As it is Black History Month, there are a variety of different ways to celebrate. However, it is not only a time for celebration, but a time for education and support. There are a multitude of ways that you can show up and support such as buying from Black owned businesses, reading books by Black authors or following Black content creators and advocacy groups. There are definitely more ways, but as a white woman, I think it is best to amplify Black voices. Therefore, I would love to share some Instagram and Youtube accounts that I follow:
- Catch the Fire VCU
-
This is a non-profit organization for Black student advocacy. It is not only students that join, but also Richmond locals. This organization is not affiliated with VCU, but they do advocate for Black politics and rights at this, “racially-diverse,” PWI. One of the many things they do is organize marches for tuition freezes at VCU. Although, they are so much more than that. Following their Instagram, they have taught me about mutual aid and prison abolition.
- CORE SAG
-
Core SAG stands for Committee of Racial Equity, Student Advisory Group. They are based here at Virginia Commonwealth University, but they are not affiliated with the university. They advocate for a mandatory course to be taught to all incoming students to address systematic oppression within our society. The course is CSIJ 200: Race and Racism in America, which was co-created by VCU students and faculty. The course would be graded as Pass/Fail, it would also be online and it could fulfill the Diversities in the Human Experiences Elective Requirement or the Global Perspectives Elective Requirement.
- T1J
-
I found this creator through another creator that you should check out, FD Signifier, who mentioned him in one of his video essays. T1J, also known as The1Janitor or Kevin, is a Black You-tuber who creates video essays on topics such as white supremacy, racism and a variety of other social issues. He posts monthly on Youtube, but posts more frequently on other social media platforms and live streams every Sunday.
- Intelexual Media
-
This is another Black You-tuber that I am subscribed to, which I found while digging for more video essays. Lexual, also known as Elexus, posts educational videos about history, sexuality and racism. In addition to this, she also creates content about current issues. Her channel was created after the 2016 election because she thought our country needed better education and critical thinking skills. She does not only create videos though! She has self-published several books such as, The A-Z Guide to Oppression, Angry Black Girl and Who Said Dat?: 500 Black A** Quotes From Intellectuals, Historical Figures, Celebs, and Everyday People.
First, I would like to thank my friends for helping me write this article, Shanel Ferrell and Em Bickford. Second, I sincerely hope that you all check out these accounts, especially if you are a VCU student. I would also like to remind all of my fellow white students and people that it is not enough for you to say that you are an ally, but you have to prove it and earn that title. Call out your friends when they say something unacceptable, educate yourself, unlearn your biases and educate your white peers as well. For Black students and individuals, I am a white person so I do not want to center myself in this conservation, but I would love to provide some resources to navigate your experiences: