I have sat down to write this post a number of times now, and have had a difficult time even finding the right words to address what is going on. My heart is so heavy thinking about George Floyd and every black individual that has lost their life at the hands of police officers. The list is long and the rate at which black Americans are killed by police is more than twice as high as the rate for white Americans. This is wrong. It is also wrong that these injustices are far too familiar. We have seen this happen over and over again. Why? How do we even make sense of this? These are questions I find myself asking too often. This year has already brought an immense amount of hardship and sadness, and yet here we are, still fighting for justice and rights for our black and brown friends. We need to do better.
As I shared on an IG post this week, as a Latina and minority in this country, I refuse to stay silent on this matter. The color of someone’s skin should not dictate how they are treated. Equalizing rights has been an ongoing fight for generations on generations. We have to continue to come together because enough is enough. I am angry and I am sad.
The hurt, injustice, racism, and trauma that are experienced by many on a daily basis needs to be acknowledged. This cannot continue to be ignored. I have been doing my part in supporting the black community that is so desperately seeking justice and reform. I would encourage you to stand up, use your voice, and be a part of the change.
Here are some ways you can support the BLM movement today:
Educate Yourself (Books & Films)
Books
- How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
- They Can’t Kill Us All by Wesley Lowry
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- Raising Our Hands by Jenna Arnold
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Films
- When They See Us
- Selma
- The Hate U Give
- Mississippi Masala
- Malcom X
- 12 Years a Slave
- Blindspotting
- 13th
- Do The Right Thing
- Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland
- Fruitvale Station
Sign Petitions
Justice for George Floyd: https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd
National Action against Police Brutality: https://www.change.org/p/national-action-against-police-brutality-and-murder
Hands Up Act: https://www.change.org/p/us-senate-hands-up-act
Mandatory Life Sentence for Police Brutality: https://www.change.org/p/department-of-justice-mandatory-life-sentence-for-police-brutality
Donate
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatter.com
Say Her Name: https://aapf.org/shn-campaign
I Run with Maud: https://www.gofundme.com/f/i-run-with-maud
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I hope that you will take a moment to truly reflect on the way systemic racism impacts black lives. We can take a stand against continuing this cycle.
Black lives matter; forever and always.
xo, Jocelyn
