Following the death of George Floyd’s at the hands of a white police officer, there has been a justifiable widespread outrage across the globe over the way that black lives are treated in society. Many of us are now asking how we can be an active and vocal ally during this time. From social media to direct action, here are ways that you can help.
- Donate. Donating is critically important to help those who are on the ground protesting right now. You can donate funds to those who are unfairly incarcerated at the hands of a racist criminal justice system. If you currently have the means to donate, then please do.
- Sign the petition. You can find the Justice for George Floyd petition here: https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd?utm_source=brand_us&utm_medium=media. Get your voice heard and share this with your followers online.
- Do the research and hold yourself accountable. It is not the job of members of the black community to teach us about racism and injustice. There are plenty of resources online, in books and on social media that can we can use to educate ourselves.
- Talk to our friends and family. Talk to the people in your life who may not be aware of this event and this movement, and educate them on their responsibility to actively fight against racism and inequality. We need to ensure that misinformation isn’t spread and that we can all have educated, and sometimes uncomfortable, conversations about racism with the people in our lives. Fighting racism starts by confronting it when we see it in our everyday lives, not just when certain events reach the global stage.
- Acknowledge your privilege. Right now it’s time for white people to recognise their position of privilege in society. As the model and activist Munroe Bergdorf said on her social media: “We need to acknowledge that privilege exists as a spectrum and is an indicator for where the work needs to take place”. She added: “Expecting marginalised folk to be the ones to deconstruct their own oppression is as good as saying “not my problem” and letting it happen, as it doesn’t acknowledge where the problem is coming from. The definition of privilege is thinking that something isn’t a problem because it isn’t YOUR problem.”
Where to donate:
- https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
- https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/
- https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/
- https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/
- https://www.joincampaignzero.org/
- https://unicornriot.ninja/
- https://bailproject.org/
- https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/louisville-community-bail-fund
- https://brooklynbailfund.org/donate
- https://www.libertyfund.nyc/
- https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019
Ensure that you’re following diverse accounts online to keep informed:
- https://www.instagram.com/rachel.cargle/
- https://www.instagram.com/sassy_latte/
- https://www.instagram.com/monachalabi/
- https://www.instagram.com/munroebergdorf/
- https://www.instagram.com/candicebrathwaite/
- https://www.instagram.com/blklivesmatter/
- https://www.instagram.com/mireillecharper/
- https://www.instagram.com/nowhitesaviors/
- https://www.instagram.com/laylafsaad/
- https://www.instagram.com/ckyourprivilege/
- https://www.instagram.com/iamrachelricketts/
- https://www.instagram.com/thegreatunlearn/
- https://www.instagram.com/akalamusic/
- https://www.instagram.com/renieddolodge/
- https://www.instagram.com/ibramxk/
