My heart is currently breaking. Black people are being killed every day from protesting for basic human rights. Wanting to be HEARD. Wanting CHANGE. I’ve been quiet for long enough trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to say and how I could help. I think one of the best things we can all do in this situation is change our current ways and beliefs. It isn’t enough to not be racist. We need to be anti-racist. One way that we can work towards that is by educating ourselves. If you’re currently reading this blog post, then you’re already a step in the right direction. Our world needs our help, so I’m asking for YOUR help. I’ve compiled a list of things we can do to better ourselves and help create change for the black community.

Here are ways you can support the Black Lives Matter Movement:

Donate

I know you’ve probably heard everyone say this one, but it truly does help. Whether you donate to a bail fund, memorial fund, Black Lives Matter or other organization that supports the cause, your donation will make a huge impact. Here’s a resource I found with a list of places you can donate.

If you can’t afford to donate right now, that is totally understandable. But did you know there are still ways you can help donate without spending any money? There are many Youtubers donating all of their ad revenue from certain videos to various BLM charities and organizations. Check out this YouTube playlist and find some videos to watch for a cause! Just be sure you don’t skip the ads or it won’t count!

Sign Petitions

With today’s technology, signing petitions has never been easier. There are SO MANY different petitions circulating out there with everything that has been happening recently. Make sure to spend some time reading and signing petitions to help fight for change. Here is a list of major petitions that need your attention.

Read, Watch & Listen

By simply reading certain books, you can learn so much about how to be an ally. Watching shows, movies and videos on black culture, as well as listening to podcasts can also educate us in more ways than we can imagine. I came across this resource with a ton of good book, movie and podcast recommendations that you should check out.

Support Black Businesses

One way to give back to individuals in the black community is to buy from black business owners. Check out black-owned restaurants, shops, online stores, etc. A quick Google search will help you find local black-owned businesses. For my Indy friends, I found a list of restaurants you can support.

Spread the Word

Whether you’re out protesting, or looking for ways to do your part to support the BLM movement from home, it is important that you continue to have these conversations and spread the word. We shouldn’t just be sharing these resources and having these conversations this week, or even this month. It is important that we keep the conversation going. If we let everything go once the next big news story hits, we won’t see the changes that need to be made.

I hope these resources are helpful to you. I’ve been learning so much myself, and I still have so much more to learn. I am constantly working on bettering myself, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if I share misinformation, or if you have a helpful resource that others can benefit from. I will gladly make the appropriate changes.

Just today, I shared a photo to Instagram with the #BlackoutTuesday hashtag, but I later found out many people were saying it was counterproductive and taking up space where actual informative posts could be in its place, so I took it down.

I hope you take something from this list and start implementing it into your daily life and start making the appropriate changes. The things we’re doing could have a big impact on someone else’s life.

And remember, Black Lives Matter. 🖤