Following the murder of George Floyd, the 2013-founded Black Lives Matter movement gained new momentum.
Following the murder of George Floyd, the 2013-founded Black Lives Matter movement gained new momentum. People across the US and other countries worldwide are protesting, not only for the lack of accountability for the police officers involved, but also in solidarity for all Black people against structural oppression, economic and social inequalities, and discrimination in the criminal justice system.
The movement now more than ever requires us all to come together and unite in the fight. Read on to find out how you can make a difference today.
5 CAUSES TO DONATE TO_
Donating to support the cause is without a doubt an impactful action, and, by giving, you can encourage others to do the same.
1_Campaign Zero
By donating to Campaign Zero, you can help introduce police reform and end police violence in America.
2_The Marshall Project
Donating to this non-profit online journalism organization helps to raise awareness on the corruption of the American criminal justice system.
3_Race and Health
Save lives by donating to researchers who aim to evidence discrimination in the health sector.
4_100 Black Men of London
Donate to this charity, which aims to lift young Black people up through education and mentoring.
5_Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
This organization works with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds inspiring and enabling them to succeed in the career of their choice.
Don’t have money to donate?
You can still donate your time by playing games on your phone where all proceeds garnered from the ads directly are donated in aid of the BLM movement, or by watching this YouTube playlist, where all creators will be donating proceeds to causes which support the BLM movement.
5 PETITIONS TO SIGN_
There are plenty of petitions out there which still require signatures to be considered – by adding your name, you are directly contributing to putting these issues on the agenda.
1_Add education on racism to the school curriculum
2_Suspend exports of tear gas to America
3_Create an independent commission to protect ethnic minorities
4_Reopen the case of a Black woman found dead inside her cell
5_Click here for more and up-to-date petitions which need your signature!
Educating oneself is one of the most important things one can do, whether that is through films, books, podcasts, doing research, or asking questions.
5 FILMS TO WATCH_
We can recommend these films to educate yourself on the topic of racism:
1_Whose Streets? (2017)
An account of the Ferguson uprising as told by the people who lived it. The filmmakers look at how the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown inspired a community to fight back and sparked a global movement. (Available to watch here.)
2_13th (2016)
By shining a light on the prison system, this Emmy Award-winning documentary by Ava DuVernay reveals the connections between mass incarceration and racial inequality in the U.S. (Available to watch for free on Netflix, YouTube)
3_Selma (2014)
This film by Ava DuVernay chronicles the historic Alabama march to work for equal rights, as well as the period of unrest that surrounded it. (Available to watch on Amazon, BBC)
4_Malcom X (1992)
In this Spike Lee documentary, meet Malcolm X, the influential Black Nationalist leader. It delves into his childhood, his past as a small-time gangster, to his conversion to Islam and eventual assassination. (Available to watch on Amazon)
5_Fruitvale Station (2013)
This films tells the true story of Oscar Grant, killed by police on the BART subway system. He’s a son, a father, and a partner to his girlfriend, and his story deserves to be told. (Available to watch on Netflix, Amazon)
5 BOOKS TO READ_
We all know that reading is fundamental to education. Check out these books:
1_How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
The book discusses concepts of racism and Kendi’s proposals for anti-racist individual actions and systemic changes.
2_Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
Structured as a 28-day guide targeted at White readers, the book aims to aid readers in identifying the impact of White privilege and White supremacy over their lives.
3_Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
The book explores the links between gender, class and race in Britain and other countries.
4_White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Robin DiAngelo coined the term ‘White Fragility’ in 2011 and this book shows us how it serves to uphold the system of White supremacy.
5_Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
Part-memoir, by the rapper Akala, this book provides race and class analysis of a variety of historical eras, in addition to contemporary British society.
5 PODCASTS TO LISTEN TO_
If you like to learn by listening, these podcasts might be for you.
1_Code Switch by NPR
This flagship podcast about race and culture takes on race and racism across a spectrum of identities, stories, contexts, histories, and analyses. (Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts)
2_1619
Hosted by recent Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones, the 1619 audio series chronicles how Black people have been central to building American democracy, music, wealth and more. (Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts)
3_Intersectionality Matters!
This podcast is hosted by leading scholar of critical race theory and American civil rights advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw and is well worth a listen. (Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts)
4_‘Witness Black History’
This BBC World podcast features talks with individuals who were present at key moments in Black and civil rights history. (Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts)
5_Slay In Your Lane: The Podcast
Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené look at pop culture and news from a Black British woman’s perspective. (Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts)
5 PEOPLE TO FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM_
Diversify your feed!
The writer, lecturer and activist specialises in the intersection of race and womanhood. One “intentional action” she’s recommended allies take is to hold their employer or organisation accountable for “how they are showing up for racial justice”.
The trans model and activist was let go as a brand ambassador for Loreal after speaking out about racism and White supremacy in an emotive Facebook post in 2017.
A lawyer and political and women’s rights activist, Dr Mos-Shogbamimu caught many people’s attention in January when a clip of her appearance on This Morning discussing racist attitudes towards Meghan Markle. quickly went viral.
Afua Hirsch is a columnist and broadcaster best known for her 2018 book Brit(ish), a Sunday Times bestseller that unpacks issues of race and identity in the UK.
Writer and editor Mireille Cassandra Harper has written a 10-step guide to “non-optical allyship” and shared it on social media in the wake of worldwide protests. It’s essential reading for those who want to truly further the cause.
5 ORGANIZATIONS TO FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM_
On this Instagram account, you’ll find suggestions for a more diverse reading list for children and pointers not only on how to talk to them, but why it’s so important to do so. Also a great account to follow if you don’t have or know any children.
Check Your Privilege was set up by mental health activist Myisha T. The Instagram account is full of questions to ask yourself if you’re in a privileged position, resources to educate yourself further and ways to be more actively anti-racist.
The Instagram account No White Saviors was set up in 2018, “birthed out of a collective frustration at the rampant abuses committed by White missionaries and development workers in Uganda and beyond”, it says.
A group of Black executives at Netflix created Strong Black Lead, a vertical whose social channels on Instagram and Twitter are dedicated to publicizing and promoting Black talent and creators.
Black Cultural Archives is dedicated to looking at Black British history. The BCA says: “We use our mission to collect, preserve and celebrate the histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in the UK and to inspire and give strength to individuals, communities and society”.
International Women’s Day, taking place annually on 8 March, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year, we asked 2020 Diana Award recipient Ananya Jain to reflect on their journey as an Indian woman who immigrated to the US, and what this year’s International Women’s Day theme of ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress’, means to them.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, taking place annually on 11 February, celebrates women's impactful contributions to science while emphasising the need to encourage girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.).
Oluwatomi Olunuga received her Diana Award in 2023 for her significant contributions to the fight against Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria. In observance of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, we asked her to share her thoughts and work, giving us all actions that we can take locally in the fight against FGM.
