So much has been said over the last couple of days by much more eloquent voices than mine about the atrocities happening across the US*. I have wanted to say something so many times, going back and forth on what’s appropriate, whether I have anything new to say – whether it’s even my place.
I’ve sat with my thoughts all week, trying to work out how I – as a white woman – can be an ally to my black friends and black people. I will never have an understanding of what it feels like to be discriminated against for my race but I can use the privilege I’ve been afforded to do something.
While my first instinct has been to mostly stay quiet – and share the odd resource on Instagram stories, donate and read as much as I can to educate myself – I realise silent isn’t the thing to be anymore. I’m angry and now’s not the time to be mute. Also, fuck eloquent.
We all, as white people, have so much to learn about the systemic racism we’ve all benefited from – and even if I get it wrong sometimes – I want things to change, they have to change. I’m going to get out there, march, shout – do what I have to do to support black lives.
Here are a few resources that have been useful to me:
Donation
Helpful links & places to donate to:
- Donate to cover the cost of bail for protesters through the Black Vision Collective
- Official GoFundMe to support George Floyd’s family
- Reclaim the Block
- Unicorn Riot
- Campaign Zero
- Gal-dem
- UKblackowned.co.uk
- Theredcard.org
- Standuptoracism.org.uk
- UKblackpride.org.uk
- Stephenlawrence.org.uk
- Blacklivesmatter.com
Support black owned businesses
Support the black community by buying from black owned businesses. Boycott white owned businesses that do not speak out against white supremacy and police brutality.
Write to your MP
There’s a good guide to how to do this here.Don’t know who your MP is? Find out at Theyworkforyou.com
Just some books to educate yourself about race
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- How To Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
- Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngel
- The Clapback: Your Guide to Calling out Racist Stereotypes by Elijah Lawal
- I Am Not Your Baby Mother by Candice Brathwaite
Accounts to follow on social media
- Antiracism Center @AntiracismCtr Twitter
- Audre Lorde Project @audrelordeproject Instagram
- Audre Lorde Project @audrelorde Twitter
- Munroe Bergdorf @MunroeBergdorf Twitter
- No White Saviors @nowhitesaviors Twitter
- The Conscious Kid @theconsciouskid Instagram
- The Conscious Kid @consciouskidlib Twitter
- Stephanie Yeboah @stephanieyeboah Instagram
Films and TV series to watch
- 13th (2016) (Ava Duvernay) Netflix
- Dear White People (2017-) (Justin Simien) Netflix
- Fruitvale Station (2013) (Ryan Coogler) Netflix
- I Am Not Your Negro (2016) (James Baldwin documentary) Amazon Prime
- Just Mercy (2019) (Destin Daniel Cretton) Amazon Prime
- Selma (2014) (Ava Duvernay) Amazon Prime
- The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (2015) (Stanley Nelson) Amazon Prime (though can’t find it for the UK)
- The Hate U Give (2018) (George Tillman JR) Amazon Prime
- When They See Us (2019) (Ava DuVernay) Netflix
- What happened, Miss Simone? (2015) (Liz Barbus) Netflix
- Queen & Slim (2019) (Melina Matsoukas) Amazon Prime
- Detroit (2017) (Kathryn Bigelow) Amazon Prime
More anti-racism resources
- 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
- Jenna Armold’s resources books and people to follow
- Rachel Ricketts’ anti-racism resources
I’m quite sure I’ve missed masses of useful information – and all this was put together with bits I’ve collected from the internet – so if you want to share anything, please feel free to comment.
❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤
*and across the globe.