In our activism segment for Best of the Left edition #1029: "You can't reignite a fire that never stops burning," you heard from those in the Movement for Black Lives what white teammates and co-conspirators need to do. Black people are taking risks every day to fight for their liberation. To truly be supporting this movement, white people need to ignore any hesitation stemming from their privilege and take risks too. If you are white and want to educate yourself and find out how you can join the fight to end oppression, here are some organizations in the Movement for Black Lives that you should be aware of and that can provide the resources you need to become part of the movement and get off the side-lines.
SURJ - Showing Up for Racial Justice
SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. You can find resources, actions and chapters and partner organizations in your area at showingupforracialjustice.org.
Advancement Project
Advancement Project is a multi-racial civil rights organization founded by a team of veteran civil rights lawyers to develop and inspire community-based solutions based on the same high quality legal analysis and public education campaigns that produced the landmark civil rights victories of earlier eras. You can join campaigns, access resources and news around voting rights, the school to prison pipeline and more at advancementproject.org.
Hands Up United
HandsUpUnited aims to fulfill the political void that remains from the historical archives of the Black Power Movement and strongly believes liberation for oppressed Black and Brown people will be achieved solely through self determination coupled with traditional and nontraditional means of political education. Their community programs include Books and Breakfast, the Tech Institute and food and clothing disbursement and oppression support groups. You can learn more at handsupunited.org.
Dream Defenders
Dream Defenders is an uprising of communities in struggle, shifting culture through transformational organizing that believes the liberation necessitates the destruction of the political and economic systems of Capitalism and Imperialism, as well as Patriarchy. They also believe that nonviolent resistance is “the only morally and practically sound method open to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom” and are fundamentally committed to nonviolence as their means of struggle against a violent oppressor. You can learn more at dreamdefenders.org.
We Are Here Movement
The We Are Here Movement’s Racial Justice in America Moonshot campaign is requesting a radical transformation in racial justice and equality with the push for $150 billion directed at poor communities over the next 10 years to provide access to equal education, healthcare, quality housing, training and jobs, nutrition and an overhaul of the Criminal Justice System. You can sign the petition at weareheremovement.com/moonshot.
Million Hoodies Movement for Justice
Million Hoodies Movement for Justice is a racial justice membership organization confronting anti-black racism and systemic violence. Their mission is to build the next generation human rights leaders to end mass criminalization and gun violence through grassroots organizing, advocacy, and education. You can learn more at millionhoodies.net.
TAKE ACTION
Find Showing Up for Justice actions near you
Sign the We Are Here Movement's Racial Justice Moonshot Petition
EDUCATE YOURSELF
This is What White People Can Do to Support Black Lives Matter (Washington Post)
Tim Wise Website (TimWise.com)
It's Legal to Kill Black People (Hands Up United)
Rewire News - Racism (Rewire.com)
11 Major Misconceptions About the Black Lives Matter Movement (Black Lives Matter)
Only White People Can Save Themselves From Racism and White Supremacism (Washington Post)
