Compiled by: The Peak Publication Society
Please note that the sources listed below have been compiled by multiple individuals, and we do not take credit for writing them.
- Petitions, petitions, petitions.
They are circling everywhere and almost impossible to miss on social media. Take 10 minutes out of your day to sign as many as possible, or better yet take more than 10 minutes. LIterally sign as many petitions as you possibly can. The more petitions you sign, the more that your voice is creating positive change. Once you sign those petitions, spread them like wildfire. Post them on your social media so your friends can see and sign them as well. After that, send emails out to government officials demanding change and justice. For a masterlist of petitions please go to https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/! This website was started and updated by @dehyedration. This is a Google Doc for BLM resources, compiled by Twitter user @ambivalacnt. For a Canadian masterlist please go to https://blacklivesmattercanada.carrd.co/, compiled by Instagram user @bellaminicucci.
2. Donate
Pretty much the same thing as the petitions. If you have the financial means to do so, please donate as much as you can. You can find donation links at https://linktr.ee/action.queerblm or https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
Don’t have the funds? There is a video on YouTube called “how to financially help BLM with NO MONEY/leaving your house” created by Zoe Amira featuring not only the amazing work of black artists all over the world, but has numerous ads. All of the ad revenue will be going to:
- Brooklyn Bail Fund
- Minnesota Freedom Fund
- Atlanta Action Network
- Columbus Freedom Fund
- Louisville Community Bail Fund
- Chicago Bond
- Black Visions Collective
- Richmond Community Bail Fund
- The Bail Project inc.
- NW com bail fund
- Philadelphia Bail Fund
- The Korchhinski-Parquet family gofundme
- Gerge Floyd’s Family gofundme
- Blacklivesmatter.com
- Reclaim the Block
Leave this video running in the background on half volume while you work and don’t skip any ads (you can turn off your computer audio but the video audio must be playing to generate ad revenue). It takes zero effort and will actively help.
3. Openly educate yourself
Educate yourself on the issues around you and ask yourself questions. What can you do to support POC in your community? What are your local politicians’ policy on ending police brutality? Learn about how much of your city’s operational budget is spent on policing, and consider emailing your city elected officials to divest funds into prioritizing community-led initiatives or alternative sectors, like education and mental health services. This is an email template that you can use to email Vancouver city officials, where 21% of the total operational budget is spent on policing, or $315,278,281.00.
How do you benefit from the oppression of POC in your community? How can you be actively anti-racist instead of simply “not racist”? Pick up a book — some recommendations from The Peak include So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo. Check out this list of free ebooks on racial justice! You can also watch a Netflix documentary (When They See Us or 13th is a good place to start). Here is a masterlist of resources to educate yourself. Asking yourself these hard questions and learning are key because the next step is to . . .
4. Openly educate those around you
Now is the time to sit down with your family and explain to them what is happening and how they can help. Being an ally means being comfortable with having difficult conversations with your peers rather than ignoring them, especially if you disagree with them. Ask them the same hard questions that you had to ask yourself. Teach them to observe their own biases and to be actively anti-racist. As we stated above, this also means sharing resources all over your social media. Now is not the time to be caring about your Instagram aesthetic.
5. Follow these organizations
6. Text these numbers
Text FLOYD to 55-156
Text JUSTICE to 66-8336
Test ENOUGH to 55-165
We want to make it clear that this list is the bare minimum. Don’t expect a pat on the back or congratulations for standing up for basic human rights. This is more than a social media craze; real lives that are at stake. Now is the time to be an ally — and to continue to be an ally when the outrage ends. Be angry, continue to donate, continue to share, continue to educate yourself. To be silent is to be complicit.
Looking for more? Check out these:
Local Petitions:
Black in BC Community Support COVID-19 Fund
“The funds raised through this GoFundMe page will be distributed in one-time allotments of $150, to Black folks on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no expectation that the funds will be repaid, or that recipients will report back on how the money was spent.”
Withdraw the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act
“The Critical Infrastructure Defence Act will prevent grassroots protestors in the province from exercising their right to protest on Highways, Railroads, Pipelines, etc. by attaching a $25,000 fine or 6 months jail time. This could prevent citizens from protesting at legislatures or through picket lines. This bill is a direct attack against the Wet’suwet’en protestors and could interfere with Indigenous Peoples’ rights to hunt, fish or gather on traditional land.”
Local/Online Businesses:
This is a directory for Vancouver Black-owned businesses like media and restaurants.
This is a list of 100+ Black-owned businesses that will be updated frequently.
“Iron Dog Books is an Indigenous-owned bookshop and booktruck dedicated to bringing low cost reading to Tsleil-Waututh, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Musqueam territories (metro Vancouver).”
Local Places to Donate:
Black Lives Matter (Vancouver chapter)
“The Black Lives Matter Vancouver chapter is a cause that supports the organizing work of black folks and allies in undoing systemic racialized violence. Black Lives Matter is a cause cognizant of the ongoing struggles of all marginalized folks and we strive to honour that in the work we do. We centre the voices of Black folks as well as other folks of colour and hope to lift up those who are queer, women, trans, differently abled, poor or otherwise marginalized.”
“The Black Health Alliance is a community-led registered charity working to improve the health and well-being of Black communities in Canada. Building on our track record as an effective mobilizer and champion, we continue to grow our movement for change. Driven by groundbreaking research, strong partnerships, and people, this movement continues to build innovative solutions to improve Black health and well-being, and mobilize people and financial resources to create lasting change in the lives of Black children, families and communities.”
“The Hogan’s Alley Society (HAS) is a non-profit organization composed of civil rights activists, business professionals, community organizations, artists, writers and academics committed to daylighting the presence of Black history in Vancouver and throughout British Columbia. HAS adopts research driven approach to community development that seeks to preserve and promote the historical, cultural, societal and economic contributions made by Black Settlers and their descendants to Vancouver, Greater Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia, the Pacific Northwest and Canada.”
“In response to a community-based project assignment at their school and supported by their courageous teacher, Black Youth in Winnipeg, Manitoba decided that their project would be to outreach into shopping malls and to the streets encouraging out of school youth to return to school. They developed a flyer called “Black Hand to Black Hand” and tirelessly distributed these to disconnected youth.”
“Black Women Connect Vancouver is a collective of women who come together to inspire, empower, leverage our strengths and embrace our diverse experiences. It’s a community where we can build meaningful relationships, and celebrate the beauty of black womanhood.”
If you have a business or charity you would like us to feature, email eic@the-peak.com the name of the place, what they do, and why they should be featured.
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