Black Lives Matter has grown relatively quickly into a global movement.
Formed in 2013 in the US to fight racism and anti-Black sentiment and behavior, the BLM social movement particularly stands against unjust police brutality and murders of Black people.
However, now that it has the world’s attention, it doesn’t mean we can sit back and relax. Sooner or later, the topic will stop “trending” on social media, and it’s important we don’t become complacent and allow progress to slow, stop, or revert.
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Here are 5 ways you can support Black Lives Matter:
1. Educate Yourself
I might think it’s a great cause, and your friends may all agree, as well.
However, as you join or support any movement or cause, it’s important to understand it, and that’s just as true with the BLM movement. We are all much better allies when we can in turn explain its importance to others when necessary.
Thanks to the internet and how connected to one another the world is today, it’s free and easy for us all to educate ourselves about the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and the struggles of POC and black communities.
Here is a list of great reading material from around the web:
- How White Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About Race
- Teaching Your Child About Black History Month
- The Case for Reparations
- Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race
- 100 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
- Tips for Creating Effective White Caucus Groups
- Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism
- America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us
- White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
- Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?
- The NYT 1619 Project
- The Intersectionality Wars
2. Support Black-Owned Businesses
Buying from black-owned businesses is a powerful way to empower and support the black community.
As Mary Meade and Sytonia Reid of Green America put it, it helps to close the racial wealth gap, strengthens local economies, celebrates black culture, and holds other companies accountable, among other things.
Here are a few ways to find black-owned businesses to support:
- Official Black Wall Street – A massive directory of hundreds of black-owned businesses.
- EatOkra – An app to find black-owned restaurants.
- We Buy Black – E-marketplace for black-owned businesses.
- Black Nation – Social discovery app for finding black-owned businesses.
- Support Black-Owned – Website and app serving as directory for black-owned businesses.
3. Donate to Specific Organizations
If you can spare it, consider donating to help the black community. Dozens of great organizations exist, and even a few dollars would help, especially if you got your friends and family to join in.
Here are a few of the most impactful organizations to support:
- The Black Lives Matter Movement
- Anti-Racism Project
- American Civil Liberties Union
- Black Visions Collective
- Stand Up To Racism
- George Floyd Memorial Fund
- National Police Accountability Project
- Know Your Rights Camp
- Black Trans Protesters Emergency Fund
- National Bail Fund Network
- Blueprint For All (formerly known as the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust)
- National Bail Out
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund
4. Sign Online Petitions
Petitions are a great way to effect change, but they need lots of signatures to get seen or heard by the powers that be. Unfortunately, officials and politicians balk at or ignore many seemingly clear-cut issues, but the right petition backed by millions is hard to ignore.
Consider these online petitions:
- #JusticeforFloyd
- Justice for George Floyd
- Charge All 4 Officers
- #JusticeforBre
- Justice For Tamir Rice
- Justice For Ahmaud Arbery
- Abolish Prison Labour in the USA
- Defund the MPD
- Life For A Life
- Reopen Kendrick Johnson’s Case #J4Kendrick
Oh, and don’t forget to vote!
5. Show Up to Black Lives Matter Protests
Throughout history, protests have been one of the most effective ways to upend the status quo and create change.
While we should all be wearing masks and social distancing to help stop the spread of coronavirus, it’s not as important as protesting for social justice and to end systemic racism.
As Jennifer Nuzzo, a Johns Hopkins epidemiologist, tweeted: “In this moment the public health risks of not protesting to demand an end to systemic racism greatly exceed the harms of the virus.”
That’s all for now in our guide on how to support the Black Lives Matter movement easily and on a budget, and we hope it helps! Got any questions, feedback, or other ways to support Black Lives Matter that we didn’t mention in our list above? Let us know in the comment section below, and thanks for reading!