This week should have felt like another rude awakening for those of us who have rarely had to think about the problems in our criminal justice system and how our country handles protecting our communities. As a friend relayed to me, “privilege is being able to take a break from all of this” (credit to May Zhong). We should feel tired, uncomfortable, and frustrated just as we should’ve felt the many past times the face of injustice in our treatment of the Black community has reared its head in our faces. However, the massive turnout and care demonstrated by protesters, distributing water, snacks, and masks, instilled a sense of guarded optimism in me that material structural changes are possible and a general amazement at our willingness as a people to stand up for what is right when a few others donate their voices to championing a better future.
Let’s sustain the energy of our frustration into a long-term commitment to supporting and advancing the causes for equity of the Black community. Let’s confront the difficult questions and conversations head-on, especially with our immediate communities of friends and family, with a goal of a greater shared understanding. Let’s welcome those with the strength to change their minds and unite our societies in a movement to better educate ourselves and advocate for better solutions to maintaining peace without force, while holding those in power accountable for their actions or lack thereof through the casting of our ballots. Let’s memorialize this feeling, of being tired, uncomfortable, and frustrated, and use it to fuel our acts, no matter how small or seemingly invisible, of saying no to racism and injusticeーso that we may see the waterfall of change that is possible when thousands and millions of us demand and fight for a better and more equitable society.
#BlackLivesMatter.
DONATIONS/RESOURCES
compilation of resources
That link is pretty comprehensive but the donation places I’m most familiar with are:
- Equal Justice Initiative
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund
- and bail funds for individual cities: (and if curious why there are issues with bail thanks to Jamie Wong)
Resources I’ve found useful:
- sustaining a long-term commitment: set up a monthly donation to one of the above organizations if you have the means and educating yourself on the history and context behind these movements
- having tough conversations
- context behind calls to defund police: podcast and book which is free right now
- historical context to the mistreatment of Black people in America
- more historical context and a glimpse into what it’s like to be Black in America: The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- voter registration (keep in mind to research local elections too because those matter the most to this problem in your local community)