Antiracist actions you can take now
Image sourced from @sacree_frangine.
On the 25th of May, a white Minneapolis police officer named Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck until his body went limp. Floyd had pleaded with the police officer and his colleagues, who pinned his legs and arms, to alleviate the pressure. 'I can't breathe', he gasped. Minutes later, he died in police custody. The entire assault was caught on video. This was the catalyst for the outrage that would soon envelop the world.
British news outlets, which seldom report on the violence inflicted on the African American community, began to cover the protests that followed. The protests demanded that Chauvin, who remained a free man for days after the murder, be arrested and held accountable for his actions. But this is by far a lone incident.
Shortly after midnight on the 13th of March, police in Louisville, without warning, burst into Breonna Taylor's residence in relation to a case against two men. Two men who did not reside at that residence. Taylor was shot eight times. She died in her own home. Before this, on the 23rd of February, two white men in a truck stalked and gunned down Ahmaud Arbery as he jogged through their Georgia neighbourhood. He died in the road.
You can call these murders a multitude of things. Inexplicably tragic. Utterly unjust. Cowardly acts of racism. Which they are. But there are other things you can't call them. Isolated. Incomprehensible. Shocking. Because if you're shocked, you haven't been listening. The dehumanisation and the brutalisation of black people plagues our entire history. And, if we don't take urgent, unnegotiable action, it'll undoubtedly bleed into our future. Don't assume this is an American issue; racism is very much evident in Britain, and Scotland. It's a global pandemic. One we can't merely lock ourselves away from. Now is the time for all white people, myself included, to look inward and square-up to our ingrained racist tendencies, and start to unlearn them.
While we cannot undo the injustice that has already been done, inaction is no longer an option. We must stress, however, that we can't rely on our black friends, family members, influencers, and celebrities to educate us. We need to show up, do the hard graft for ourselves. As such, we want to use our platform to share some actionable ideas on how to combat racism and prejudice; ideas and initiates that go beyond sharing a black square on Instagram. It's not enough to be not racist. We all need to be antiracist. Here's how to start:
Sign some petitions
Black Lives Matter has had a petition going for years. Sign it as a matter of priority. Change.org has countless petitions, old and new, that need your support; from this one calling for more diverse GCSE reading, to separate petitions for calling for justice for victims. All it takes is a search. Please take time; signing petitions makes all the difference.
Read, read, and repeat
Much like any other form of education, reading plays a pivotal part in shaping our empathy and values. Read even one of these important works, and you'll be on your way to better understanding how to be antiracist and an ally to black people.
Mother Country: Real Stories of the Windrush Children by Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff
Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
Don't Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri
Brit(ish) by Afua Hirsch
How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Feminism, Interrupted by Lola Olufemi
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
White Tears, Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad
Watch these films
Dip your toe into the world which black people face every single day from the comfort of your sofa. It really is the least any of us can do.
13th, streaming on Netflix
12 Years a Slave, streaming on Netflix
The Help, available on the Apple Store and other services
When They See Us, streaming on Netflix
Selma, available on the Apple Store and other services
The Hate U Give, streaming on Now TV
Green Book, streaming on Amazon Prime
Who Killed Malcolm X?, streaming on Netflix
If Beale Street Could Talk, streaming on Amazon Prime
Just Mercy, available on the Apple Store and other services
Get Out, available on the Apple Store and other services
Hidden Figures, available on the Apple Store and other services
Fruitvale Station, streaming on Netflix
I am Not Your Negro, available on the Apple Store and other services
If you can, donate
Protesters fighting against racism are being imprisoned every day. The last place those campaigning for what is right and just should be amidst a coronavirus pandemic is in prison. If you're in a position to do so, then consider donating towards the cost of their bail at Blackvisionsmn.org. That, or you can donate to one of the victims' families or other brilliant equality-campaigning organisations. Here are some suggestions as to where your money may be needed:
Black Lives Matter UK
Show Racism the Red Card
The United Families & Friends Campaign
Intercultural Youth Scotland
Resourcing Racial Justice
Stand Up to Racism
Runnymede Trust
Black Protest Legal Support UK
Southall Black Sisters
Black LGBTQIA Therapy Fund
Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
The Movement For Black Lives
Black Pride UK
Black Minds Matter
Race Equality First
Stand Against Racism & Inequality
Change your spending habits
Support the black community by actively buying from black-owned businesses. Again, all it takes is a quick Google search to discover what a brand's heritage is. We'll be following this up with a specific article in the coming days, so watch this space. It’s also worth noting that some brands and companies have a history of discriminating against black people. Once again, use the internet to your advantage, do your research, and think carefully about where you shop.
Contact your MP
Not sure who your MP is? You can find out here. Now, reach out to them about the Black Lives Matter movement as ask what is being done to fight racist inequality on home soil and in your local area. If enough people reach out to their MPs about a particular topic, there will have to be a parliamentary discussion. Also, when election time rolls around again, do your homework, and make sure the person you're electing stands for the same values that you do.
Have the courage to speak up
If someone you know makes an ignorant comment or a joke that doesn't sit well, don't let it slide. Casual racism is rife, and it won't stop until it's called out. Sure, it might be awkward, but it's a drop in the ocean compared to the blatant prejudice black people face every day. While we're on the topic of talking, you owe it to your children to have these conversations with them, too. Children pick up habits and tendencies they witness in adults. Be the example they deserve.
Understand your privilege and use it
White privilege doesn't mean your life doesn't have its hardships—what it means is that they haven't been caused because of our skin colour. Understanding this is the first step to truly becoming an ally. You're by no means a 'white saviour' – black people are the heroes of this story – but there is no way we can progress unless we all start using our white privilege to champion antiracism. Use your voice and the power your skin afford you to champion the cause. We implore you not to be deterred by not wanting to get it wrong, or by your own white fragility. Do your research, show up, and be open to constructive criticism. It’s the only way to grow and affect change.