Take Action for the Movement for Black Lives

Action steps we commit to taking in the moment, and in the future:

• Day of Action: our GC team will be taking a Day of Action on Thursday, June 4th in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives. We will be stepping away from the status quo in recognition that every person in our organization is on their own personal journey and we want to create space for each of us to take action in whatever ways needed,
• We will continue to amplify the voices of young people by dedicating our social media platforms to those who are mobilizing, taking action, and inspiring us to do better every day, and by highlighting youth response to these events at our National Community Summit next week. We invite you to listen to them, too.
• We are in the process of finalizing a new strategic plan with three mutually reinforcing strategies meant to elevate youth voices in addressing systemic oppression, power, and privilege. 
• We commit to continuing our work of diversifying our entire organization, and specifically, our leadership. The lived experience of leaders, and their ability to develop solutions based on it, matters.

Resources:

Here are some resources we have found helpful as we work to better educate and empower ourselves to act in meaningful ways. Please feel free to use these resources, and share broadly. If you have suggestions to add to this list, please let us know here.

Engage young people in the discussion about the events surrounding them

• Race & Ethnicity: Teaching Tolerance provides resources, activities, and guidance around discussing various topics with young people. 
• How to talk to your children about protests and racism: This article provides suggestions for language and content based on age range. 
• Police Brutality: This is a curated list of articles and resources that provide support for caregivers who want to engage young people in a discussion about this topic. 
• EmbraceRace: Fights systemic racism by supporting parents to raise children who are brave, informed and thoughtful about race.

Educate yourself about racism, police brutality, and white privilege in America

• Anti-Racism Resources: Resource for white people and parents. Document compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker, Alyssa Klein in May 2020.
• Increasing Cultural Competence: Two-part webinar series for white people from Diversity Talks. Part 1 “We have to talk about race” and Part 2 “A call to action”
• Equal Justice Initiative—Tragic Death of George Floyd Reveals Continuing Problem of Police Violence: A reflection on the current state of police reform with recommendations for progress.
• Center for Policing Equity—The Science of Justice: Race, Justice, and Police Use of Force: This detailed report delves into police administrative data to show disparities in the use of force. 
• The Opportunity Agenda—Promoting Accountability: Learn how police accountability works, and the four mechanisms—community-based, political, civil, and criminal—for holding law enforcement accountable.
• The National Museum of African American History and Culture—Talking About Race: An online portal to help families, individuals, and communities talk about racism and commit to being antiracist.
• NAACP: Learn more about criminal justice policy reforms, sign petitions to demand full justice for George Floyd, and more.
• Are Prisons Obsolete?Free PDF of Angela Davis’s short book on the racial violence inherent in our carceral system, and the case for abolition.

Support community-driven efforts to reimagine policing

• Color of Change—Sign a Petition to End Violent Policing Against Black People: Sign this petition calling for the end of police violence against Black people.
• Official George Floyd Memorial Fund—Go Fund Me: Support George Floyd’s family through this fund designed to cover expenses as well as care for his children and their education.
• Black Visions Collective: A black, trans, & queer-led organization that is committed to dismantling systems of oppression & violence & shifting the public narrative to create transformative, long-term change.
• Nationwide Bail Funds: Community-based nonprofits that pay criminal bail and immigration bonds for individuals who have been arrested while protesting police brutality.
• Movement for Black Lives: Week of Action focusing on specific policy demands each day from June 1st – 7th, including place-based demands in Louisville, Kentucky, Minneapolis, MN, and other areas

Push philanthropy forward

• Have nonprofit and philanthropy become the “white moderate” that Dr. King warned us about?
• Racial Equity Tools — Philanthropy
• A Long Way to Go: What Kind of Change is Needed Within Foundations to Advance Racial Equity?
• Racial Equity and Philanthropy: Disparities in Funding for Leaders of Color Leave Impact on the Table
• How Philanthropy Can Support Racial Equity

Get help for yourself or others

If you or someone you know needs to speak to a professional about the impact of this trauma, know that there are resources. Call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 800-950-NAMI or in a crisis text “NAMI” to 741741. For teens, text Text “HOME” to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor.