Author: August Clarke
Your Instagram feed may not be covered in black boxes for #BlackOutTuesday anymore, but racism is an ongoing issue that must be addressed continuously! Now that people are not posting as much about the Black Lives Matter movement, you may be wondering how you can continue to support the black community against the systemized oppression that they face.
In this post I have compiled some resources and steps that you can take to help.
Sign Petitions
Signing petitions in support of #BLM is one of the easiest things you can do to help in a real way! Some of these petitions include pleas for justice for victims of police brutality as well as calls for reform in the police departments across North America. Click HERE to access a list of Black Lives Matter petitions you can sign.
Donate
If you have any extra cash to spare, donating to Black Lives Matter Canada is a wonderful thing you can do to show support for the movement. Even small numbers help, especially if you donate to an organization that is doing matched donations. You can click HERE to access some places to donate to, or do some research of your own!
Attend Peaceful Protests
Kind of like signing a petition, attending a protest is a display of solidarity with the black community, and they’re great because they put pressure on the government and other members of society to reflect and implement real change. Going to a protest is a really powerful way to use your voice and your power to contribute to a cause that you are passionate about. However, if you do choose to participate, wear a mask to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. You might also consider self-isolating for a period after attending the protest.
Support Black Businesses
Supporting black-owned businesses in your community is a great way to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and help fight against the institutionalized racism that may be working against these businesses. If you have the time, you could do a little bit of research to find out what businesses near you there are to support. Part of activism involves choosing where you spend your money.
Educate Yourself and Others
This is probably the single most important thing to take away from this blog. Racism stems from ignorance and everyone in our society needs to be very conscious of their own internalized racism. This is a hard thing to do but, luckily, there are plenty of resources out there to help you learn more about the racism in your community! Plenty of books, movies and websites are out there to assist you in educating yourself. All it takes is a quick web search to find them.
It’s also important to engage in discussion with others close to you about these kinds of topics, as people tend to be more receptive to ideas that go against their current beliefs when it comes from a loved one rather than a stranger on the internet. Confronting someone you are close to can be difficult, but it is the right thing to do if you want to help the #BLM movement!
These are just a few ways that you can contribute to Black Lives Matter. The first step is deciding you want to help, and there are many ways you can go from there!
