Solidarity Checklist                                                                              

Please visit Natl. Resource List for updated information!
Thank you for deciding to step up and become an active ally. Your support as a non-Black individual is critical to dismantling the corrupt systems in place to oppress Black people. It is pivotal to assist the Black community through all avenues during the protests and beyond to ensure not only that no more Black lives are lost due to our nation’s deeply embedded racism but that they are uplifted and repaid the reparations they’re long overdue. Remaining silent and complacent is just as violent. In doing this, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.

Say Their Names! (Out Loud!)

Before you do anything, understand why you’re doing this and who you’re doing this for.
Read each name and what happened to them, understand why this must end.

        George Floyd (Murdered May 25th / Minneapolis, Minnesota)

        A 46 year old security guard, detained for use of an alleged counterfeit bill, officer
        Derek Chauvin held his knee on his neck for nearly 9 min, despite Floyd
        protesting he couldn’t breathe, until he died. As of 6/3/20, all four officers
        responsible have been arrested and charged.

        Breonna Taylor (Murdered March 13th / Louisville, Kentucky)

        A 26 year old emergency medical technician, shot 8 times in her own home by
        officers who had the wrong address. The officers who murdered her Sgt.
        Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, Myles Cosgrove still have yet to be arrested
        or charged.

        Tony McDade (Murdered May 27th / Tallahassee, Florida)

A 38 year old trans man profiled by police as a stabbing suspect and
        subsequently shot dead. The officer who killed him and his identity are protected
        by Florida Law, and have been placed on administrative leave.

        Ahmaud Aubrey (Murdered February 23rd / Brunswick, Georgia)

        A 25 year old out jogging in the middle of the day. He was followed and gunned
        down by former police Officer Gregory Michael and his son Travis Michael, who
        have been arrested and charged.

        

And countless others…

        Eric Garner (Murdered July 2014 / New York, New York)

        Michael Brown (Murdered August 2014 / Ferguson, Missouri)

        Tamir Rice (Murdered November 2014 / Cleveland, Ohio)

        Alton Sterling (Murdered July 2016 / Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

        Philando Castile (Murdered July 2016 / St.Paul, Minnesota)

        Stephon Clark (Murdered March 2018 / Sacramento, California)

… and so many more that we haven’t forgotten.

Below, you will find a checklist* of tangible tasks that you can achieve to further support the Black community and the #BlackLivesMatter movement on top of the continued awareness you will bring through your social media. You will also find information and resources created by Black people on how to best support them.

  1. FOLLOW MOVEMENTS & PEOPLE

By joining these movements, you can stay informed on current issues and how to best provide support.

PETITIONS (Sign Every One)
Our combined signatures can be enough to sway local and state politicians to instate the necessary change in our society. Make your voice heard!

        Petitions Via Website

  • #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd

https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/justiceforfloyd_george_floyd_minneapolis

  • #DefundThePolice

https://actionnetwork.org/forms/2005_email_blm_defund

Petitions Via Text

  • 484848 (for Tony McDade; text Tony McDade)
  • 55156 (for Breonna Taylor; text FLOYD)
  • 668366 (for George Floyd; text JUSTICE)
  • 90975 (for Movement for Black Lives; text DEFEND)

WEBSITES (Visit Daily For New Topic)
        Defending Black Lives (Activities, updates, online seminars and more!)

INSTAGRAM

Follow them and their hashtags!        

Organizations

Black Voices


  1. GIVE RESOURCES

Donating and providing financial support to community funds is an easy and effective way to show your solidarity.

*Do not donate to any fundraisers hosted by Shaun King.*

If you’re confused as to why, read this most recent article. There are plenty of others that you can find from over the years if you do additional research.

Mutual Aid (Donate A Minimum of $5 to Each)

Mutual aid is when people rally to meet each other’s basic survival needs with a shared understanding that the systems we live under are insufficient. Paying it forward, together.

Support George Floyd’s Community!

Support Ahmaud Arbery’s Family

Search for mutual aid groups in your community.
         

Bailout Funds

With unjust arrests continuing to be made, it’s important that we free our fellow protesters on the ground but be wary that some have gotten more attention than others! If a fund has received enough funds, support another!

SUPPORT YOUR CITY! (Donate at Minimum $20)

Originally $750 per person, reports say the fine has almost tripled!

  •  For more mutual funds, bailout funds and places to donate click here!

Thread of Others in Need
                        

  1. EDUCATE YOURSELF

        Take the time to unlearn racist behaviors and language, learn how to identify racism,
        combat it and advocate against it by teaching others.

