Take Action
This is a peaceful spot that inspires me to reflectt
It feels strange to be writing on this platform again since my last post in mid-May without acknowledging the Black Lives Matter and Antiracism movements that have swept the country, and the world.
If anyone follows me on social media, I’ve been fairly outspoken since the beginning of June following the viral video (that I did not watch but did read about in detail) of police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes until he passed out and later died from his injuries.
The reason I am speaking out now is because I’m embarrassed and ashamed. I always thought of myself as “not part of the problem” but it took George Floyd’s murder to make me understand that I need to be part of the solution. I’m embarrassed that it has taken me this long to acknowledge this.
I heard about Trayvon Martin's murder in 2012 and Michael Brown’s murder in 2014 but due to my own privilege and being a part of a mostly white social circle, I did not respond the way I am responding now. I was what I thought of as a non-racist for years but now I am trying to take active steps to become an anti-racist and an ally to this movement.
In an effort for my allyship to be as non-performative as possible, I will just say that I have been learning more about systemic racism and police brutality, and have found organizations to donate to on a recurring basis.
I was having a hard time finding a resource list that encompassed everything I was looking for to further my education so I made my own to share with my family.
Since I have a voice and a (small) platform I thought I would share it here as well.
1. Here is a very detailed resource list for books to read/podcasts to listen to/documentaries to watch as well as articles to help better understand institutionalized racism in America, mass incarceration, and ways to be better allies:
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/anti-racism-resources
In addition to the books mentioned in the list, I have also found this article by Kim Tran https://everydayfeminism.com/2016/01/asian-americans-tackle-anti-black-racism/ to be especially helpful for being a better Asian-American ally.
2. Support Black-owned businesses
https://www.supportblackowned.com/ is a great resource for finding businesses by state or category
Check out Black-owned bookstores before looking elsewhere
Support Black-owned restaurants:
https://www.theinfatuation.com/features/support-black-owned-restaurants-in-seattle
https://www.theinfatuation.com/features/support-black-owned-restaurants-in-la
https://www.theinfatuation.com/features/support-nyc-black-owned-restaurants
https://projects.sfchronicle.com/2020/black-owned-restaurants/
3. Donate - and if you are able, set up recurring donations. This is a list of organizations that I’ve researched and I believe in their mission statements and the work they are doing. This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Local organizations in Seattle:
https://www.nwcombailfund.org/ to help provide cash bail for marginalized, low-income people incarcerated for low-level crimes in King and Snohomish County
https://www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-bipoc-organic-food-bank-fund helps provide healthy food to black and indigenous people in need in Seattle
https://blacklivesseattle.org/donate/ the local chapter of Black Lives Matter, part of their efforts include providing resources for protestors arrested
https://www.aclu-wa.org/ the Washington state American Civil Liberties Union
National organizations:
https://www.naacpldf.org/ NAACP legal defense fund
https://eji.org/ works to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality
https://colorofchange.org/ designs campaigns powerful enough to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back, and champion solutions that move us all forward
https://thelovelandfoundation.org/ helping to provide mental health resources with a focus on Black women and girls
https://bailproject.org/ is a national nonprofit organization that pays bail for people in need, reuniting families and restoring the presumption of innocence
https://srlp.org/ The Sylvia Rivera Law Project provides legal aid to low income individuals and people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender nonconforming (TGNCI)
https://www.lgbtqfund.org/ posts bail to secure the safety and liberty of people in jail and immigration detention
4. Contact government officials
Justice for Breonna Taylor - https://msha.ke/30flirtyfilm/ you can sign the petition, donate directly to the GoFundMe started by Breonna's family, as well as find a pre-drafted email template to send to the Kentucky Attorney General, Louisville Mayor, and Kentucky Governor
https://defund12.org/ has email addresses and templates to email local government officials to call for reallocation of police budgets towards education, social services, and dismantling racial inequality
https://komirisetti.com/EmailThem/ enter your zip code or address to find contact info for your elected representatives and hold them accountable
5. Get involved in politics
Make no mistake, politics play a huge role in systemic racism and police brutality/oppression. It's supported throughout the entire political system from the municipal level to the federal level. I don’t think it will surprise any of you to know that I’m very liberal, especially when it comes to civil rights and political rights. I refuse to do nothing and let this president, who spews actively racist rhetoric and whose response to COVID-19 was not in any way directed at saving American lives but was entirely dedicated to serving his own interests, try to sway voters through lies and voter suppression. If anyone has similar sentiments here are a couple of ways to help the cause.
https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/ - make sure you are registered to vote and know the deadlines for requesting absentee ballots/registration deadlines etc
https://votesaveamerica.com/adopt-a-state/ - help register voters, organize communities, and ramp up voter turnout in battleground states by "adopting" a battleground state. All you have to do is pick a state and sign up. Vote Save America will send you what you need to do to get started.
Donate to democratic campaigns! I did not vote for Joe Biden in the primary election, but I am definitely voting for him in November, not because he is “the lesser of two evils” (which IMO is such a copout) but because I truly believe that if he is president he will help the US gain back credibility at the international level through his economic and foreign policy, he will fight for criminal justice reform, he has a plan for health care reform as well as climate change, he will work towards advancing LGBTQ+ equality, and he has a well thought-out plan for COVID-19.
Hopefully we can all do our best to work towards justice and equality, as well as make a difference in the elections coming up this year.
