Since the death of George Floyd, there has been a surge in anti-racism protests across the world. In the United States, there have been protests in every state involving the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Black people and other people of color are fighting systemic racism and police brutality. If you are white, you may be wondering what you can do to help. Well, here are some small things you can do to make a big impact in fighting racism.
1. Join your local Black Lives Matter chapter online.
Find the BLM chapter in your area and follow what they are doing online. Go to a few events if you are willing and able or even just being aware is a start in your journey to becoming anti-racist.
2. Contact your local representatives.
An organization called Campaign Zero has a project called 8CantWait, which advocates eight policies that every city should be working towards to fight police brutality.
3. Fight to ban no-knock warrants in your town.
The town where Breonna Taylor was killed, Louisville, Kentucky, has enacted a ban on no-knock warrants. This policy led to Taylor being shot and killed in her own home. Fight to ban no-knock warrants in your city.
4. Understand and share what “defund the police” really means.
Here is a good resource. It’s about demilitarizing police and refocusing our efforts on public safety.
5. Share and report on stories of black people encountering racism.
More and more stories of black people encountering racism are showing up on social media. Share them.
6. Help your teacher friends.
Buy them classroom books that feature people of color as protagonists or Black history flashcards for their classroom.
7. Share this video of Neil DeGrasse Tyson talking about his experiences as a black scientist and student.
8. Help recruit black teachers where black students are being taught.
9. Support black businesses.
Find them on WeBuyBlack, the Black Wallet, and the Official Black Wall Street.
10. Don’t buy from companies that support prison labor.
Many companies out there exploit prison labor to drive down prices.
11. Educate yourself on mandatory minimum sentences in prisons.
Check out Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM’s) website.
12. Take advantage of “white spaces.”
Find out about your biases and work on them.
13. Decolonize your bookshelf.
Remove problematic books if possible.
14. Speak up about racist jokes. Silence is agreement.
15. Read opinion pieces from black authors.
Examples include The Root and The Grio.
16. Find out how Black history is being taught in schools.
Fight to get rid of white-washed versions of history that we were taught in school. Advocate that many voices be used when teaching history.
17. If you have kids, seek out a diverse friend group for them.
18. Seek out a diverse group of friends for you as well.
19. Write to your local college/university to encourage diversity.
20. Know your American history.
Watch Roots, Selma, and other documentaries. Read books about real American history.
21. Know that police do in fact kill more black people.
It’s statistically proven.
22. Correct people when they say BLM is violent.
The violence and looting are being caused by fringe groups being lumped in with BLM.
23. Write to end cash bail.
Innocent people are put in jail because they can’t afford bail.
24. Attend town halls and other events for local candidates to talk about these issues.
25. Visit the sites of American internment camps and other memorials to POC history.
26. Write to your representatives to ban racist voter ID laws and ease the voting process for people without transportation or other means.
27. Don’t just be “not racist.” Be anti-racist.
Don’t just say “Oh, I’m not racist.” Practice what you preach. Help our BIPOC citizens to help end systemic racism one step at a time.
28. Check out this anti-racist YouTube playlist.
Click here to learn more about racism and black history.
29. Don’t gentrify neighborhoods.
30. Check out this toolkit.
Here is the White Ally Toolkit.
31. Work on this anti-racist workbook.
Check out this scaffolded anti-racist workbook online.
