As our country and our state grapple with the murder of George Floyd, Hoosiers and Americans are rightfully angry. It’s clear that the time to dismantle systemic racism is now and the need to channel our anger into action is vast.
While we believe that change begins at the ballot box, anti-racism work is intertwined in our everyday actions. It’s crucial that we reaffirm our work in this fight and that we don’t stop after we cast our vote.
For those looking to become better allies to Black and brown communities, it’s important to engage in the work in an equitable way, where white people with privilege shoulder the burden that communities of color have had to bear for too long . We’ve compiled a running list of ways to support the fight for racial justice right now. Here’s what allies should do:Get educated
Get educated
Two of the most important aspects of allyship is amplifying marginalized voices and having hard conversations with other white people in your life. This means learning about racism in America and how you can actively be anti-racist. Here are two lists of anti-racist resources to help educate people of any age:
This guide is a helpful overview of anti-racist books, children’s books, articles, videos, and podcasts.
This list is made of books primarily for adults.
Listen to people of color
It’s important that white people don’t rely on people of color for their own education on racism. When white people rely on people of color to teach them instead of doing the research themselves, they’re asking marginalized communities to perform emotional labor. But when people of color speak out, we should listen, learn, and trust in their experiences.
It’s also important that people of color and their stories remain centered in the movement for justice. It’s the ally’s job to amplify marginalized voices, not drown them out.
Keep up with the movement
The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, Indiana Democrat African American Caucus, and the Indiana Latino Democratic Caucus are at the forefront of political change in Indiana. They fight for Black and brown Hoosiers, pushing agendas to make our state work for everyone. If you’re looking to follow along with policy issues that affect the Black and brown community in Indiana, these caucuses are an excellent place to start!
Here is a list of the IBLC, IDAAC, and ILDC social media pages and websites for you to follow along with:
Indiana Democrat African American Caucus –Website, Twitter
Indiana Black Legislative Caucus – Website, Twitter, Facebook
Indiana Latino Democratic Caucus –Website, Twitter, Facebook
Protest
Across the country, protests have lead to the arrest of the officers involved in the murder of George Floyd. Protests work but people of color shouldn’t have to bear the burden of protesting alone. That’s why it’s important for allies to get out there and amplify marginalized voices.
Join protests near you. Let people of color lead as you march behind them and echo their voices.
Donate
Not everyone can donate. But if you can give, it’s a great way to contribute to the movement. Here is a non-exhaustive list of some organizations designed to fight racism and get resources to people of color:
ActBlue list: ActBlue has compiled a list of several charities. You can split your donation evenly among them or pick where to give!
Saeed & Little LLM: pro-bono representation for arrested protesters.
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation: they’re fighting to end state-sanctioned violence, liberate Black people, and end white supremacy forever
Indiana Legal Services: provides legal services to those in need.
NAACP legal defense and education fund: they win landmark legal battles, protect voters across the nation, and advance the cause of racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.
Black Visions Collective: Black-led, Queer and Trans-centering organization whose mission is to organize powerful, connected Black communities and dismantle systems of violence
The Bail Project | Freedom should be free: pays bail often for people of color; they also collect stories and data that prove money bail is not necessary to ensure people return to court
Color of change: helps share Black stories, campaign against injustice and address racism in positions of power
ACLU: the ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States
Loveland: the Loveland Foundation commits to supporting communities of color, and specifically aims to help Black women and girls
Invest in minority-owned businesses
Supporting minority-owned businesses is another way of investing in the community! Find out where the minority-owned businesses are in your community and make a point of checking them out.
We will be updating this list periodically. If you have any suggestions on what to add or additional resources/organizations you think we should include, please email [email protected].