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My Thoughts

Black Lives Matter

By Ainsley DallisPublished 4 years ago 2 min read
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Photo by Tayyib Mahmood via @tayyibmahmood10 on Instagram

Almost a month has passed since the death of George Floyd. Black Lives Matter protests have occurred in all of the fifty states and in additional countries. I have been trying to put into words how I feel. I am saddened. I am heartbroken. I am disappointed. I am hopeful. I have been fortunate enough to attend protests without the fear of my life being taken away from me. When my family members leave the house, I am not constantly worrying if they will make it home safely. I am a young white woman and, with that, comes privilege. I love seeing so many people in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. I believe that posting on social media is a great way to voice your opinion and educate others. I also believe that if posting or re-posting is the only way that you are showing your "support", that is most definitely not enough. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, so for many it is not safe to attend a protest; lucky for you, there are many other ways to actively support the movement and the black community!

Sign petitions. Be cautious as to what petitions you sign, read the description in its entirety. I recently just discovered that change.org is not a nonprofit organization. If you choose to sign petitions through this website DO NOT donate to them, the money is going to their executives and investors. Instead, donate your money to organizations such as Color of Change (petitions are available here as well), Innocence Project (the Netflix series is also a must watch, especially episodes 2 and 3), Know Your Rights Camp, Femme Empowerment Project, Committee to Protect Journalists, along with many more.

Read books. Educate yourself by immersing yourself into someone else's story. Read about the history of the black community in America. I LOVE a good read so I wanted to share some of the books that have been referred to me: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell, and White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin J. DiAngelo.

Watch shows and movies. Take a break from reality TV and spend your next rainy day or binge night watching 13th , If Beale Street Could Talk, American Son, and Dear White People. If reading isn't your thing, watching a show or movie is just as educational.

DEFUND THE POLICE.

KEEP PUSHING FORWARD.

activism
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Ainsley Dallis

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