Black Lives Matter
Black lives still matter, folks. Don’t fall asleep at the wheel. We currently have the opportunity to make a change in not only the United States of America but also across the globe. Internationally, there are people protesting, voting, calling their representatives, sharing news, and doing whatever they can to support one another in the fight for Black lives.
But what can you do? If you have taken a moment to pause and breathe, if you never knew how you could help, or if you just want a refresher, you might wonder where to find new info. Thankfully, we know some of the first places you can look.
There’s still plenty of work to be done. So if you are interested in supporting the Black Lives Matter movement but don’t know where to go, here are some places to look.
Look At Social Media Hashtags
Want to find the next protest? Want to see what people in your area are doing to support the cause? Look up a hashtag or two on social media. Looking up hashtags is easy and will set you up to find out what your area is doing to fight police brutality.
For instance, I live in Philadelphia and the hashtags used the most on Twitter for the BLM movement are #phillyprotest, #phillyprotests, and #philly. Keep in mind, hashtags increase and decrease in popularity over time. At one point, #phillyriots was popular but as things have become less violent, that is no longer used to share information.
By looking up hashtags like the ones above, or #protests2020, you can find out how to support the cause in your area.
Look Up Activist Groups
If that doesn’t work, see what local community groups are doing. Is there a “Real Justice” organization in your area? Do you know the name of any Black community centers or activist organizations that have a base in your town? If so, see what they’re doing on social media.
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Most likely, they will be posting about upcoming protests, actions, or events to support the cause. By looking this information up, you can then find out how to help. Or, maybe consider donating to these organizations as one way to help.
Ask Friends/Familiar Activists
Or if you have anyone close to you that has participated in an event, is a part of an organization, or is helping out in any way, you can ask them for the appropriate information. As time goes by, we are seeing the rise of community organizations, activists, and vocal supporters. Look for these buoys in the movement and see if they can then point you in the direction of the next org meeting or public action.
Go To Protests
Lastly, you can find great information at protests themselves. Once you find out when and where a protest is happening, you can head over there for more information about the future. At most protests, there are organizers and speakers who will offer information about centers, organizations, places to donate, future actions to support the movement, text to read, and more.
Joining The Movement
Joining the Black Lives Matter movement doesn’t have to be hard. There are many ways that you can support. From marching in protests, to making calls to representatives, to voting for pro-BLM politicians, to donating to community support or activists groups, to supplying food and supplies to said groups, to sharing information over social media, and more. There are plenty of ways to support Black lives and a world where the “protectors” don’t abuse and kill the people they are supposed to be protecting.
So if you want to help, look up one of the avenues that we have listed above. Then let’s fight together for a better tomorrow.
