“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” -Desmond Tutu
I imagine many of us who identify as white see this quote and nod our heads empathically thinking- yes- so true! In these past days and weeks I have been feeling angry, sad, repulsed, disheartened, physically sick to my stomach and at times completely helpless and at a loss of how to move into a place of action. I try to keep this quote at the forefront of my mind so that the sense of not knowing what to do, doesn’t override the simple fact that there is much to be done, and it is work that is long overdue.
I’m going to keep my own reflections short and share with you some action steps I have been gathering. I welcome any thoughts or resources you care to share back with me.
- Read this article by my friend Courtney Martin which outlines 11 next steps, in question-and-answer format. There are tons and tons of links to other articles, and books and podcasts and people to follow so you can spend a good long time with it.
- Donate to support social change and those who are on the front lines if you can. Here is where I donated:
• The Loveland Foundation- Therapy Fund for Black Women and Girls https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/NzU4MzM=•Campaign Zero which provides technical assistance to organizers leading police accountability campaigns and the develops a model legislation and advocacy to end police violence nationwide.• Act Blue’s aggregated fund of over 55 community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizations across the country• Black Lives Matter-eradicates white supremacy and builds local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. Black Table Arts Conjuring other worlds through black art, by connecting creatives and cultivating volume in Black Life
- Check out the Conscious Kid on Patreon which is creating Parenting and Education Resources through a Critical Race Lens. Every person on their team is a parent of color. They bring decades of experience to this work, as PhD candidates in Education, HBCU Professors, critical race researchers, practitioners, and people with deep lived experience. You can sign up for their Patreon for books lists and resources for a minimal monthly donation that goes to supporting their work. I have found them to be an invaluable resource.
- Buy from and support Black owned businesses whenever possible. (You can literally Google “List of Black Owned Businesses in _____” and find options in your area).
- Follow beauty. Here are 10 Black artists whose work deeply inspires me.
• Jordan Casteel http://www.jordancasteel.com/
• Erika Deeman http://www.ericadeeman.com/
• Nikkolas Smith https://www.nikkolas.com/
• Amy Sherald http://www.amysherald.com/
• Kadir Nelson https://www.kadirnelson.com/
• Frank Morrison https://morrisongraphics.com/
• Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo http://www.lukazabranfman-verissimo.com/about
• Lauren Pierce https://www.ladynoeldesigns.com
• Vashti Harrison https://www.vashtiharrison.com
• Kerry James Marshall https://www.moca.org/exhibition/kerry-james-marshall-mastryHere’s to not being neutral.