LOCATION: PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA • June 19th, 2020
In light of everything that has happened in the last two week, in our country and around the world, I put my content on hold in order to spend more time listening, reading, and engaging in conversation with friends and family about the racial injustices that are taking place. I’ve been dedicating one post a month to sharing causes that are worth donating time or resources to and also share things that I’ve been encouraged by. Due to current events, I’ve moved this post forward and dedicated it to the Black Lives Matter movement.
There are so many great organizations and I am highlighting the ones we have personally supported or are planning to support in the coming months. I encourage you to seek out local organizations or ones that aren’t garnering as much media attention. Minneapolis Freedom Fund raised $20 million in days thanks to high profile celebrities like Janelle Monae and Steve Carell, but there are many more organizations in everyone’s backyard that also need support.
CAUSES THAT ARE MAKING AN IMPACT
So Oakland started a GoFundMe page to help rebuild and clean up black-owned businesses that have been looted, vandalized, and affected by the recent riots in Oakland, CA.
Based in Minnesota, Black Visions Collective is a black liberation and advocacy group that also intersects with Trans and LGBTQ+ rights. They have been pushing to defund the Minneapolis Police Department in recent years and this week the Minneapolis City Council announced their intent to do so.
Started by civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson, Equal Justice Initiative challenges convictions and advocates for criminal-justice reform and racial justice based in Montgomery, Alabama. Stevenson wrote a memoir Just Mercy, which is now a feature film (see below).
You might have seen #8CANTWAIT on social media this week which is Campaign Zero’s initiative for calling cities to implement police reform policies that will end police violence. You can go onto their website and see if any of the eight policies are in place in your city.
As the oldest and largest civil liberties organization, the ACLU has been defending individual rights and liberties since 1920. They turned 100 years old back and January and Helen Keller was a founding member!
UPLIFTING NEWS
Watch Former President Barack Obama’s “Dear Class of 2020” message to students. I especially loved the part where he says “even if it all seems broken, have faith in our democracy” and called us all to action - to participate and vote!
Just Mercy (2019 Film) - Warner Bros. has made the film available to stream and free this month to help educate viewers on systemic racism. This film stars Michael B. Jordan as civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson and is based on a true story. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but it’s on my queue for the next few weeks.
Michael Che gave me a much needed laugh this week while also presenting the importance of Black Lives Matter in a humorous way. I’m planning on watching the full comedy special Michael Che Matters on Netflix this weekend.
To amplify melanated voices using their platforms, some of my favorite bloggers have shared their favorite fashion, art, and home brands owned by black women here, here, and here.
Everyone has a voice and the ability to create change. I hope you go out and continue to have conversations with your friends, your family, your colleagues in the days, weeks, months, years to come. “Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.” ~ Barack Obama
XO,
Tiffany