Black Lives Matter – What YOU can do to help

I will never fully understand the black struggle in this country and I can’t even begin to relate however I want it known to everyone that I am an ally. I will do whatever I can to support you. Black lives matter and I will not stand for the murder of both George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

Unfortunately I have witnessed racism right in front of me, especially living in the south I saw it everywhere. I remember telling a customer that he could leave when he refused to be rung up by a black person. I hope to never have to do that again. That day I realized we still had so much farther to go and this last week I am deeply reminded of that fact.

I am by no means considering myself an expert on any of this however I felt the need to help those that may feel lost in what they can do to fight against racism.

Here is a list of actions everyone can take to fight against racism:

Do not shy away from voicing your opinions & standing up for what is right. If you remain silent when you hear racism, change that. If you awkwardly laugh when you hear a joke about a black person, stop. We don’t have room for any bit of racism, no matter how small, if we truly want to see change.

Be educated! One of the best classes I took during college was African American Literature and it opened my eyes to so much. What little you are taught in grade school is a joke. History books try to gloss over the “nasty” parts of our history but in order to make sure things like slavery and lynching never happen again we have to learn from our mistakes and our past.

Here are some of my favorite books that I highly recommend you check out:

• Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Anything by Toni Morrison
• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
• The Souls of Black Fold by W.E.B DuBois
• Miss Anne in Harlem by Carla Kaplan
• Becoming by Michelle Obama

& so many more!

Acts of Kindness. Be respectful. Help those that are struggling. Reach out to your black friends & remind them that they are not alone & that you are here for them.

If you have any sort of platform or audience, be vocal! Inspire others to do the same & to take action.

Support businesses with the same values & who are speaking up. 

Contact your local government.

Be a part of the change & think before you speak or before you judge someone off their skin color or their appearance.

Don’t throw hate at the police. Throw it at police brutality! There is a huge difference. Do not box people into a stereotype based on titles or skin color.

Protest & rally people together in support. If we all make differences in our community then we will see a huge social change overall. Every bit of good makes a difference. It’s one thing to share on social media or discuss amongst friends & family but to get out in large groups makes our voices even louder.

Don’t believe every thing you see online. Do your own research and find reputable sources. Make your own decisions instead of following the masses. 

 VOTE! It is no secret that our current situation is far from ideal. We can’t let this go on any longer. We have taken too many steps backwards in the last few years and we need to move towards a brighter future. Our country needs a president who will stand up for justice, not hide away.

Valuable Resources:

• Here is an incredibly helpful website to implement change: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co It has information on petitions, resources, protesting and more.
• https://www.vote.org Register to vote! It takes 2 minutes!
• Check out some African American Literature
• AntiRacism Resources for White People. I got this list from my friend Laura. It’s full of organizations to follow, podcasts to subscribe to, book suggestions, and even parenting tips!

It gives me hope to see people protesting during a pandemic. If people of all races and backgrounds are willing to risk their lives that means there is a chance that we can truly change this for the better. Hold out hope. Don’t stop speaking out.

#blacklivesmatter #georgefloyd #ahmaudarbery

With love & hope,

-The Hoppy FA, your ally

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