Black Lives Matter. I Can't Breathe. Say Her Name.

We are in complete support with the peaceful protests that have taken the country from coast to coast. Our police system and its oppression of the African American community has been an excruciating battle for decades. We must speak up against the oppression, the racism, the inequality.

We can sit here and talk about the origin of the problem, but we all already know that. Instead, we want to share with you ways to help in changing the system and being a part of the solution.

Easy Ways to Help

Here are a couple simple things you can do in the now to help with the current protests:

Making Signs. If you are artistically inclined, or simply just have good handwriting, lend a hand in sign making. Having the message be easy to read is crucial in getting the message across.
Organizing & Informing. If you have the means to organize a protest, or spread the word about an organized protest, do so. The more people we can get together to support the same cause, the louder our collective voice is.
Controlling the Narrative. If you are connected to the media in ANY way, use those connections. Share your personal story, the story of others, photos, videos, any content that portrays the true, peaceful, change-driven narrative. It may seem like a long shot, but the more advocation there is for the purposeful content, the higher chance it will be picked up.
Staying Up to Date. Stay up to date on the latest developments in order to be aware. Knowing what's happening locally as well as globally is part of spreading the true word and aiding in the furtherment of the cause.

Ways to Make A Long Term Difference

In the long run: Stay Educated. Volunteer. Donate. What this needs is constant attention, not just when an incident occurs. Below is information on the two organizations that we are donating our profits. They both have positive agendas in working towards changing the system.

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund & Educational Fund

About: "The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law firm. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has always been transformative: to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society."
Mission: "Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. LDF also defends the gains and protections won over the past 75 years of civil rights struggle and works to improve the quality and diversity of judicial and executive appointments."
Donate!

Black Lives Matter

About: "We are expansive. We are a collective of liberators who believe in an inclusive and spacious movement. We also believe that in order to win and bring as many people with us along the way, we must move beyond the narrow nationalism that is all too prevalent in Black communities. We must ensure we are building a movement that brings all of us to the front. We affirm the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, undocumented folks, folks with records, women, and all Black lives along the gender spectrum. Our network centers those who have been marginalized within Black liberation movements. We are working for a world where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise. We affirm our humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression."
Mission: "#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives."
Sign the Petition!
Donate!

And, these are not the only ones. There are multiple different organizations out there working towards the same goal. Find one that you resonate with, or be involved with as many as you like.

Also, just like making any long-lasting change, be conscious of your every day decisions and actions. It happens too often that people turn a blind eye to issues like these because they have been normalized in this country. That normalization needs to be broken. If you see a confrontation with a person of color and the police, no need to intervene, but consider taking your phone out to record from a distance. Support local, minority-owned businesses when you have the option to, instead of going to the same place you always go to just because you always go there. And if you're in positions of hiring power, take a step outside yourself and make sure you are giving every applicant equal opportunity. Small actions like these are what perpetuate the large-scale actions brought upon by the above-mentioned organizations.

On another note, here are images of how the protests are actually taking place. An aspect of this that is hard to navigate is the media. Focusing on the violence, looting, graffiti tagging, and so on is a distraction from the true nature of a majority of the protests happening across the country.