In the name of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade, Atatiana Jefferson, Botham Jean, but also, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, Korryn Gaines, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Rekia Boyd, Aiyana Jones, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Oscar Grant, Sean Bell, Walter Scott, and countless others…

White vegans/ARs can be organized to support Black lives. Vegans have advocated passionately and consistently for animal life on the basis of ethics. That means more than you think. If White vegans can have love and adoration for cows, they can love within their species. If Black vegans can practice intersectionality, white vegans can too. White vegans can and must accomplish this work now.

How can white people demonstrate their commitment to Black lives? Acknowledge and respect what we say and help carry out OUR aims that keep US safe.

Let’s get white people hopping on the call for justice!

When white communities start listening to concrete plans that address the quality of Black lives we can move on together in shaping the world around us. This happens when and only when white people make the renewed commitment to understanding the hell Black people are living in for over 400 years!

Recognize that where and how you live and work affects everything around you. There is no such thing as an equal playing field under white supremacist imperialist capitalist patriarchy . In the current system, white people have the power to usurp anything Black lives create simply by being white. White people deny loans to Black people in neighborhoods they ignore and in neighborhoods they take over. The tiny loans white people do offer Black businesses are often predatory and insufficient and still create a dependency on whiteness to be kind or agreeable. This is all Redlining. It continues today despite being made illegal in 1968. White people deny grants to us and redistribute them to large 100 year-old white organizations due to the grandfathering of a racist system that has modified its tone but not changed its actions. When the excuse is not financial stability, small white organizations who seemingly appear out of nowhere “win” resources because they knew someone white.

Meanwhile, Black organizations are forced to work for free (again) to rid the system of injustice while receiving little, if anything, to sustain them in return.

White people deny bail and opportunities to defend Black people in court. Kalief Browder spent three years in jail awaiting trial (2 years in solitary confinement) because he was Black, innocent, and poor. Then, systemic racism achieved its goal, taking his life when he committed suicide. White people cannot wait until every outrage to take what looks like action, but has proven to be performative. Teach your children now through your actions.

White people deny jobs and housing and proper healthcare to Black people and we cannot and will not take it anymore. We cannot afford a psychologist for help!

We’re exhausted. It’s time you stepped up for Black life in a tangible way.

Below is a specific plan for white people who are ready to do more than just utter personal politics. Make a commitment to do work in your community for Black communities throughout the US.

The 7 Points of Unity are actually quite simple. But the evidence is in the work over time.


Black VegFest’s 7 points of Allyship for the White Vegan Community in Defense of Black Lives

1-Apply Vegan Ethics of Compassion to Black Lives in Defense of Black People-
White vegans/ARs stand committed to being held accountable to the high standards of veganism and will routinely apply vegan ethics to Black lives. Allyship and being accomplices is intervening to prevent white supremacists from brutalizing or discriminating against Black life. On the street, on the highway, at your workplace, or in the hospital speak up!

2-Respect Black Space-
White vegans/ARs will respect the sanctity of Black space and will not enter unless their presence is necessary. Black space is for the growth and betterment of Black people. Allyship and being accomplices begins with white people learning to respect Black space.

3-Support Calls for Ending Police Murder and Misconduct-
White vegans/ARs support calls for ending police murder and police misconduct. White Allies will unite with adopting all forms of protocols and contingency plans under the direction of Black leaders  and collectives  which are unapologetically Black-led. Allyship and being accomplices means white people ceasing political and economic control of those resources being used in our collective fight against tyranny and Black people’s generational fight for self-determination.

4-White Organizers Mobilizing White Forces on Behalf of Black People-
White vegans/ARs must pledge to combat racism in white communities and not create battles or perform activism in Black communities. White vegans must prevent racism stemming from all complexities of white people and those in life-changing positions who negatively affect Black communities. Do not perform actions in our neighborhoods unless we make a request. Address racism by bringing demands to white neighborhoods and State institutions.

5-Respect Black Lives-
White vegans/ARs support and protect all Black lives, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, class, or ability. No Black lives are dispensable. Allyship and being accomplices means recognizing class and gender contradictions caused and stoked by white communities to maintain white rule and leave Black communities in a constant state of panic and misery, systematically undermining our fight for love and justice within our community.

6-White Financial Resources-
White vegans/ARs who own property and business and enjoy higher economic statuses begin to utilize their financial resources for Black lives and dismiss all racist tropes about Black economics. Allyship and being accomplices means using your resources for Black justice and ending your promotion of products/services over Black life.

7-White Media-
White vegans/ARs media and press must cease in using Black lives to push business agendas and white cultural progression over Black lives. That is white supremacy. Allyship and being accomplices means there is a commitment from white media to ending any and all racist propaganda and listening to Black ARs articulate the true function of vegan intersectionality.