End of discussion. If you don't agree with the title of this post, I highly suggest leaving my website right now because you don't understand what I stand for at all if you believe otherwise.
I am sick and tired of logging onto social media or turning on the news and seeing yet another instance where a Black person has been killed by the police or hateful White people for doing nothing more than existing. We live in a world where well-trained police officers are allowed to react impulsively with fear but a Black child with no training must remain calm with a gun pointed at them. HOW IN THE WORLD IS THAT OKAY? How do people continue to stand by and watch this happen? It is 2020. How have we not moved past this?
Our Black brothers, sisters and non-binary loved ones are dying at a ridiculous rate for NO REASON other than the hatred and bigotry that our society still has yet to unlearn and so many people are sitting around doing nothing about it. It is not enough to just "not be racist". As White people, who have an incredible amount of privilege simply because we were born White, we have to be actively ANTI-RACIST.
I have so much to learn still, as do most of you reading this I'm sure. It is my responsibility as a privileged person with a platform to speak up and encourage, no - demand, that White people do better. It is my responsibility to BE BETTER, every day. I will be putting in the work behind the scenes to better myself and the world, but I also wanted to share some of these things with you. It is not our Black friends' responsibility to educate us White people. We must seek to educate ourselves. Below is a list of books I have purchased to read, organizations I have donated too, and resources for my fellow White people to learn about the state of the world for our Black friends and neighbors. We will never be able to understand what it is like to be a Black person in this world, to be in constant fear. But we can work to dismantle the systems that allow our fellow humans to feel that way.
Things I've Done So Far -
I dedicated $300 from my end of May paycheck to be spent on my journey to be actively anti-racist. This included purchasing the following books and donating in various amounts to the below listed funds. I plan on spending more on my next paycheck. I encourage you to look at what comforts you can give up on your next payday in order to help create a better world for our Black friends and neighbors.
Books I've Purchased to Read:
These links are to Amazon and Barnes and Noble because I acknowledge that not everyone has access to local and Black-owned bookstores in their area (even before COVID lockdowns). Please purchase these books wherever you have access to.
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (Currently Reading)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (the only fiction book I ordered for now)
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You by Ibram X Kendi and Jason Reynolds
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo (READ)
Who Do You Serve? Who Do You Protect?: Police Violence and Resistance in the United States Edited by Joe Macare, Maya Schenwar and Alana Yu-Ian Price (FREE EBOOK)
I am actively looking for more books to read and as I purchase more and read them I will add them here and share to Instagram. I had a fairly tight budget for books this week as I felt it was more important in this moment to donate money than purchase books.
Places I Have Donated:
Campaign Zero - Dedicated to researching options for safety that are NOT the police.
Northwest Community Bail Fund - My local bail fund (look below for links to funds in your area).
NAACP Legal Defence Fund - They also fund educational programs. I chose to designate my donation to wherever it is most needed, but it lets you choose specific areas of their work to designate your money to.
Minnesota Freedom Fund - In honor of George Floyd. (I donated via a Facebook campaign, but this link is to their website)
Fundraiser ran by a friend - Funds will be going to various organizations including some of the above.
Where I Am Sharing My Voice:
EVERYWHERE - I am using every platform I have to share this cause.
Where I Am Sharing The Voices of Black People:
EVERYWHERE! I can not over exaggerate the importance of sharing black voices at this time. Share your Black friends' posts. Share Black scholars posts. Share share share. It is important that we White people not only use platforms to voice our own outrage but also to amplify the voices of the people directly impacted by the violence and hatred in our country even more so.
Other Resources for You/Things You Can Do (Things I've seen online created by others that I am grateful to have found and wanted to share with you)
Various Resources (contain donation links, educational resources, petitions, and more)
BLACK LIVES MATTER/"I CAN'T BREATHE" (resource guide)
Guide to Pandemic Protesting - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5b2Dkg9VI/?igshid=r47z7tylxwc2
9 Powerful Black Female Voices to Follow (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA6b7hJnyta/?igshid=y89nrx99o32s
How to Keep the Black Lives Matter Momentum Going - https://www.instagram.com/p/CBLjgcWDziu/
Donate to Local Defense/Bail Funds:
This tweet contains links to funds for major cities/regions in the USA - https://twitter.com/MatthewACherry/status/1266895545022287872?s=20
Instagram post with more links - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA3SPP_nLx4/?igshid=125fzz0w22sup
Books You Can Read
31 Children's Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism and Resistance (EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN. NOW.)
