If you follow me on Twitter you know that I have been tweeting heavily about #Ferguson-- the events happening there have long been overdue to unfold somewhere in our country, and it is not being heavily (or necessarily accurately) followed by mainstream media. I have found journalists and residents who are on the ground there, live-tweeting about the tension, conflict, the efforts of the protesters, the effects of the over-militarized police, and their conversations with residents. This is the information that truly matters. I know it may seem overwhelming and it may be easy to think what is happening there has nothing to do with our individual communities but it DOES. Ferguson is America, and what is happening there is unfortunate but not unexpected. Im only going to post about this once here because sadly it has been my experience that Facebook connections have been very hostile when it comes to discussing and being aware of human rights violations in America- but please read this, and if you like you can follow me on Twitter. Please educate yourself with diverse and immediate media. Read and listen to pieces from journalists, not media personalities. And please know that your efforts, the conversations you listen to, initiate, and participate in matter. Change doesnt happen by turning a blind-eye. 1. Learn about the racialized history of Ferguson and how it reflects the racialized history of America. 2. Reject the “he was a good kid” narrative and lift up the “black lives matter” narrative. 3. Use words that speak the truth about the disempowerment, oppression, disinvestment and racism that are rampant in our communities. 4. Understand the modern forms of race oppression and slavery and how they are intertwined with policing, the courts and the prison industrial complex. 5. Examine the interplay between poverty and racial equity. 6. Diversify your media. 7. Adhere to the philosophy of nonviolence as you resist racism and oppression. 8. Find support from fellow white allies. 9. If you are a person of faith, look to your scriptures or holy texts for guidance. 10. Don’t be afraid to be unpopular. 11. Be proactive in your own community. 12. Don’t give up. qz/250701/12-things-white-people-can-do-now-because-ferguson/
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 23:54:52 +0000
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