Black Lives Matter: Here's how white people can show they really mean it

For our readers in the black community, we want to acknowledge that this has been an exhausting, frustrating, and enraging past couple of weeks. We stand with you, we love you, and right now we need to have a serious discussion with white people, so if you want to tune out here, we support you.

So here we go. Most of us know by now that jumping on the bandwagon of a cause, using the hashtag once, and not backing it up with any genuine action is not just unhelpful, it’s offensive. If you’re not sure why it’s offensive or whether you’ve been doing that, this post will explain it—start there. When you’re ready for next steps, we’ve compiled some resources for you.

Who to follow

@thegreatunlearn
@rachel.cargle
@laylafsaad
@ckyourprivilege
@ajabarber
@shishi.rose
@mspackyetti
@raquel_willis
@tamikadmallory
@indyamoore
@colorofchange
@munroebergdorf
@moemotivate
@colorlinesnews
@tiffanydcross
@showingupforracialjustice
@antiracismctr
@ibramxk
@iamrachelricketts
@mireillecharper
@ijeomaoluo
@tiffanydloftin
@osopepatrisse
@angelarye
@symonedsanders
@ninaturnerohio

Where to donate

Look for the link in bio for any of the activists above and make a donation to support their work or become a patron on Patreon.

You can also donate directly to the following funds:

• Official George Floyd Memorial Fund

• I Run with Maud (Ahmaud Arbery Memorial Fund)

• Justice for Breonna Taylor

• Justice for David McAtee

• In Memory of Tony McDade

• Minnesota Freedom Fund

• National Bail Out

• Campaign Zero

• Communities United for Police Reform

• Black Visions Collective

• Reclaim the Block

• Know Your Rights Camp

• Black Lives Matter

• Southern Poverty Law Center

• Sister Song

Other actions to take

• Sign some petitions: #JusticeforBre (Breonna Taylor); #JusticeforFloyd (George Floyd); Run with Maud (Ahmaud Arbery); Justice for Tony McDade; #DefundThePolice (Black Lives Matter)

• Learn how to “cop watch”.

• Read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo (and buy it from a black-owned online bookstore).

• Start working your way through this reading list.

• Pay (and tip!) black people for the “invisible” (to you) work they’re doing for you already.

• Look around your work environment and count the number of black colleagues you see. If you’re in a position to hire, change the equation, review your hiring practices, and not only hire black people but pay them a thriving wage.

• Call out your family, friends, and colleagues when they say or do something racist. Start uncomfortable conversations on race and the injustices that black people experience on a daily basis.

• Most importantly, continue to educate yourself and share what you’ve learned and where you’ve donated with other white people.

XOXO,
Bedsider

P.S. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Comment or hit us up on social to let us know who and what else we should add.