Black Lives SHOULD and DO Matter

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By The Heart Eyes Magazine Team

Because we have a platform, it is our responsibility to use our voices and stand against the injustices that black Americans face due to systematic racism, resulting in the repeated violence and abuse directed towards them. We must speak on what #GeorgeFloyd, #AhmaudArbery, #BreonnaTaylor, and so many other black Americans face on the daily, as this pattern of abuse, police brutality, and harassment won’t stop unless we do.

If your response to any of the protests/lootings that you have seen on the news in the past week is “all lives matter,” educate yourself on your privilege, especially white privilege. We’re not talking about “all lives” right now; and we’re definitely not talking about “blue lives.” If “all lives” mattered, especially to the police, then black people wouldn’t have to live in fear every day and George Floyd (and so many other black Americans) wouldn’t have been murdered. This is why we have to persist that #BlackLivesAlwaysMatter, and that should go without saying.

black lives should ALWAYS matter to you, not just after tragedies

We need to SCREAM that #BlackLivesMatter because black people are constantly being killed, harassed, and abused every day—and this past week is evidence of such. It’s vital that each and every one of us white and non-black folk use any privilege we have to protect our black peers and use our voices to stand against racial injustice. Simply, we need to do MORE.

Be active in fighting for the change we NEED. If you have wealth or any proximity to wealth, donate to any of the funds we’ve listed (such as Minnesota Freedom Fund), sign petitions (like the one for Justice for George Floyd), and call the MN officials handling George’s case so that his murderers be adequately charged and held accountable for their actions. You can also make an effort to learn about other recent cases, including Breonna Taylor’s and Regis Korchinski-Pacquet’s, and what you can do in those cases (more info below!).

In addition, if you can, be active in protest (while still taking precautions against the coronavirus and monitoring your safety as well). Especially if you’re white, it’s your duty to aggravate police officers that will attempt to extinguish things and use your privilege to stand up.

All cops are bad cops by our book, and we cannot be silent in the face of white supremacy. A badge is not a license to kill and no lives can matter unless it’s clear that black lives do too.


We have compiled A FEW tweets, THREADS, AND LINKS that have listed resources on how/ WHAT YOU CAN DO TO help:

CONTACT

CONTACT OUTLINE AND INFO

In the case of George Floyd:

GEORGE FLOYD is the name of the man who was murdered by DEREK CHAUVIN (badge 1087), TOU THAO (badge 7162), Thomas Lane, and J Alexander Kueng. If you truly care about getting justice, make phone calls to these numbers and express your anger. We cannot let another killer cop walk free.

  • The Action Pac Hotline (coaches you through the calls and connects you with the offices who can arrest the police officders who murdered George Floyd) – (612) 324-4499

  • International Affairs Division (Minneapolis, MN) – (612) 673-3074

  • Vlema j. Kobrel, Director (of the Department of Civil Rights; Minneapolis, MN) – (612) 673 – 3074

  • Mayor Jacob Frey – (612) 673-3012

  • Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman – (612) 348-5550

  • MPLS FBI field office – (763) 569-8000

  • MPD 3rd Precinct – (612) 673-5703

  • MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension – (651) 793-7000

  • Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis – (612) 788-8444

In addition:

  • Louisville Mayor (demand justice for Breonna Taylor) – (502) 753-1784

  • Justice for Regis Korchinski-Paquet

    • City Councillor Gord Perks – Parkdale – High Park – (416) 392-7919

    • MPP Bhutilla Karpoche – Parkdale – High Park – (416) 763-5630

    • MP Arif Virani – Parkdale – High Park – (416) 769-5072

    • Mayor of Toronto John Tory – (416) 397-2489

    • Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders – (416) 808-2222

    • Solicitor General, Minister Sylvia Jones – (416) 325-0408, (519) 941-7751

    • Attorney General of Ontario Doug Downey – (416) 326-2220

DONATE

Would recommend going into each thread and looking at the campaigns and orgs listed there!

