Black Lives Matter: Resources to Educate and be an Active Ally

COMPILED BY ANSHIKA AGARWAL, MICHAEL MA & APRIL MAO
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"The time is always right to do what is right" — Martin Luther King Jr.
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Following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other Black Americans at the hands of a broken system, the United States has been overrun with protests and loudening cries for justice. The powerful Black Lives Matter movement has also had ripple effects across the globe. However, discussions about systemic racism and prejudice are not limited to such times of unrest—these are serious conversations that must be ongoing in order for us to realize change. 

This blog post includes a comprehensive (and growing!) list of resources to help educate about modern racism as well as ways to be an active ally of the Black Lives Matter movement. Sharing a black square tagged #blackouttuesday or continuing a #blacklivesmatter chain on social media may be a quick way to show your support, but meaningful action is needed to bolster this movement. We encourage everyone to reflect on their privileges and how they are affected by various power structures imposed by society, because change starts at home.

educate

READ

• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
• How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (or watch the movie adaptation)
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass.
• Adultification of Black Girls [article]

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LISTEN

• 1619 by The New York Times
• Code Switch by NPR
• About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

WATCH

• Systemic Racism Explained [YouTube Video]
• 13th [Documentary]
• When They See Us [True Crime Docuseries]
• Just Mercy [Movie]

donate

The Minnesota Freedom Fund, Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, Northstar Health Collective, and NYC Bail Fund have received overwhelming support and request donations to the following other organizations in support of racial justice:

• Black Lives Matter
• Black Visions Collective
• Campaign Zero
• Committee to Protect Journalists
• Communities United Against Police Brutality
• Equal Justice Initiative
• Innocence Project
• Mutual Aid Funds
• NAACP
• National Bail Fund Network
• No New Jails NYC
• Know Your Rights Camp
• Lesser Known Black Lives Matter Funds in the US, UK, Nigeria, and South Africa

While any amount counts, we recognize that not everyone has the financial means to contribute. Here are some ways to donate for no cost at your end:

Stream the following YouTube videos/playlists and don’t skip the ads! That’s how creators generate revenue, all of which is donated to organizations fighting for racial justice!

• This video by Zoe Amira is approximately 1 hour long and donates to 16 different organizations. It features the work of Black creators across various forms of arts and entertainment.
• Donate For Free Streaming Playlist (includes Black and non-Black POC Creators)

petition

QUICK REMINDERS

• Signing whitehouse.gov petitions is not the most effective with the current administration, because resulting statements from the Trump administration are often vague and do not lead to change.
• Donating to change.org does not send money to the petition or cause. Donate instead to one of the aforementioned organizations.

DEMAND JUSTICE FOR INDIVIDUALS

• Justice for George Floyd
• Justice for Breonna Taylor
• Justice for Ahmaud Arbery
• Justice for Tony McDade

The list of such petitions could go on and on—which is the exact reason why change is needed. A quick Google search of “Justice for <individual’s name>” should give you the most popular petitions.

DEMAND LEGISLATIVE ACTION

• Defund the Police — defund law enforcement and redirect funds to invest in Black communities
• Demand Racial Data on the Coronavirus — The coronavirus has disproportionately affected the Black community. The Black Lives Matter organization is demanding that the government release demographic data and the CDC provide resources for the needs of Black communities 
• End Qualified Immunity — Qualified immunity protects government officials, such as police officers, from being sued for discretionary actions unless their actions violated “clearly established” federal law or constitutional rights, making it extremely difficult to sue cops. This petition calls to end the doctrine of qualified immunity
• 'Hands Up' Act — proposes mandatory sentencing for willful murder of unarmed citizens by police
• National Act Against Police Brutality — This petition gains support to prosecute police who have murdered unarmed individuals
• Pass Georgia Hate Crime Bill — Georgia is one of 4 states that do not have a hate crime law. This petition pushes to enact the Georgia Enhanced Penalties for Hate Crimes Act 
• Police Deescalation Training — In the wake of George Floyd’s death, this petition calls for reforming police officers’ training for the use of force
• Racial Bias Testing — mandate racial bias testing at police academies

contact lawmakers

• Email for California Legislators (via Darya Kaviani) — three-pronged advocacy for redirecting police funding, abolishing legislative police protections, and demilitarizing the police
  • Find out who represents your area: tinyurl.com/who-represents-me​
  • ​For non-CA residents, use this template to help formulate your own letter!
• Lettersforaction.com
• Use of Force Policies – find your city and call on local lawmakers to establish policies such as requiring warning before shooting and comprehensive reporting.
• Register to Vote: Aside from contacting lawmakers, both voting out corrupt officials and voting in beneficial policies are equally important to achieve justice. The US’s voter turnout trails many other developed nations around the world. Change that today by translating the same energy you show at protests to the polls.​

protest

WHAT'S IN YOUR AREA:
Live + Interactive Protest Map (via blacklivesmatters.carrd.co)
Pro Bono Attorney for Bay Area Protests — Criminal defense attorney offering legal assistance to any protestors arrested by police in the Bay Area (DM on Twitter to ask for help).

PROTEST SAFETY
COVID-19 is still very much a large health crisis, so please take the appropriate precautions when going out to protest, such as wearing a mask and social distancing whenever possible. For those who live with high-risk individuals and may not be able to protest, driving by with signs or showing solidarity through other measures is also equally beneficial! See the graphic from Amnesty International below with detailed safety tips for protests:

support the black community

BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES

• Yelp is rolling out a new searchable query where you can find businesses that self-identify as Black-owned, which means you can support these businesses (especially during COVID-19)
• Another resource to support local Black-owned businesses

SUPPORT BLACK CREATORS
Black culture is too often appropriated without due credit, and supporting Black creators is a small, but impactful, way to show your appreciation.