The entire nation has likely seen the atrocities that have taken place against Black Americans over the past few weeks, but for Black people, this is nothing new…
The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, sparked an increase in the support of the Black Lives Matter movement, inciting protests, rallies, and vigils across 50 states in the USA and at least 18 countries worldwide.
Even corporations have joined in the support for Black Lives Matter, even if only for their own financial gain.
The protests that have occurred, cry out not only for George Floyd, but for Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and every other person of color murdered at the hands of police officers. The outcries target not only police reforms, but also the inner workings of corporations and systemic racism.
George Floyd is not the first Black person murdered by the hands of the police (and has not been the last, with a recent shooting of another unarmed Black man in Atlanta since then), however, it is the first to work up such an increase in global support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Participating countries across the globe have also taken this opportunity to speak out about the racial inequities occurring in their own backyard, with statues of former slave traders being torn down, colonial histories and their global genocides being brought back to light, and cries out for justice against police murders in their own country.
Names likes Mark Duggan, in the UK, and Adama Traoré, in France, have been part of the cries for police reform and many have called for drastic changes to the systems put in place by white supremacists across the globe.
Through all of this, it may be difficult to see what is next. This is why we have listed some things that you can do to support the movement for Black Lives:
1. Continue self-education and educate your family members
Did you know that there are historical housing practices that restrict ethnic and racial groups from buying property in specific neighborhoods? Educating yourself on the systems that have been put in place in your home town, is vital to understanding the gaps between societal and economic classes that we have today.
Another way to self-educate is through books, local educational groups on Facebook and in-person, educational TV shows and more. CNET has put together a list of some shows, movies and books that can start you in the right direction. I also always recommend ‘Hidden Colors‘ as a personal favorite for every Black person to watch. Directed by Tariq Nasheed, ‘Hidden Colors’ is a 5-part movie-series on the untold histories of the global African Diaspora. He has also directed ‘1804: The Hidden History of Haiti,’ a documentary on the first successful slave rebellion.
On your journey, also recognize that not all movies based on “actual events” are entirely representative of “actual events” (confusing, I know). For example, Al Harrison in ‘Hidden Figures’ is an entirely made up character and although he contributes to one of the most powerful scenes, it is not historically accurate and instead alludes to Hollywood’s need for the white savior role in many films.
2. Do not “dehumanize” Criminals
The Black Lives Matter movement and other anti-police brutality organizations are not here to tell you that every Black person murdered at the hands of police are upstanding citizens.
They are here to fight against the senseless killings and use of excessive force used against Black people, disproportionately, in comparison to their white counterparts (take Dylann Roof‘s treatment to Burger King after committing mass murder of a group of Black people during their church service).
If someone commits a crime, they should be entitled to a trial, mental health evaluation and sentencing, not murder before receiving these things.
3. Help to register and educate voters, sign petitions and attend local events
Voter suppression is real and targets mainly ethnic minorities by blocking or discouraging people from exercising their rights to vote through a variety of means.
Organizations like ‘Rock the Vote‘ and ‘YWCA‘ combat this practice by helping to register voters, educating them on their legal rights, arranging for a mail-in ballot and more.
Signing petitions can take as little as 20-seconds, but can also have a major impact on policies and other reforms.
Information on petitions that you can support, in addition to local events you can attend can be found on websites like ‘Black Lives Matter‘ and ‘ACLU.’ If you’re reading this before Juneteenth (June 19th), you can also check out Sixnineteen.org for events that are local to you on June 19th and beyond.
Petitions around the disproportionate effects of Covid-19 against communities of color, are also being put into action. Organizations like these are taking the lead.
Lastly, a petition that hasn’t received as much publicity, is the banning of facial recognition technology used by the police. Although the technology has been proven to mis-classify people of color up to 35% of the time, the technology was still supplied to police departments for years, regardless. A recent article, however, has shown a sudden change of heart for the companies involved. Here is where you can support the ban.
Here are more petitions that you can support:
- http://lil.ms/4rdr/6qncrl
- http://justiceforbigfloyd.com/#petition
- http://runwithmaud.com/#petition
- http://standwithbre.com/#petition
- http://bit.ly/FundCommunity
Also, make sure to text JUSTICE to 668366 and provide your zip code to hold all 4 cops involved in the murder of George Floyd accountable.
4. Vote locally and nationally & join organizations like Campaign Zero
If you’re not sure what step to take next against police brutality, check out ‘Campaign Zero.’ Their website clearly sets out a 10-point plan in addition to helping you find your local rep, providing an info-graphic on state-by-state legislation, and even tells you where the presidential candidates stand on these topics.
Make calls to air your grievances about the governments response to racism. In-person visits, personal letters, phone calls, and social media mentions were seen as being some of the most effective tools for being heard by members of congress. You can also use their official website to find information on your state reps.
Not sure what to say? Here are some websites to walk you through it. Also follow @ShaunKing on Instagram to keep in the loop with ongoing injustices on Black Americans:
5. Protest
Protest outside of and behind closed doors. Practice what you preach, not only by posting your support on social media platforms to let your friends and family know where you stand (this is also a good way to expose peoples true colors), but also out there in the world by standing beside your neighbor to show support.
Do not be afraid to get out there and march for justice. Most protests do not end in violent clashes with the police. Use common sense and awareness to determine when might be a good time to remove yourself from the crowd.
And, no, not all Black Lives Matter protesters are looters. In fact, it is a small minority of protesters that loot and many are not affiliated with Black Lives Matter and are simply exploiting the protests as an opportunity to loot.
Here is an interesting article on “why” people loot for those who may be interested.