Fam

we’re supporting a movement constellation of formations

you know what to do

make these fundraisers go wildhttps://t.co/oHrDorsQtf (@BlackVisionsMN )https://t.co/alF3tVJrab (@reclaimtheblock )https://t.co/UmeHfOIu7f (@UR_Ninja )https://t.co/KSL9p0fXsi

add more

\u2014 Minnesota Freedom Fund (@MNFreedomFund) May 27, 2020

Food Justice for Frontlines – donate to get groceries (including fresh produce from local farms) and hot meals to the protest frontlines. Show love to our community in this fight! https://t.co/ElFaaSmtbi

— Twin Cities DSA \uD83C\uDF39 (@TwinCitiesDSA) May 29, 2020

instead of gassing up these influencers that aren’t going to do any thing but rant abt the makeup brands that end up putting money in their pockets regardless support the local bail funds https://t.co/auBHe9fwIJ

I have been trying to figure out how to help more directly so I have complied a list of organizations. I\u2019ve donated to a few, and you can too. #BlackLivesMatter

— h (@halsey) May 28, 2020

FUND FOR MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR PROTESTORS: https://t.co/dbJ4Yum4NZ

\u2014 we do not have ugly popcorn (@ebu_uj) May 28, 2020

Great to see so much fundraising for Minnesota Freedom Fund today.

Tonight people in Louisville are protesting the police murder of Breonna Taylor, a 26 year old EMT, in her apartment.

Consider helping out the Louisville Community Bail Fund if you can: https://t.co/WUX5e1SWBK

— Vince Kelley (@Vint13) May 29, 2020

Additional links:

  • Donate to the following groups (if you can)

    • https://aclu.org

    • https://joincampaignzero.org

    • NPAP Justice

    • https://blacklivesmatter.com

    • Portal Page

    • https://changethenypd.org

    • https://M4BL.org

  • GoFundMe for Regis

  • GoFundMe: I Run With Maud

PETITIONS TO SIGN

  • Text FLOYD to 55156 OR sign the petition here: Color of Change – #JusticeforFloyd: Demand the officers who killed George Floyd are charged with murder.

  • Color of Change – #JusticeforAhmaud ; The Action Pac – Ahmaud Arbery

  • change.org – Justice for George Floyd ; The Action Pac – Justice for George Floyd

  • change.org – The Minneapolis Police Officers to be charged for murder after killing innocent black man

  • change.org – Justice for Breonna Taylor ; The Action Pac – Stand with Breonna ; Color of Change – #JusticeforBre: Police officers who killed Breonna Taylor must be FIRED.

  • change.org – Justice for Regis Korchinski-Paquet

  • change.org – Justice for Ahmaud Arbery- Pass Georgia Hate Crime Bill

  • change.org – Mandatory Life Sentence for Police Brutality

MORE INFO + PETITIONS

PROTEST GUIDELINES + TIPS

Stay safe and come prepared!

thread for those going to the pr*tests! protective gear and strategies used by former pr*testors! share with anyone planning on pr*testing

\u2014 #BLM\uD81A\uDDF5\u2077 (@vantaemuseum) May 28, 2020

if you are white and you are at a protest, YOUR SKIN IS A SHEILD. police are less likely to exert force over you. if you see a cop approaching a black person, or using force on them, GET INVOLVED. GET IN FRONT OF THEM. BE A BARRIER. If you are unable to do so, DRAW ATTENTION!!!!

— maggie (@dulcetcurl) May 29, 2020

Cover your face, cover your tattoos, take out any identifiable piercings, wear masks, cover your hair, turn your location off, make sure they cannot trace back to you when are looting/rioting/protesting. Protect yourself.

