When it’s not enough
Sometimes things happen in life that make you pause. Make you wonder at the existence of it all, and where we stand as a people or as individuals. I cannot begin to understand the perspective of those on the line, risking their health to fight for what they believe in and to protest for the justice of it all. But I see them, I am with them in solidarity and I deeply respect their need to be heard without fail.
One of my favorite podcasts, What A Day, explained it best.
They speak about not only the protests, but also the reasons behind what some people are doing to help in other ways. If you’re interested in donating to these funds, click on the links below.
Where to Donate:
Minnesota Freedom Fund: minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate
Brooklyn Bail Fund: brooklynbailfund.org/donate
Reclaim the block: reclaimtheblock.org
Black Visions Collective: blackvisionsmn.org
Mass Defense Program: nlg.org/donate/massdefense
What this means going forward.
Seth Godin wrote:
We can try. We assume it’s just like what happened to us, but slightly different. We can realize that tragedy is unevenly distributed and in constant rotation, but it’s never going to be the same.
But just because we can’t imagine–it doesn’t mean we can’t care. We can refuse to magnify our differences and focus on maximizing possibility, justice and connection instead. To take action and to dig in.
Just because you are not black doesn’t mean you can’t empathize, you can’t turn around, get your head out of the sand and look- really look at the people involved. The fathers, the mothers, the sons, and the daughters that are seeking reform.
Killer Mike on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
He says to join a #grassroots organization and help communities because we don’t have to do it alone. And we shouldn’t.
Some of the organizations that he mentioned:
The New Georgia Project, focuses on registering and civically engaging voters.
Live Free, which is currently running a campaign called Masks for the People, distributing PPE for those most in need.
The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, helping to restore the rights of hundreds of Floridians to vote.
The Movement for Black Lives, a community organizer for black political power to influence national and local agendas.
The Next Level Boys Academy, helping male youth in Atlanta in troubling times and mentoring parent-son relationships.
All of the organizations have a specific function but he wants people to join something. So that work on a weekly basis can continue, locally and nationally, but be a part of something that speaks to you.
Another what he calls homework is to spend an hour learning from Jane Elliot Youtube videos of which there are plenty.
Find her recent interview with Jimmy Fallon below and listen to her words.
Sioux Prayer she mentions:
“Oh Great Spirit, keep me from ever judging a man until I have walked a mile in his moccasins.”
Sioux Prayer
If you’re not familiar with her work, Jane Elliot first taught the “blue-eyed and brown eyed” social experiment to a bunch of third graders and she has now been teaching it for over 50 years, and people still struggle with the idea of injustice.
Interactions with the police have increasingly grown violent and enough is enough. We cannot simply ignore the state of affairs of the world at this time. We need to work with those creating change and support them because we need to be allied for reform.
Another great organization that is looking to do just that is Campaign Zero, that looks at police reform and uses data-driven analysis in order to come up with policy changes for our current times.
Over 1,000 people are killed by police every year in America. We are calling on local, state, and federal lawmakers to take immediate action to adopt data-driven policy solutions to end this violence and hold police accountable.
Last Updated on 5/30/2020. Campaign Zero.
We need to continue support each other, share stories and remember dignity and respect are basic human rights. A person’s skin color should never detract from that.
Terrence Floyd, George Floyd’s brother said, “Let’s do this another way. Let’s stop thinking our voice don’t matter and vote. Not just for the president…educate yourself and know who you’re voting for. And that’s how we’re going to hit ’em.”
There’s no excuse for police brutality in any case but we also need to remember true systemic change comes from voicing your opinion, turning it into action and working to create change from within.
Barack Obama wrote on Twitter, “As millions of people across the country take to the streets and raise their voices in response to the killing of George Floyd and the ongoing problem of unequal justice, I’ve heard many ask how we can sustain momentum to bring about real change.”
If we want to bring about real change than the choice isn’t between protests and politics. We have to do both.
Barack Obama
He also wrote a piece on medium, How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change.
But there is hope…
The above video made me cry so much, after seeing the countless tweets, videos, pictures full of hatred, violence, and heart-wrenching injustice. I don’t know the answers but the conversation needs to happen, the action needs to happen. We need to not just acknowledge the pain anymore. We need to do something about it. For our children and their future.
If you’re interested in how you can help with the voting efforts in the US check out:
Vote Save America, a platform for information on “Adopt A State”, details on one’s own elections, and much more…
Opposite But The Same 