The Black Lives Matter movement isn't just sharing an Instagram post to your story. It isn't just posting a black square on your feed. It isn't just a like, retweet, or repost. It is social change, and the only way to enact social change is to actually do something.
While there are many ways to help, here are 4 ways to help get you started.
Donate, donate, and donate!
Donating is one of the most effective things that you can do right from home to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Listed down below are a few organizations and projects that all deal with helping and supporting Black lives.
3. Bail Funds
Use your voice to amplify theirs.
One thing I have learned is that it is so important to use my voice to amplify the voices of the Black community. It is so important to not drown out their voices with my own voice, but rather to help theirs be heard. Ways we can help amplify their voices are:
1. Attend protests.
2. Call out racism in friends, family, classmates, coworkers, etc.
3. Share Black artists, stores, musicians, etc. through your social media and actually support them.
4. Get educated on topics.
5. Sign Petitions. They take less than a minute. Here's a link to change.org with some petitions to sign.
Support these (and many other) organizations on social media.
Showing support for Black organizations is one small thing that we can do right now. Social media is the number one form of communication right now in society. By showing support to Black organizations through follows, likes, and shares, we are helping to amplify their voices and gain recognition. One of the most important parts of this action is to actually visit their websites and read about the organizations. Don't stop at just a follow. (All found on instagram.com).
2. NAACP
4. Ethel's Club
Educate ourselves everyday.
I'm white, and I've learned it's important to educate myself not just once, but every single day. Proper education on these topics is something our education system has failed to do, which means that we must be taking any and every opportunity to educate ourselves on racism, white privilege, racial gaslighting, and so many other topics. Then, we need to learn how to use our privilege and new knowledge to help, rather than just sit back and let the Black community continue to be murdered, falsely accused, and wrongly discriminated against.
1. How To Be Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
2. 13TH (for free on Youtube, by Netflix)
3. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
4. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson on Netflix
5. American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes
