Last Updated on July 27, 2020 by ThoughtsStained

Hello, lovelies.

I hope you’re all doing well and trying to do whatever you can to take care of yourself and your family. I hope part of that care is realizing that the Black Lives Matter movement is something that not only has been–and will continue to be–something that is here to stay, regardless of whether or not it’s trending and there is coverage; but that it is also something to get involved in and educated about, if you weren’t already.

Like I mentioned before, I allowed myself to use my privilege to not get involved before, because it didn’t directly affect me. That has changed in the past two months, as I have actively become more engaged and listened more, in regards to confronting my own white privilege, recognizing systemic racism and doing the work to help realize the part I play, both consciously and not, to support this system, so that I can do the work to help break it down.

Last month, I shared weekly posts over the work I did following the Justice in June monthly guide. Going forward, I wanted to compile different resources and actions to post here once a month. Many of the resources below, I’ve either already read/watched/listen to or plan to. I’ll share petitions to sign and donation links (which, while I can’t donate to everything, due to my own financial situation, I’d like to continue sharing and hope to at least donate to one thing, once a month, if I can).

I realize this is a blog you may have followed to read my book reviews, my writing rants, my mental health oversharing or any other plethora of posts that I usually write, so having activism and allyship resources also being added to the mix might surprise you or feel “off-brand”. That says a lot more about myself and the lack of work I should have been doing before, but this is something I will continue doing, going forward. If that makes you want to unsubscribe, I want to ask yourself why. Perhaps it can help you start your own journey dismantling white privilege.

Oh, and while I hope this doesn’t need to be said, let’s please keep the comments kind and constructive–though, please never hesitate to call me out if I’ve misstep, 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 Black 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.

Readings

• For Our White Friends Desiring to be Allies by Courtney Ariel
• Performing Whiteness by Sarah Bellamy
• The Anatomy of White Guilt
• Blaming Protest for COVID-19 Spread Ignores Bigger Threats to Health by Nicole Wetsman
• Trump’s EPA Concludes Environmental Racism is Real by Vann R. Newkirk II

Videos and Podcasts

• Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man Episode 3 by Emmanuel Acho: Discusses the importance of how harmful being “color blind” in terms of race can be, as well as other questions about hope and the work still left to do with Chip and Joanna Gaines and their family.
• ‘Me and White Supremacy’ Helps You Do The Work of Dismantling Racism by Eric Deggans: Talks about the discomfort of truly doing the work of comforting and tackling white supremacy and how important that discomfort is.

Petitions to Sign

• Demand Racial Data on Coronavirus: Demand More from the Government
• Help End Hair Discrimination in Workplace and Schools
• Rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge after Rep John Lewis
• End the College Board’s Whitewashing of US History
• Protect Protesters from Federal Officers
• Protect the November 2020 Election by Offering Vote-By-Mail in All 50 States

Actions

• Sign up for this newsletter, the Anti-Racism Daily, that brings daily actions and information to dismantle white supremacy
  • I really like this. Not only because it is a completely manageable bit in your inbox, but it introduces a topic, gives you an action to do, like signing a petition and then gives you information to read, alongside a summary of key takeaways. It’s really fantastic. Some topics I’ve learned about since signing up are:
    • How black hair has been a source for microaggression in culture appropriation
    • About “African American Vernacular English (AAVE), [which] is a dialect of English that is spoken by Black people in America. It sounds different from Standard American English (SAE)” and it is often a source of discrimination, cultural appropriation, code-switching and microaggressions against Black people.
    • The importance of analyzing representation in media, from not only making sure we diversify who we hire to work and perform in media, but also that we are allowing those identities to be able to tell their stories
    • Gentrification (the displacement of working-class individuals by middle-class individuals)
• Take this Race Privilege Questionnaire to help demonstrate you see different areas in which racial discrimination against those with non-white skin shows up in many areas those with white skin don’t think about, due to white privilege. If you become angry at your score and how much privilege you have, ask yourself why you’re angry. Are you angry because you didn’t ask for privilege and being confronted with acknowledging it makes you feel threatened? Or are you angry because you see just how ingrained, from daily tasks to education to jobs, racial injustice and inequality is? Sit with your answer.
  • For transparency, I scored a 30 out of 30, showing that, as a white woman, I am very privileged when it comes to race.
• Contact your Senator to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act, not only in honor and in memory of Rep. John Lewis, but also to help advocate for better voting rights and protections for all.
• Become a Patreon to support Anti-Racism Daily newsletter!
• Support one of these 9 Black-owned Eco-Friendly + Sustainable Businesses
• Choose to participate in Plastic Free July
  • I realize it’s now practically August, but doesn’t mean you can’t do it in August!
• Sign up for the Collective Resiliency Summit, which “bringing together the leaders, changemakers, and pioneers who are creating a future of a sustainability industry and climate movement that is inclusive, equitable, and reimagines the relationship between people and planet.”
  • Confused on how discussing actions about climate change relates to the Black Lives Matter movement? Consider looking into and learning about environmental racism!

Places to Donate

• Master List of over 147 places to donate: I’m going to continue always sharing this link, so that you (and myself) always have this master list to reference. However, I’m going to try and highlight a few different places each month, as well as other other locations I’ve found that aren’t on this list.
• For this month, I’m highlighting:
  • Black Portland Youth Movement: “The donations received through this Go-fund-me will be used to help with first aid, food, water, and other basic necessities while protesting.”
  • Justice for Breonna Taylor
  • The Navajo Water Project

Books

On Activism

• How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
  • Just bought this book and I can’t wait to get started!
• Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla Saad
  • “Based on the viral Instagram challenge that captivated participants worldwide, Me and White Supremacy takes readers on a 28-day journey, complete with journal prompts, to do the necessary and vital work that can ultimately lead to improving race relations.”
  • I really can’t wait to buy this and read it!!
• Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper

To Read For Fun

• Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callendwr
• Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
• The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

Thank you for taking the time to read through such a lengthy post. I hope some of these resources have been helpful for you! And, if you found something you enjoyed and learned something from, consider supporting that creator, whether it’s through sharing, donating to them, signing up for a mailing list, purchasing their works. It is important that we amplify and share Black voices, but also that we support them and pay them, especially when they are educating us about racism.

Cheers.