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Welcome to Inkpot Droplets, a monthly wrap-up newsletter! One day, this is going to be the first place you'll hear news about my books and publication journey.

in Allyship and Advocacy

Allyship Check-In: No 17

August has been a tough year month for me emotionally and personally. For the world, even worse. There is plenty that we can learn about, engage in and steps to take action. Here is the latest allyship check-in post, with a round up of resources, reads and responses to help you stay engaged in the lifelong work of dismantling white supremacy and living a more anti-racist life.

(I also reformatted this post pretty heavily, with the hope that it would be easier to read and navigate. Please let me know in the comments if that was the case! If it is, I’ll go back through and update the formatting on all the older posts, as well.)

Series Background

I started this “series” of blog posts in 2020 to share more resources to help with each of our own anti-racist journeys. I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the fact that many of the resources I’m linking down below come from the hard work of those on the Anti-Racist Daily team, to which I subscribe for daily email updates. Many of the readings, actions and donation links come from what I learn from their articles. As such, I have become a monthly Patreon donor, because you need to pay BIPOC people for the work they do in helping dismantle racism, not just take what you can for free. I hope you consider subscribing and supporting them, too, especially if you are a white reader.

Like I mentioned before, while a lot of these resources are tied and focused to the Black Lives Matter movement, I have started to incorporate other resources about more global events, as well.

Please keep the comments kind and constructive–though, please never hesitate to call me out if I’ve misstepped, if you are comfortable doing that emotional labor you shouldn’t have to do in the first place. I appreciate your assistance in helping me learn and continue to grow into the actual ally I want to be.

Last caveat: I listed a bunch of resources, because I hope you will click on the links and listen to the BIPOC voices who are speaking up, instead of hearing my take. I’m using this as a space to amplify their voices–not add my own commentary to the mix.

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Staying Informed

Readings

Read more below about various issues, from: overworking and work culture, diversity training and Critical Race Theory, what’s happening in Afghanistan and Haiti, and more.

Getting Engaged

Petitions

Sign petitions below on topics like: supporting equitable work days and pay, fighting against the filibuster, protecting BIPOC athletes and more.

  • Sign to support 4 day work weeks.
  • Combat the silencing of Black athletes in the Olympics by signing to rid Rule 50
  • Fight for Justice for Ronald Greene
  • Raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, especially for fast food workers
  • Advocate for humanitarian aid and safe, accessible refuse be provided by Afghans
  • Reform the Jim Crow Filibuster

Take Action

Take your actions one step further than signing the petitions above. Call your senators about topics like: defending the human rights of Palestinians, combating climate change and fighting against police violence. Or, take deeper dives into learning material such as: the history of Black August, understanding how race, racism and white privilege intersect and impact one another or participate in DEI courses.

  • Call and demand your senators sign H.R. 2590 to defend the human rights of children and families living in Israeli occupation in Palestine
  • Use this toolkit to help spread the word and stop ethnic cleansing in Silwan, Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem and all of Palestine
  • Learn the history about Black August
  • Sign up for Cultural Somatics’ free “Racialized Trauma” course.
  • Explore and participate in Citizenship and Social Justice’s “Curriculum for White Americans to Educate Themselves on Race and Racism–from Ferguson to Charleston”
    • Also engage with their “11-Step Guide to Understanding Race, Racism, and White Privilege”
  • The Washington Post has a project of tracking every fatal shooting by police since 2015, after the death of Michael Brown in 2014. Here you can see the data and the staggering numbers.
  • Write to Stop Line 3 and protect our water. You can also demand protections for universal clean drinking water here.
  • Explore Anti-Racist Daily’s new DEI 4-week course. Also explore Awaken’s coursework!
  • Demand President Biden cancel student loan debt.
  • Learn more about the IPCC report and then take action to help combat climate change and the companies who are causing it.
  • Use Checkology to fact check your resources.

Donate

If financially able, donate below to different groups in need of aid, such as emergency resources like helping migrants feel Afghanistan or helping relief efforts in Haiti; or longer-standing groups, like advocating for Black mental health, liberation and gay rights.

Further Reading

Wanting to read book-length works? Check out the reads below, split into non-fiction and fiction, by BIPOC, queer and activist authors.

In Sum

Thank you so much for reading this month’s allyship check-in! I know how overwhelming it can feel, when every day feels like a new fire is being lit, rekindled or exposed. It’s easy to feel like there is nothing you can do. I hope that these resources help prove that lie to be what it is. It can be daunting, of course, but each of us has the power to make a difference. Small steps can lead to revolutionary change. But always remember that you cannot make, create and fight for the change you want to see in the world if you don’t take care of yourself along the way.

So please remember to breathe, hydrate, rest and practice self-care.

Reader Interactions

Let Me Know Your Thoughts!

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