Practice What You Post

Protestors hold a banner reading “Black Lives Matter” during a demonstration following the death of George Floyd

Sara Hecht Staff Writer
June 11, 2020

You’ve posted on Instagram. You’ve liked on Facebook. You’ve retweeted on Twitter. Now, it is time to practice what you post and take the next step to support the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Protests continue to take place throughout the country, but even if you are unable to attend your local protest, there are so many more ways in which you can partake and educate yourself on the Black Lives Matter movement. As University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD wrote to the community on May 29th, “We need to examine where we have succeeded, where we have failed and where we can actively work together to improve — and commit to improving. To do this takes time, energy and commitment, but given what continues to happen around us, I believe it’s imperative that we try harder. We need to reach out beyond our comfort zone and engage in conversations on important subjects that matter.”

Below are lists of petitions, places to donate, information on protests, as well as summaries of books and films which can partake in your first step of commitment towards self-improvement.

SIGN:

Color of Change Petition or Text FLOYD to 55156

George Floyd — White House Petitions

Justice for Big Floyd — sign & call

Raise the Degree — White House Petitions

Raise the Degree — sign & donate

Arrest All Four — White House Petitions

Run with Maud — sign & call

Stand with Bre — sign & call

Save Julius Jones — sign & donate

Reclaim the Block — sign up

DONATE:

Black Lives Matter

Black Vision Collective

Official George Floyd Memorial Fund

I Run with Maud Fund

Brooklyn Community Bail Fund — for protestors

ACTION:

Information for Protesters — information on how to stay safe and get help while protesting

Know Your Rights Camp

For a list of even more petitions, places to donate and protests, click HERE.

WATCH:

“Views for A Vision:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCgLa25fDHM

This video project was created to offer people a way to donate to #BlackLivesMatter without having to donate actual money or going out to protest. All of the ad revenue the youtube video makes through AdSense will be donated to the associations that offer protestor bail funds, help pay for family funerals and advocacy groups that are listed at the beginning of the video. Make sure to leave the ads running, repeat the video and let people know about this easy way to help.

“13th” (2016), directed by Ava Duvernay (available on Netflix)

This one hour and 40 minute historical documentary focuses on the racial inequality of America, specifically highlighting the fact that U.S. prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans. The film is critically acclaimed and won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary as well as many other highly acclaimed awards.

“Black Panthers” (2015), directed by Stanley Nelson (available on iTunes for $4.99 and Amazon Prime Video for $3.99)

This one hour and 55 minute documentary focuses on the rise of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s and the effect it had on civil rights in America. This film won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary.

“The Black Power Mixtape” (2011), directed by Göran Olsson (available on YouTube for $2.99)

This one hour and 40 minute documentary focuses on the evolution of the Black Power movement in American society from 1967 to 1975, as viewed through the lenses of Swedish journalists and filmmakers.

“The Hate U Give” (2018), directed by George Tillman Jr. (available on Hulu and Amazon Prime/Youtube for $14.99)

Based on the acclaimed young-adult novel, this two hour and 13 minute film focuses on the story of Starr Carter, a black teenage girl who lives in an uneasy balance between her primarily black neighborhood and majority white prep school. This balance, however, is shattered when she witnesses the murder of her childhood friend at the hands of a police officer. Amandla Stenberg, who portrayed the role of Carter, was awarded the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.

“The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson” (2017), directed by David France (available on Netflix)

This one hour and 45 minute film takes a look back at the 1992 death of transgender icon Marsha P. Johnson, who was found floating in the Hudson River. Originally ruled a suicide, many in the community believe she was murdered.

READ (Check below for some local black-owned bookstores)

“Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

This non-fiction book is written in the form of a letter to the author’s own son about the emotions, realities and symbolism attached to being a Black person in America. It received the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2015.

“White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo

This New York Times bestseller is a non-fiction book that focuses on “why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism.”

“Sister Outsider” by Audre Lorde

This book is a collection of essays and speeches written by the author. She is a Black, lesbian feminist known for her poetry which she uses, as well as this book, to explore race and sex issues and the emotions which result “from the internalizing a skewed system of values.”

“How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibrham X. Kendi

A New York Times bestseller, this book offers insight into how racism is shaped and perpetuated by American power structures, culture, color, gender and more. Furthermore, the author offers steps an individual can take to grow and address these issues.

“The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin

This non-fiction book from 1963 holds two essays written by the author. The first explores how race plays a central role in American history. The second discusses the relations between race and religion, focusing on the author’s own experience with the Christian church as a child, as well as Islamic teachings of other people in Harlem.

“The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas

The novel that the aforementioned film was based on earned the National Book Award in 2017 and focuses on the story of a high school girl, Starr Carter, who lives in a predominantly Black neighborhood while attending a majority white school. She struggles to maintain a balance between the two sides of her life, but this unsteady balance is shattered when her best childhood friend is murdered by a police officer. The book, therefore, focuses on Starr’s struggle to decide whether to take action and speak up or not, as she and her family have been threatened by people on both sides of the situation.

Black-Owned Bookstores (for a more extensive list click here)

Arkansas

Pyramid Art, Books, & Framing (Little Rock, AR)

California

Ashay by the Bay (Vallejo, CA)

Carol’s Books (Sacramento, CA)

Eso Won Books (Los Angeles, CA)

Marcus Bookstore (Oakland, CA) — local orders by phone only

Reparations Club (Los Angeles, CA) — visit https://rep.club/collections/books

Shades of Afrika (Long Beach, CA) — visit https://shadesofafrika.com/books/

Underground Books (Sacramento, CA) — visit http://underground-books9.mybigcommerce.com/

Connecticut