How to Contribute to the Movement #blacklivesmatter

As the Black Lives Matter movement continues to stimulate the world for great change, it is important to know what you can do as a human that will make a deeper and more sustainable difference.

1.) Donate

Donation is a wonderful way to support financially. This is an opportunity to support small black-owned businesses to bail funds. You are contributing to building a net of money to support the wrongfully convicted POC and support the freedom with bail. Additionally, donating to organizations will help to feed, clothe, and educate lower-income families that are results of systematic racism. Your dollar goes a long way whether it be for someone who is struggling to open their business, keep their family safe and healthy, or run the organizations to spread awareness to this movement.

2.) Social Media Awareness

Social media blasting is a wonderful way to share critical information, exposure, and stories. Media on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc comes to be the rawest and truthful information out there. Posting about protest meet-ups, tear gas tips, donation organizations, ways to help, small businesses to support, steps on how to talk to your parents, which petitions to sign, pre-written formatted emails to sign and send, and so much more have been immensely helpful to a person who is still educating herself on the world and these events. Keep it going.

3.) Protesting

Physically showing up with your community moves mountains. The energy you share with one another to encourage change in a peaceful event is so powerful and effective. This not only is showing the other beautiful people who live in your area and support this movement, but shows that we are stronger together. We need everyone on board to properly empower this change. To complement it all, this is another wonderful way to encourage others on the media to show up and kneel in solidarity, or chant in celebration of past lives, or walk as an individual who knows and demands change.

4.) Education

Watching Netflix documentaries and reading white supremacy books are found to be extremely informative and eye-opening. Absorb the information and mirror it to society today. Know the patters of history and the strengths we have in today's time versus back then. With time, there comes power. We can use the information from knowledge to further the protest and strengthen the message. We can inflict a change permanently.

5.) Taking the Movement Home

Yes, it is uncomfortable to confront other generations about a movement we are still fighting. However, It must happen. You are the change. You are the future! Do not be shut down by previous beliefs and experiences. Understand the power of your youth and newness. If you become awakened by this movement and can reflect on the past events acknowledging moments of racism (even if unintended) then you are growing an awareness of yourself. Talking to previous generations such as your parents can form a sense of presence and togetherness. It is a very controversial topic to discuss and can become escalated in a very short moment, however, I can assure you the discomfort is making change. Start off by addressing the current events. All 50 states and several outside countries are protesting and being vocal about this movement, surely they know too. Ask them about their views, thoughts, and past experiences. Have an open understanding that even to talking and sharing about this in a conversation is pure privilege. Propose a question in a proactive direction. Ex: "I would love to discuss the events of the world with you. What have you experienced in your life regarding the Civil Rights Movement/ Black Lives Matter/ Redlining etc...? How have you contributed to change? What patterns in the past have you seen that worked to ensure equality amongst all people, including black lives.".

Something I want to paint a picture of for a better understanding is that society is a forest. We have families that are the trees. Our trunks go deep into the ground and have thick long and strong roots. We, as a new branch, leaf, or flower, need to know about our personal roots. We need to realize even though we are a branch, leaf, or flower that we can and will make a change regardless of our deep roots. Our families can participate by actively listening and awakening to the realization of their own unintentional racism. No one is perfect. We are all learning. White people need to be talking about acknowledging the privilege. Why is there slavery? What is redlining? What is white supremacy? Know that the conversation you have with your family IS the privilege. Why do we have the right to discuss how a group of people should or should not live? Or even if they live? We need to draw our attention inward and become educated not in what black people do or have done but what white supremacists have done and WHY. Understand the root and inflict change.

6.) Inner Movement

Take this time as an opportunity to self evaluate all the moments you might have been accustomed to the underlying racism that has been ingrained into us by society, parents, history, etc. Hold yourself accountable and consciously make the effort to change. Unconscious racism is when you have been influenced, seen, or experienced in your life, grew beliefs, etc, and live life thinking everyone shares the same cultural values so once you see someone different on the street your thoughts might deem them as unacceptable or strange. Your intentions are inactivated and therefore you are simply unaware and unconsciously racist. This movement goes beyond money or protests. Inner change is how to change on a global scale. One person making the intentional efforts to reconstruct the foundation they were brought up with is powerful and effective in the long term. It is not easy, it is not fun, it is powerful. You will learn so much about yourself from trying to become more aware and knowing your habits and reactions when approaching a person from a different culture. This applies to black people and POC.

7.) Vote

Know the power you hold as a citizen can make a powerful change.

The change comes from within the system. The way of systematic order has been the same for centuries. It's time for a change.

8.) Email/Connect/ Communicate/ Demand

As civilians, we are given the change to connect to our superior officials and demand change. You are able to find thousands of emails pre-written from other wonderful people. Here is a link to sign and send emails and tweets.

https://komirisetti.com/EmailThem/

We as humans are far far FAR from perfect or even orderly however since we were all so blessed to have a heartbeat reading this little blog, its time to dedicate our purpose to uplifting our brothers and sisters from discrimination and injustice. It is time to emerge into the era of change, purpose, and equality. We are the love. We are the change. Remember that you are here beating, breathing, and existing her NOW. What are you waiting for?

Teya