Stop Asking People of Color to Explain Racism - Pick Up One of These Books Instead
An Essential Reading List Guide for Fighting Racism (Buzzfeed)
New Releases by Black Authors with Black Characters - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8BJe5AzLY/?igshid=11w1ldx4jp1cm
Books about race by British Authors - https://www.instagram.com/p/CBNvIIypeo8/
Layla Saad's Reading List - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-Ld9aJfCO/
Fiction Books by Black Authors - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA2ysJGgzNv | https://www.instagram.com/p/CA1T78yg9dD/
Articles To Read and Share
Videos/Movies/Shows To Watch
"Public Address On Revolution: Revolution Now | Rachel Cargle" (YouTube)
5 Series on Netflix to Educate Yourself on Black Oppression - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA3aXaDlnmk/?igshid=19zqketqk7oix
Ibram X. Kendi Ted Talk - "How to Build An Anti-racist World"
Podcasts to Listen To
Support Black-owned Businesses
Supporting Black-owned Business in Pierce County (WA), a group project
This tweet is a thread of Black-owned Restaurants in NYC - https://twitter.com/legendaryjalen/status/1266827904396206082?s=19&fbclid=IwAR2JfgQ0UW7hWqfLyFMc9hIQlsG6JbB43_n95mEKLbIfxVND-6Auh-lf_Rw
Seattle Black Owned Business Instagram Account - https://www.instagram.com/seattle.black.businesses/
Black-Owned Bookstores (NYC and Nationally) - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA6EL-RD2Kt/?igshid=1sfwv5rp0w0yf
Black-Owned Eateries in San Diego - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA6a_UTHpxY/?igshid=yxnanrwkchgn
Directory Black-Owned Businesses (Portland)
Black Owned Businesses You Can Support from Anywhere - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA64OIaBBne/
Seattle Black-Owned Businesses - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA6D5-IDf0P/
Black-Owned Restaurants Seattle - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5v4WHjyAM/ | https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8bYg2hq2H/
Black-Owned Vegan Businesses That Ship Nationwide - https://vegoutmag.com/nationwide/lifestyle-article.php?id=40&fbclid=IwAR2Yz0EnYg6gYECXmD9McfDhf6tB-vkS5G8AWJkAkFg54_pjAzXVUJ-vJIQ
Black-Owned Etsy Shops - https://themadmommy.com/black-owned-etsy-shops/?fbclid=IwAR18gIMX1M5HnPJ9oDvnOIQaIRvi2UrvG9vphwUmZyBr38GKWRCK92_Odm8 (Growing List)
Black-Owned Occult Shops - https://www.buzzfeed.com/sydrobinson1/black-owned-witch-shops?fbclid=IwAR3-fbgCqBbL62Znmq_qzj4_Lyzy8WuFzaweSDOmD1lt0s6Y36tcX1hKMUk
Black-Owned Businesses Hawai'i - https://www.instagram.com/p/CA9bEdHHHvl/
This post is a growing document. I will add to it as I find more resources. If you feel so inclined as to share resources you have, please leave them in the comments.
I also have created a highlight on my Instagram where I have graphics with more information and advice. I will continue to add to that as well in the coming weeks, months, years, my entire lifetime, as long as it takes.
All of this said, please don't rely on White people as your first source of information. I am happy to do whatever I can to support the Black Lives Matter movement because I believe that Black Lives Matter. But none of the information I've provided above is unique. It is the information that I have stumbled across and researched that was created by others. The only thing I have done is post it on my platforms since I have them. This is only here to amplify the message that others have shared. I urge you to do the same. Keep sharing.
I'm going to end this with the first thing I shared this past week about how I was feeling, and something I have seen many others share too. It is okay to not know what the right thing to say is. It is NOT okay to not say anything. Use your voice. Express your outrage. Uplift the voices of Black people. Put in the work to become actively anti-racist
I'm going to end this with the first thing I shared this past week about how I was feeling, and something I have seen many others share too. It is okay to not know what the right thing to say is. It is NOT okay to not say anything. Use your voice. Express your outrage. Uplift the voices of Black people. Put in the work to become actively anti-racist.
xo,
Kayla
LAST UPDATE - 6/17/20 3:12PM
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