Toolkits
(Spend 30 Minutes Reading)

Podcasts 
(Listen to One & Discuss with a Friend)


Books (Choose At Least One Book)
Buy books directly from the publisher / author. Do not support Amazon!

Additionally, consider joining a book club to actively engage with other readers.
        Noname Book Club        

Terms and Phrases (Pick a Word & Think of Examples)

  • 12 - Police
    Disputed origin being a reference to 70s’ cop show Adam-12 or 12 as in the
    callout for narcotics officers.
  • Anti Racism - Strategies, theories, actions, and practices that challenge and
    counter racism, inequalities, prejudices, and discrimination based on race
  • Anti Blackness - Anti-blackness describes the inability to recognize black humanity. It captures the reality that the kind of violence that saturates black life. Anti-blackness covers the fact that society’s hatred of blackness.
  • ACAB - All Cops Are Bastards

                “Not all cops?!” Yes all cops! Though someone may have had the
                purest intentions when joining the police, they are still supporting an oppressive

tool of racism. If you know someone who works for the police, it’s time to have a
        conversation.

  • Equality - Evenly distributed tools and resources, to all people.
  • Equity - Custom tools that identify and address inequality in different
    communities to provide tools and resources.
  • Justice - Fixing the system to offer equal access to both tools and opportunities
    while addressing the needs of every community and providing reparations in the
    process.
  • Performative Activism - Also known as Virtue Signaling, Lip Service
    Slacktivism, a phrase used to identify measures or acts that while making the
    “activist” feel good about their “contribution”,     does not tangibly benefit the cause
    or movement they are supporting.
    (ex: Posting a black square and tagging #BlackLivesMatter)
  • Reparations - Compensation to the Black community. Expressed in monetary form, at the very least, systemic reform.
  • Systemic Racism - Constructs of white superiority that are expressed in
    everyday life.

  1. SPREAD AWARENESS (Post and Continue Posting)

Social Media is the voice of the people and the catalyst to mobilize supporters during times where action is needed. It's the main form of communication and a powerful tool that should be treated appropriately.

Posting

DO’s

  • DO Actively share Black organizations and Black organizers messages across your varying platforms.
  • DO Tag ONLY useful information and resources with #blm / #blacklivesmatter (even better if you can tag it for your specific city)
  • DO Create positive message posts supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and tag them with hashtags the oppressors search for. (ex: #maga / #bluelinefamily / #nra / #buildthewall / #policefamily)
  • DO Give a graphic content warning, when posting disturbing videos or images.
  • DO Ask your friends and followers to share!
  • DO Stop and ask yourself WHO your post is centering, is it about how you feeling or about supporting Black lives

DON’Ts

  • DON’T Share the video of George Floyd’s murder or any Black person murdered by the police
    (murder is a sensitive matter and should be treated appropriately)
  • DON’T Post empty content! Everything should have connections to protests, petitions, donations, or breaking information.
  • DON’T Limit your posts because of your brand!
    (make a separate page/channel, there is no excuse for silence)
  • DON’T Share pictures of people’s faces, bodies, or anything identifiable

(especially without consent!)

  • DON’T Repost without doing some research.
  • DON’T ask Black people to educate you.

Conversations & Responses (Discuss a Topic with your Family)

  1. PROTEST (Choose a Day during the Week to Commit to Showing Up)

For us white people, our skin protects us from the brutality of police and grants us advantages throughout life. During a protest, we can use this to provide support for the Black community to block aggressive reactions from the police.

        Rules of Protesting

  • Don’t go alone! Bring a friend!
  • Don’t vandalise or riot!
  • Protect Black people but do NOT police them.
  • Join in chants, do NOT start them.
  • Bring only your phone, cash, water and ID.
  • Do NOT bring any weapons, alcohol, things that can be used against you if arrested. They will be applying the maximum punishment so you’re unable to protest again.

  1. STAY VIGILANT (Share this Checklist with a Friend)

The work does not end when George Floyd’s murderers go to jail.
The work does not end when Breonna Taylor’s murderers go to jail.

The work does not end until we have dismantled a broken system, educated ourselves on the concepts of race, capitalism, and justice, reparations have been repaid to the Black community, and an equitable system to insure no more Black lives are taken by police brutality.

The work does not end, even there, for we will have committed to fighting forever.

 *this is an evolving checklist. as information becomes available and corrections are made, please email williamshawvii@gmail.com for either