black creators, black innovators, and black entrepreneurs. Put forth your support for the black community, and help represent a shift so that wealth is more accessible to those who are middle-class with businesses.
Here is a link to Black Owned Chicago business, a site dedicated to educating and informing people about black-owned business in the city of Chicago:
https://blackownedchicago.com/