Here at Bottle and Heels we are taking the current events very seriously. We are listening, we are supporting, we are learning what we can do to better ourselves and help the #BlackLivesMatter movement. We’ve put together this list of resources for those who are wanting more information on what organizations to donate to, what books to read, podcasts to listen to, accounts to follow, etc.
We are sure to have missed some resources so please let us know where, who and how you are supporting in the comments below.
Where to Donate:
– ACLU
Books to Read to Your Kids:
Books for Yourself to Read:
– Black Lives Matter Long Form Reading List
– White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
Accounts to Follow:
Podcasts to Listen to:
– Code Switch by NPR
– Intersectionality Matters! by Kimberlié Crenshaw
– Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
– Pod Save the People by Crooked Media
– Pod for the Cause by the leadership conferences on Civil & Human Rights
TV Shows/Movies to Watch:
– When They See Us
– 13th
– American Son
– Dear White People
– Just Mercy
– Selma
– The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
– The Hate U Give
Extra Information:
– If you are arrested while peacefully protesting, Robin Sax, a criminal defense lawyer, is willing to defend you and take your case PRO BONO. Her cell is: (310) 650-6494.
Further Education:
– Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism
– Showing Up for Racial Justice
Important Reminders from Lindsay J. Price:
1. Understand what optical allyship is: “Allyship that only serves at the surface level to platform the ‘ally’, it makes a statement but doesn’t go beneath the surface and is not aimed at breaking away from the systems of power that oppress.” – Latham Thomas
2. Check in on your black friends, family, partners, loved ones and colleagues: This is an emotional and traumatic time for the community, and you checking in means more than you can imagine. Ask how you can provide support.
3. Be prepared to do the work: Understand that coming to terms with your own privilege will not be a pretty or fun experience. It is necessary to feel feelings of guilt, shame and anger throughout the process.
4. Read up on antiracist works: It is not enough to dislike racism, you need to work towards antiracism. The following will be essential for your learning: Me And White Supremacy and How To Be An Antiracist.
5. Do not centre this narrative around yourself: Whilst it is nice that you can relate and empathise, now is not the time to insert your personal experiences into a narrative that isn’t about you. This is actually harmful and takes away from the severity of the situation. Leave your ego.
6. Keep supporting after the outrage: It should not take an act of brutality or the virality of a situation for you to suddenly show your support. Keep supporting black media, black initiatives, charitable organizations, and continuing your work AFTER the attention has died down.
7. Stop supporting organizations that promote hate: If you read pieces on media platforms that promote hate or fund supremacist and hateful organizations, you are contributing to the problem. Equally, stop supporting organizations that love ‘black culture’, but fail to speak up on issues affecting the black community.
8. Start your long-term strategy: How are you making a long-term impact or affecting change? Can you mentor a young person? Can you become a trustee for an organization that supports the black community? Could you offer your time to volunteer? Make the effort to do something valuable over a long-term period.
