As a Black woman, the Black Lives Matter movement has been instilled in me my whole life but especially after the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012. I remember hearing about it like it was yesterday and it gives me chills to think about the lack of progress and tens of thousands of Black men, women, trans people, non-binary people, and children that have been murdered in the following 8 years. The beginning of quarantine was difficult for me, not only was I trying to finish my last semester of college while being separated from my friends and life in Connecticut, but I was terrified of the unknown just like everyone else. After the murder of George Floyd, there was a flame lit in people all over the world. It’s not that the murder of Black people hadn’t affected me before but this one truly changed the trajectory of the rest of my quarantine.
I have always spoken out about racial injustice, police brutality, and similar issues. I dedicated my college experience to studying Sociology which not only enhanced my interest in these issues but equipped me with the knowledge to intellectually and factually combat them and how to properly drag racist internet trolls lmfao. What I think has been different about these past months of Black Lives Matter than the previous years is that most people have more time to learn about and participate in the current conversations because their life is at a halt. People are usually being pulled in different directions during their day to day life and dont have time to discuss these topics if they don’t directly concern them. I am not making that excuse, but that’s definitely what most people would say…
I have been very active on social media during this time posting resources, news, tweets, (my stories have literally looked like needlepoint) more than ever because I was home with no other responsibilities and I feel as though a lot of other people share that sentiment. This movement in the past months has been bigger than ever. I have seen people post about BLM that are usually silent, people donating their money and time, out protesting even in the middle of a global pandemic, and overall for the most part trying to do better. Of course, I still see some of my followers and tons of celebrities staying silent, but I know those people are not worth my time anyway. It’s those that were silent and have been silent previously that are now learning and reaching out on tips of what they can do that is making me notice this shift. The number of messages I received from people that I hadn’t even spoken to before showing their support for me, the movement, and just offering their services made me believe that there could be significant change coming.
Let me digress…all of that is just say that during this time I have encountered many great resources in support of these causes. My best friend and I even designed an infographic ourselves on how to have conversations during this time with people who have different views. Even though there are great resources out there, they are sometimes hard to find in one place so I thought I would share some I have found in a more concise place for others to share.
On that note, I leave you all with this: Do Better. Do More. Do Something that will make you proud later and the kin that come after you. The question I keep asking myself is, ‘Will I be proud to tell my grandchildren about what I did in 2020 to contribute to positive change?” and fortunately right now that answer is Yes.
Below there are over 200 recommendations of different resources such as books, movies, people to follow, places to donate easily accessible. I can’t go into detail about all of them but I have started the work for you and I trust you to take it from here…
Thank you,
-Victoria
Books to Read: (Make sure to purchase from a Black-Owned Bookstore)
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- How To Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X Kendi
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
- Why I Am No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Renni Eddo-Lodge
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
- Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
- The Hidden Cost of Being African American: How Wealth Perpetuates Inequality by Thomas M. Shapiro
- Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
- The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- No Tea, No Shade: New Writings in Black Queer Studies by E. Patrick Johnson
- Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington
- The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
- I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
- Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
- What Does It Mean To Be White: Developing White Racial Literacy by Robin DiAngelo
- Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
- Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of Medical Gynecology by Deirdre Cooper Owens
- Black and British by David Olusoga
- The War on Kids: How American Juvenile Justice Lost its Way by Cara H. Drinan
- Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o and Vashti Harrison
- Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh
- Enough! 20 Protestors Who Changed America by Emily Easton
Organizations to Donate to:
- Black Alliance for Just Immigration
- National Black Arts Festival
- Color of Change
- The Okra Project
- Young, Black, and Lit
- Unicorn Riot
- Marsha P. Johnson Institute
- Black Trans Travel Fund
- Transgender Law Center
- Reclaim the Block
- Fair Fight
- Campaign Zero
- Survived and Punished
- Fund for Black Journalism
- Voice of the Experienced
- The Loveland Foundation
- Black Girls Code
- Pretty Brown Girl
- Autistic People of Color Fund
- Disability Justice Culture Club
- The Harriet Tubman Collective
- Woke Vote
- Release Aging People in Prison
- No New Jails NYC
- Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective
Movies/TV to Watch:
- I Am Not Your Negro
- 13th
- When They See Us
- Fruitvale Station
- Selma
- American Son
- Loving
- Moonlight
- If Beale Street Could Talk
- Teach Us All
- LA 92
Accounts to Follow:
- @Blklivesmatter – Black Lives Matter
- @Ibramxk – Ibram X Kendi
- @Antiracismctr – Center for Anti-Racism Research
- @Attnwhitepeople – Attn: White People
- @Iamrachelricketts – Rachel Ricketts
- @Ohhappydani – Danielle Coke
- @Blackwomensblueprint – BlackWomen’s Blueprint
- @Ckyourprivilege – Check Your Privilege
- @Laylafsaad – Layla F. Saad
- @Nowhitesaviors – No White Saviors
- @Elainewelteroth – Elaine Welteroth
- @Kimberlecrenshaw – Kimberlé Crenshaw
- @Zora – Zora by Medium
- @Jemelehill – Jemele Hill
- @Privtoprog – From Privilege to Progress
- @Ava – Ava DuVernay
- @Yarashahidi – Yara Shahidi
- @Zebablay – Zeba Blay
- @Osse2021 – Chi Ossé
- @Cleowade – Cleo Wade
- @Indyamoore – Indya Moore
- @Iamtabithabrown – Tabitha Brown
- @Hannahbronfman – Hannah Bronfman
- @Rodrickcovington – Rodrick Covington
- @Mynameisjessamyn – Jessamyn Stanley
- @Ishkadesigns – Ishka Designs
- @Museummammy – Kimberly Drew
- @Chrissyford – Chrissy Rutherford
- @Chloexhalle – Chloe and Halle Bailey
- @R29unbothered – Refinery 29’s Unbothered
- @Shiftingtheculture – Shifting the Culture
- @Theconsciouskid – The Conscious Kid
- @Thelmagolden – Thelma Golden
- @Patmcgrathreal – Pat McGrath
- @Blackgirlswhoblog – Black Girls Who Blog
Easy Infographics To Start A Deeper Conversation:
- Social Justice Terminology
- Why White People Should Not Use Black Power Fist
- Over-characterizing Black Children as ‘Angry’
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Was Radical
- Support Black Artists Beyond Instagram
- Having Productive Conversations When You Believe You’re Right
- What To Say When? For White People
- 45’s Ignorant Tweets
- Things Not to Say To Bi-Racial Women
- Things Not to Say to a Black Woman
- Things Not to Say to a Black Man
- Resolving Community Issues Without Police
- Black Owned Vintage Business To Support
- When Someone Says They Don’t Care About Politics
- 175+ Black Wellness and Healing Spaces
- NYC Segregation in Schools
- What U.S. Universities Would Be Without International Students
- Digital Blackface
- How to Correct Someone When They’re Offensive
- Black People Punished By Law Harder Than White People
- Is Your Allyship Conditional?
- Systemic Light Skin Privilege
- White Lies in History Books
- Eviction + Poverty
- Medical Racism
- 21 Inventions by Black Men
- Decolonizing Language About Slavery
- 500+ Black Business to Support
- Words to Remove From Your Vocabulary
- Sexual Racism
- White Saviors in Film
- Racist History of Gynecology
- 5 Things That Aren’t Allyship
- Racist Watermelon Stereotype
- History Of Seneca Village/Central Park
- 100+ Black Cannabis Businesses to Support
- Fashion Trends from Black Culture
- Racism Shields
- Redlining and Environmental Racism
- Racist Childhood Nursery Rhymes
- Vocabulary You Should Know
- Systemic Racism in Greek Life
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