\u2014 Tiaret the Tattooist (@tiarettee) May 28, 2020

A thread on how to delete most of your digital footprint:https://t.co/E9eQ2QZLCV https://t.co/wi6FYEduKD

— S (@sarah_ogun) May 29, 2020

if y\u2019all are planning to go to a protest please be safe pic.twitter.com/9MNnl9jcg0

— F*CK 12 (@irlrico) May 28, 2020

seeing a lot of correct info circulating about how to become less identifiable by hiding tattoos/hair etc but one thing that doesn’t get mentioned enough is shoes. you can be IDed by your shoes, they’re the item you’re the most likely to rewear

\u2014 darija freestyle (@romiosini) May 28, 2020

Additionally, EDUCATE YOURSELF

(on prison abolition, transformative and restorative justice, and alternatives to incarceration and policing)

I just put together a starter guide of resources for anyone interested in learning more about prison abolition, transformative and restorative justice, and alternatives to incarceration and policing, with help from @sheabutterfemme and @MicahHerskind: https://t.co/2cqgvPdGvC

\u2014 Elly Belle \uD83D\uDD2E\uD83C\uDF4A (@literElly) April 22, 2020

is this moment radicalizing you? let\u2019s get some readings lined up for you. a thread:

\u2014 red (@thebryreed) May 28, 2020

EDUCATE YOURSELF: https://t.co/5jPjBEs9sS

\u2014 el loves harry (@sunfIowerkissy) May 27, 2020

here’s a thread of what you should know about police brutality as well as the history of where police originates from and how it links back to slavery. they don’t teach me this in high school, and they don’t teach anyone this in schools because america is racist. tw // slavery

— amina (@twsdeku) May 28, 2020

Additional links for more important reads/ docs to watch on valuable topics:

  • Anti-racism resources

  • Learn about Black history and activism

  • Books by Black Activists

  • Learn about unconscious bias

  • Twitter thread of mental health resources for Black people

  • Twitter thread on why protesters attacked Target in MN

  • Being Black and LGBTQ

  • Twitter thread of documentaries

INFOGRAPHICS

For further insight

 

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White supremacy is a system of structural and societal racism which privileges white people over everyone else, regardless of the presence or absence of racial hatred. White racial advantages occur at both a collective and an individual level. We just updated this chart, which presents *some* of the ways people practice and reinforce white supremacy that they may not be aware of, or even think of as \u201Cwhite supremacy\u201D. If you are unsure of what any of these terms mean, please feel free to look them up. There is an abundance of scholarship and research on each of these things. Image Source: Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (2005). Adapted: Ellen Tuzzolo (2016); Mary Julia Cooksey Cordero (@jewelspewels) (2019); The Conscious Kid (2020). #AntiRacism #AntiRacist #TeachersOfInstagram #WhitePrivilege

A post shared by The Conscious Kid (@theconsciouskid) on

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White supremacy is a system of structural and societal racism which privileges white people over everyone else, regardless of the presence or absence of racial hatred. White racial advantages occur at both a collective and an individual level. We just updated this chart, which presents *some* of the ways people practice and reinforce white supremacy that they may not be aware of, or even think of as “white supremacy”. If you are unsure of what any of these terms mean, please feel free to look them up. There is an abundance of scholarship and research on each of these things. Image Source: Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (2005). Adapted: Ellen Tuzzolo (2016); Mary Julia Cooksey Cordero (@jewelspewels) (2019); The Conscious Kid (2020). #AntiRacism #AntiRacist #TeachersOfInstagram #WhitePrivilege

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A genuine question worth continuously exploring and analyzing: what does justice actually look like? /// poem from Alice walker’s Revolutionary Petunias

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Thank you to @rachel.cargle whose “Saturday School” series on @thegreatunlearn inspired the formatting of this post. ⁣ ⁣ And thank YOU for this space to learn and grow and MESS up and apologize and try again. I recognize the immense privilege that drives and accompanies my ability to connect with you in this way. ⁣ ⁣ I want Pretty Decent to hold space for you — your thoughts, complaints, recommendations and anything else on your mind. Please know you can email me anytime at [email protected]. love you.

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#repost @rachel.cargle .

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#repost @rachel.cargle .

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Finally, here is a MEGALIST OF RESOURCES, including more numbers to call, petitions to sign, and places to donate. A lot of the resources used in this post were accumulated via this document so all credit goes to the creator.