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Anti-Racism Work & Doing Your Part

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It’s no secret we’ve been going through two pandemics, and only ONE of them has qualified for a state of emergency (yeah, you read that right). Our Black friends/citizens/communities deserve (and have always deserved) better from us.

There’s a lot of talk about performative allyship, problematic reposting, tone-deafening, censorship of BIPOC voices, and much more, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed in what direction to take and where to go moving forward. We have a responsibility to be anti-racist (read: when our society favors whiteness and white privilege to the point that it endangers anyone, repeat ANYONE, the act of consciously & intentionally choosing to be anti-racist is far more pertinent than being non-racist. Read that again.)

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Below are some resources and action items to do moving forward and I implore you to consider what’s been encouraged by Victoria Alexander on Instagram, and many others for that matter. I’ll be sharing a document shared on Victoria’s account and breaking down some of the sections from the document in this post. Your (necessary) guide to Anti-Racism.


 

(ONE) Learning, Unlearning, Repeat

You’re ready to learn and, more importantly, UNLEARN. If you’re sitting here reading this, there’s inherent privilege in being able to spend time learning and educating ourselves on how to be informed, better allies. HERE is a useful link that can direct you to resources that you are going to want (NEED) to consider getting up to speed on embodying anti-racism.


 

(TWO) Donate

If you are in a position in which you are regularly or occasionally able to do so, consider donating your money/time to the following causes. You also have the possibility of signing up for recurring monthly donations. There are many, many organizations that are credible, important and needed. Some orgs to consider donating to:

 

Bay Area, CA:

 

Other Orgs:

  • NAACP → their mission is “to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.”

  • Bail Funds → “A collection of community resources for protestors around the country.”

  • Equal Justice Initiative → EJI “is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.”

  • Black Lives Matter (BLM) → their “mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.”

  • Color of Change - “We design campaigns powerful enough to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back, and champion solutions that move us all forward. Until justice is real.”

  • Campaign Zero - "The comprehensive platform of research-based policy solutions to end police brutality in America."


 

(THREE) Vote

Are you eligible to vote? Do your part and vote, no matter where you are. It’s not cute to not vote (was that ever a thing?) and there’s simply no excuse for it in 2020, or ever really. Register to vote. 

Taken from the document shared above, Anti-Racist Resource Guide, it states,

 

 “Prepare for Election Day, This November

This November is the next Presidential election. The future of the nation is in our hands. Here’s what we can do about it:

  • Think you’re registered to vote? Double check here

  • Register to vote here (it takes less than 2 minutes)

  • Don’t live in the state you're registered in? Check your state’s absentee rules here

  • Request your vote by mail ballot here

  • Not super sure how Presidential elections work? Learn more here

  • Want to help turn swing states blue? Sign up for Crooked Media’s Adopt A State

  • Find ways to volunteer in democratic campaigns here


 

(FOUR) Sign Petitions, Send Emails 

    Your! Voice! Matters! Tons of petitions going around and emails to be sent to demand justice. You might be thinking… “Where do I start? What can I do?” or “How do I find out who my local representatives are?” Common Cause is a great resource. They are “a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. [They] work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.” At the link here, you can find your representatives.


 

(FIVE) Be Accountable & Ask Yourself Why

Hold yourself accountable, hold your family and friends accountable, hold your peers accountable. It’s that simple. Don’t be a bystander. Amplify Black voices, leaders. Take time to be mindful and educated on what you say, share and preach. What are you saying by sharing? What are you trying to accomplish? Have I considered all perspectives to the best of my ability? Am I amplifying the right individuals? Where are my efforts best invested? Here are graphics shared from Black Lives Matter that you can share with others.


 

(SIX) The Work Doesn’t Stop

Part of our accountability work is recognizing that things don’t just stop here. This is ongoing - maybe some of you have been doing this or you’re just starting to really live that. Commit and continue to commit. Our existence is political and if that doesn’t bring you to do something, take another look at all of these resources, here

Some questions and actionables to consider:

  • What is in my control and what can I address in my immediate community?

  • What are my intentions? What am I trying to accomplish?

  • What skills do you have and how can you thoughtfully and appropriately contribute to your community?

  • Am I listening to my BIPOC/Black voices in my country? What are they saying? What can I do to best support a future that enables all of us to feel safe, to make sure our communities are heard, etc.?

  • What can I do to get involved at my workplace? Is there a D&I Council?

  • Where can I get involved in my community? (organizations, donations, drives, etc. - during and post COVID-19).

  • What’s going on in my community’s educational system? Is the district/school/institution speaking out? If not, call them out. 

  • Are there resources for anti-racism resources in my local schools/community spaces? Consider creating one sourced from Black individuals and presenting this to your community, maybe going a step further and seeing how you can scale and implement this to other parts of your community, not just schools and community centers. Where is there a need?

  • Think you don’t have a platform for your voice to be heard? Consider writing and submitting an article to your local newspaper. 

  • Again - what is in my control and what can I address in my immediate community? What are my intentions? What am I trying to accomplish?

 

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(SEVEN) More Resources

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This by no means is perfect or near where it needs to be, but these are some actionable starts and a necessary resource guide to actively being anti-racist, highlighted by Black leaders of our generation. For more info on what to do, I implore you to read, share and encourage those around you to do their part. Invite people to discuss with you. Offer resources. Stay up-to-date. Question what you’re taught and do your research. I’ll be adding to this post continuously as more resources come in. Thank you for taking the time to read - please continue to commit and do your part.

 

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Taken from the Anti-Racist Resource Guide,  “this document was created to be used as a resource for anyone looking to broaden their understanding of anti-racism and get involved to combat racism, specifically as it relates to anti-Blackness and police violence. Within this guide, please find a variety of resources to explore practical ways to understand, explain, and solve seemingly intractable problems of racial inequity, white supremacy, police violence, and injustice.”

 

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See something you that needs reconsideration or changing? Or maybe you have a resource to add? Please contact me here.

 

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*These resources are not my property and do not contain hidden affiliate links to the best of my knowledge. The intent is to spread awareness and highlight sources created and shared by Black individuals. Thank you for considering and reading.*

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