Over the last week, we have been struggling to find the right words, the right ways to help. We have put together a list of resources which we have found helpful, from ways to support financially, to ways to educate ourselves. Black Lives Matter have put together a fantastic guide to supporting in every way, the movement, which you can access here. We’ve broken down some of its recommendations, and recommendations of other guides, below:
For people who are financially able, please consider donating to some of the following charities:
Or donate to one/ some of the memorial funds that have been set up in memory of those who have died. You can find a full list of these funds here.
Alternatively, donate to bail bonds, a list of which can be found here.
If you don’t have the funds to donate money, stream this video on repeat, leaving the ads running, and share it. All of the ad revenue made through AdSense will be donated to the advocacy organisations listed in the video. Similarly, play this playlist of videos by creators who have agreed to donate money made from adverts to the BLM movement.
We can add our names to petitions calling for justice:
Please note, whilst signing these petitions does make a difference, donating money via change.org does not. The donations do not go towards the cause which is the subject of the petition, but instead to change.org itself. Find a full list of petitions you can sign here.
We can write to our MPs, to stress the importance of them using their platform to raise the issue of racial injustice and ensure that it is taken seriously by our government. If you aren’t sure what to write, there are some fantastic templates available. Activist and friend of Amnesty International, Zainab Asunramu, has created a template which you can assess below. It calls for condemnation of Trumps’s treatment and militarisation of the protests, assurances that UK protestors will not be met with similar treatment and the suspension of licenses for tear gas, riot shields and rubber bullets to the USA.
Zainab Asunramu’s template letter to your MP
Make an effort to support black businesses and companies. UK Black Owned Businesses is a brilliant directory of Black-Owned business throughout the United Kingdom to reference.
As an example, @bibisbooks put together this list of black owned bookshops in London:
- New Beacon Books: Poetry, literature, non-fiction, history and children’s books from Africa, Caribbean, Asia, African America, Europe, South America and Britain.
- Jacaranda Books Arts & Music: Adult fiction and non-fiction publishing ground-breaking writing by diverse writers.
- Merky Books: An imprint of Penguin Books created by Stormzy for new fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
- Round Table Books: Black owned bookshop celebrating underrepresented children’s books, writers and illustrators.
- Tamarind Books: Picture books, fiction and non-fiction featuring black and Asian children and children with disabilities.
We can all educate ourselves further. Black Lives Matter have put together a brilliant list of resources for education which you can access here.
A book: Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
An autobiography: Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde
A podcast: Code Switch by NPR
If you have resources you would like us to sign post in this list then please get in contact with Amelia at coordinator@evcom.org.uk.