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Communicating Your Support for #BlackLivesMatter: Dos, Don’ts, and Resources

My silences had not protected me. 
Your silence will not protect you. 
But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences.
— Audre Lorde

The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, USA has set off international protests against systemic racism and over-policing of black communities. As an organization, we fully support the Black Lives Matter movement.

Communication around this topic needs to be extremely thoughtful and not unintentionally cause harm or further trauma to Black communities.

THINGS TO DO

  • Amplify Black voices. We’ve included some Twitter lists to follow in the Resources section.

  • #SayHerName - Black women and Black Trans lives matter and deserve the same recognition and outpouring of support as we fight for Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and the countless others.

  • Educate yourself before speaking. Share resources (below). This list is not exhaustive but a good starting point.

  • Capitalize the “B” in Black when talking about Black people or communities.

  • Recognize that POC is NOT the same as Black. Not all people of color have the same experience of racism as Black people.

  • Use the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter

  • If you make a mistake, own up to it. We can’t hold institutions accountable if we don’t hold ourselves accountable. Acknowledge harm, apologize, and do the research yourself, without asking someone else to do the work for you.

  • If your Pod decides to protest, share resources to do so safely. Know your rights and legal resources as a protester, protect yourself, and protect against COVID-19. And listen to the people who are leading the protests - if they ask allies to take a step back, do it. 

  • Utilize warnings and/or disclaimers preceding the discussion of the brutalization of Black bodies. See this Twitter thread for helpful guidance on how to use warnings.

  • Promote organizations committed to combating racism and over-policing, particularly those local to your own community. If you’re looking for places to donate to, this article has some ideas, organized by city.

  • Support and promote Black-owned businesses in your community.

  • Work to Get Out the Vote, supporting policies and positions that support the movement for Black Lives.

    • Note: as a 501(c)3 organization, we cannot support specific candidates or parties, but we can support policies and positions that align with our core values.

THINGS NOT TO DO

  • Do NOT share violent images and/or videos depicting the harming of black bodies.

  • Do NOT use the hashtag #AllLivesMatter. This is a white supremacist slogan designed to diminish the movement and violates our core values to promote equity and justice as an organization.

  • Do NOT double down on ignorance. Listen to and center Black voices. 

RESOURCES 

Note: This list is not exhaustive but a good starting point.

TWITTER LISTS TO FOLLOW

BOOKS TO READ

  • From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

  • Stay Woke: A People's Guide to Making All Black Lives Matter by Tahama Lopez Bunyasi and Candice Watts Smith

  • When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Asha Bandele and Patrisse Cullors

  • How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi

  • The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

  • Making All Black Lives Matter by Barbara Ransby

  • Arrested Justice by Beth Richie

  • So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo

ONLINE RESOURCES & ARTICLES