6. Use your privilege & record police encounter responsibly
The majority of people protesting alongside Black Lives Matters and other organizations standing against state-sponsored violence, are Black women; many of whom belong to the LGBTQ+ community.
If you are out and see minorities being mistreated and/or harrassed by police officers or anti-anti-racism protestors, speak out.
If you do end up being a part of this type of predicament, first, know your rights, second, be courteous, and last, download one of these recommended apps to prevent your recording from being deleted if you do find yourself being detained.
7. Donate to victims families
No amount of money can erase the pain that the victims families are feeling, however, donations can help to alleviate any funeral and legal costs that the family may now have to deal with, in addition to costs for hiring private medical examiners.
Look for a crowdfunded account or GoFundMe to support and verify its authenticity prior to donating.
8. Make ongoing donations to organizations standing with Black Lives Matter
Donating is an important way to stand with the movement for Black Lives. Monetary contributions can help to fund programs, assist families affected by police brutality, fund legal battles and pay the salaries that keep many organizations afloat.
Programs typically depend on reliable year-round income to do the work necessary. Think about giving monthly donations rather than a lump sum.
Some organizations that you can donate to are:
- The Movement for Black Lives (a network of more than 150 organizations – donations made are regranted to organizations based on their need, which allows for greater targeting efficiency)
- NAACP
- ACLU
- Dream Defenders
You can also support in instances where protesters are arrested and may not be able to afford bail by donating to organizations like the ‘Bail Project.’
If you’d like to research other charities you can donate to, ‘The Strategist’ has compiled a detailed list of over 130 organizations.
Don’t have money to spare? You can donate in some of the following ways:
- Donate using points accumulated from your rewards card (American Express and Hilton are two organizations involved)
- Watch educational stream-to-donate videos on racial justice
- If you are white, reflect on all the ways you privilege from the color of your skin. Here’s a list to start you off
- Follow Black community leaders on social media
- Support Black activists and amplify their voice by sharing their work on your feed, via email, or simply, verbally
- Volunteer for Black-led organizations
Watch this stream-to-donate video to begin your support!
9. Advocate for mental health intervention
A conversation that seems to slip through the cracks at almost every moment is mental health. Reports state that at least half of police shooting victims struggled with some form of serious mental health crises.
It is also common practice for more Black and Brown mentally ill persons to be imprisoned rather than made to receive psychological help.
Mental illness has been a taboo topic among Black families for many generations. Fighting with organizations like ‘NAMI,’ can help to reduce the unnecessary imprisonment of mentally ill persons, and take them out of prison to get them the help that they really need.
10. Push to remove and punish bad police officers and encourage good police officers to speak up
We must remember that organizations like Black Lives Matter are not waging a war against all police officers, but against bad cops who are not committed to their duty of “protecting and serving.”
Police officers who abuse their authority by shooting first and asking questions later are not the types of individuals we want to have possession of a firearm or authority over civilians.
Understanding the long history of distrust between Black communities and the police are important, in addition to campaigning for mandatory education for individuals wanting to become a police officer, which have to be part of the reforms we are wanting to take place.
In our society, there is also a misconception that you can either be anti-police and pro-Black or anti-Black and pro-police. Good cops are often caught in that crossfire.
Let us recognize the efforts of good people in a bad system by demanding an environment where they will not be afraid to speak out against their colleagues.
Demanding transparency between the public and the local police departments can help to dissolve actions that many police chiefs take by refusing to identify officers who may be unfit for the job.
Take the creation of this civilian review board in Ferguson as an example. A board like this helps to bridge the gap between civilians and their local police, in addition to allowing civilians to make official recommendations to their local government and even praise police officers for doing a good job.
11. Consciously buy from and support Black-owned businesses and restaurants
In order to support the movement for Black Lives, one must also support Black Lives.
One way to undo systemic racism is by dismantling the systems set in place to put minorities at a disadvantage. This is a long fight, but what can be done in the meantime is to help pave the way along one road that has been consistently blocked for centuries, and that is economics in the Black community.
‘If you pay attention to the literal campaign of terror against black Americans in this country, what you’ll see is a lot of it was carried out against black business owners or anyone who was perceived as accumulating wealth.’
Khadijah Robinson, founder of ‘The Nile List’
The issues of redlining mentioned earlier should have helped you to see how behind minorities are due to the system. Supporting Black-owned businesses may seem small, but it is something you can do even after the protesting ceases.
Start your support with Black-owned restaurants, as shown on ‘UberEats‘ and ‘DoorDash‘ and even ‘EatOkra‘; a Black-owned business who is supporting Black-owned restaurants!
Here is a list of some of the Black-owned websites that have compiled lists of Black-owned businesses across the nation:
- http://webuyblack.com
- http://supportblackowned.com
- http://officialblackwallstreet.com
- http://iZania.com
- http://ranktribe.com
Oh and remember to subscribe to us here at the ‘Black Travel Summit‘ to keep up-to-date with upcoming events centered around supporting the advancement of Black communities in and outside of the travel industry!
12. Join local community groups and organizations and be consistent!
Lastly, this is where you take the lead!
Research religious organizations, youth groups, grassroots organizations and other community-led/nationwide charity chapters near you to continue the ongoing fight for racial equality.
Once you find the one that is right for you, and this may not happen on the first try, continue to attend their meetings, invite your friends/colleagues and others to join, become a dues-paying member, learn about who has the power to do what in your community and state, build your skills and volunteer in whichever capacity you can!
This work will take time and may not be as glamorous, high-energy, or as publicized as the current protests, but it is work that must be done.
Check out this short history of the Black Lives Matter movement
