BLACK LIVES MATTER.
Let’s start with that. This is what is most important during this time. Until black lives matter in the eyes of everyone, no lives really matter.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of resources, literature or ways to support. Instead, it acts as a starting point. While this section is labeled ‘Education’ it is not done in a condescending demeanor; instead, it was labeled as such to highlight learning more about issues of race and injustice should be ONGOING. I challenge all of us with a couple things while we continue to act:
- Personal Exploration: A key thing I have learned when exploring and learning about race and other injustices is first being real with yourself. There are unavoidable systems and structures that exist in our lives that have deep seated institutional and systemic racism — consider our nation’s school system, your work place, neighborhoods, professions, etc. It is hard to avoid them. As a result, we may find explicit and implicit biases in our own being. I believe it is important to work from the inside out. We must understand how and why we think what we do (again even sifting through both our explicit and implicit bias) and find ways to educate ourselves and actively combat those thoughts. It is not easy. No one is guilt free, whoever tells you otherwise is a fucking fraud.
- Injustice is Multifaceted: We must seek to continue to understand how and why police within our country have had the ability to murder innocent black bodies with little to no repercussion. Seek to dig deep into the underlying reasons why people in a position of “power” like the police feel the “right” or “need” to exhibit such force, and especially why black Americans have so often been the target. The deeper we continue to dig, the more we will find the roots to these issues and identify their interconnectedness. And for some of us that might mean “x word” or “x mentality” is actually part of the problem. How have our communities (including hardcore) been “anti-racist” and not just “not racist”? How do other issues perpetuate racism and prejudice? How is racism connected to patriarchy and privilege? Racist practices are so deeply ingrained in our society and ways of life, that we need to continue to question, find connections and then correct.
- Continued Conversation: I am fueled by the energy and urgency of our communities coming together to stand up for black lives, police brutality, and injustice. I love seeing hardcore come together with merch, raffles, and information. I also call out for a continued conversation around these issues. While there is no end in sight, I encourage us to continue to have conversations about systematic issues and racism. Silence is violence but so is performative activism. So many people are already doing good work around these issues, but have we allowed for the space and time for these people to be seen and heard? Let’s push for “bands talking between songs”, zines and other resources being available at shows.
- Amplify BIPOC Voices: One thing I am learning more myself is how we can not only accept and appreciate Black voices, art, poetry, etc. We must directly support and amplify.
These resources were pulled from so many different places. It was great to hear from and have individual people share their resources. Thank you to everyone that shared resources (full names not included): B, Syd, B & T, Digital Future and more.
Donation Sites
The places that are in need of donation seem to be constantly changing, so please always double back to see if other orgs are in need. Instead of me trying to compile a ton, I found this site that lists several by category.
137 Ways to Donate in Support of Black Lives and Communities of Color
Reading Resources
There are a lot of resources out there. Below are two great Google drives with resources shared with me. I am also highlighting a couple of texts that I’ve read and learned a lot from (some are linked free in those drives).
Anti-Racist Required Reading Google Drive by Syd — this is a HUGE resource with lots of great texts linked directly inside (multiple formats to read on phones or e-readers)
Anti-Racist Resources Google Drive shared from Tom — another huge resource with organized files for easy access. Includes many breakdowns and demographics for addressing issued of race, gender, pro-black, etc.
Implicit Bias Test (a couple underlying problems with this test, but a potential starting point for people to begin to think about potential biases) https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Autobiography of Malcolm X
Freedom Is A Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Davis
Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi
Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire
The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Viewing Resources
13th available on Netflix
Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement on Youtube
Do The Right Thing
Dear White People on Netflix
Malcolm X
I Am Not Your Negro
Who Killed Malcolm X? available on Netflix
Da 5 Bloods