re: the events of tonight and the last few days – this country has work to do, so much of it. and standing in solidarity with the black community over the internet only does so much. many black friends & acquaintances have expressed frustration with people saying “i don’t know what to do except to send my support!” when activists have neatly and tidily told us what to do already. we shouldn’t demand further direction from them during this time of turmoil.
here’s a partial list of concrete actions you can undertake if, like me, you feel straddled perfectly between helplessness and rage. obviously, emotional support matters immensely, and we should be reaching out to our black friends as we reached out to our LGBT+ friends in the wake of orlando. but systemic change comes through praxis, and i was surprised not to see suggestions for it on my dash, so here we are.
please feel free to add to this post. i’m by no means an expert.
- look into campaign zero.
- donate to Mr. Castile’s family or to the family of Mr. Sterling, who had five children he was trying to provide for.
- send letters to your congresspeople about police accountability, regarding the murders of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, and about gun control, regarding tonight’s murders of four (edit: five) Dallas officers. the latest i heard, this shooting happened by an outside party, a sniper, during a peaceful BLM protest that the officers were helping to keep safe and orderly; protesters’ and officers’ lives alike were risked. post will be updated if conflicting info surfaces.
- read this thread by ijeoma oluo and follow her stellar advice.
- GET OUT THERE AND MARCH
take action; it’s our civic duty; black lives matter, black lives matter, black lives matter. to my black followers, i love you, i care about you, i’m here for you and i’m thinking of your safety and peace of mind. i’ve turned my ask & messages back on and i’m just a stupid 22-year-old kid who stays up too late at night but i’m here if you need to talk to somebody.
xo
rileyA great article with more advice on how to organize instead of passively ally ourselves.
those of us outside the black community: let’s talk
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The Carving Witch 