10 Ways Teenagers’ Can Sustainably Support BLM
We are currently living in a time of mass confusion and panic as the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of all this, we must also grapple with the great injustices that have been and will continue to be committed if we do nothing. These injustices include but are not limited to, the femicide in Turkey and Mexico, illegal slavery, the refugee crisis, voting rights, and the Uighur concentration camps. If you have not heard of the atrocities listed in the prior sentence, I urge you to research what is happening and what you can do about it. This article will focus on ways to sustainably support the Black Lives Matter movement taking place globally in response to the horrific murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black people and children at the hands of police brutality. This is especially important since recent polls suggest that there has been a decrease in BLM support, especially among white people (learn more by clicking this Washington Post article). As a teenager, myself, I often find that I am discouraged from participating in social justice movements. I feel as though I can’t really do anything about it and so it should be left to the adults. This is untrue! There are so many resources available to young children! In the following list, I hope to shed some light and knowledge on how to use these resources and encourage you to engage in American democracy to combat injustices around the world.
1. Educate Yourself
It’s essential to understand what the BLM movement stands for. Educate yourself on how at the very creation of the American democracy systems of oppression were implemented that continue to affect black and brown communities to this day. If you are not a POC or someone who identifies as Black, you should also learn about the serious harm white fragility creates, how you can undermine it, and how you can use your privilege to provide a platform for Black voices. Business Insider published an article, titled “22 books on race and white privilege that will show you what's really happening in America right now” that may be helpful to those looking for good reading recommendations on the topic. You can learn more about the history and current goals of BLM by watching this video on the development, goals, and impact of the BLM organization or visiting the “What We Believe” section of the Black Lives Matter website. Most importantly, remember that as a BLM ally you commit to being open-minded to change and continuing to educate yourself and others.
2. Engage In Difficult (But Necessary) Conversations About Race & Privilege
It’s not always easy to have conversations about oppression, privilege, and how we need to reevaluate our actions. Many of us like to pretend that we live in a perfect, colorblind world. This is not only false, it is extremely harmful and prevents us from realizing that we need to create immediate change. Lives are literally at stake. This begins simply at home during a meal or in a classroom along with your peers. It can be any safe space where you can openly discuss identity, white privilege, institutional systems of oppression, and racism. It’s okay to recognize that you're wrong. Don’t worry about being right, focus on learning more, and welcoming different perspectives. This is a time for reflection and contemplating the best ways to undermine harmful prejudices and stereotypes you may harbor. Form your own opinions on the BLM movement and think of ways you can help within your community. Inspire and uplift each other.
3. Spread Awareness & Information
It takes many individuals rising up and pushing for systematic change and reform to make a difference. So spread the word. Tell your grandmother about a great charity that needs donations, have meaningful discussions with your friends about racial microaggressions and identity, send a petition link to your parents. Keep in mind that many people are actually unaware of the systems of oppression in America. So it’s good to be patient when you talk to them about racism and clearly explain why you support BLM. Social media is also an amazing, new tool for activism. It allows you to post information about petitions to sign, victims of police brutality, donations to make, protests to attend, Black-owned businesses to buy from. Follow good hashtags or activism accounts so you can receive regular updates and learn more. If you see a post that resonates with how you feel or a post that you think will be helpful then repost it to stories! Posting about BLM will also make you more interactive with your followers and create a social media community of like-minded people who fight for justice. Don’t be discouraged by a low Instagram follower count. Every person making an active effort adds to the cause. So please spread awareness for a better world.
4. Donate
There are so many important places you can donate to including victims' families and bail funds. Great organizations raise money to enrich Black lgbtq+ communities, provide legal aid, and reform mass incarceration, police, policies, and more. The New York Magazine created a list of “154 Ways to Donate in Support of Black Lives and Communities of Color” that is full of helpful links and information. If you don’t have your own money, ask your parents to donate the BLM cause. Choose one charity, or several that you are passionate about and research them thoroughly. Find out if it is a reliable, trustworthy organization, where the money goes, how it helps, short and long term goals, and the plan to achieve those goals. Then, present this to your parents or guardians and request to donate a portion of the money to the chosen charity. If this doesn’t work see if you can reach an agreement or bargain. For example, you can volunteer to do the dishes for a week and receive a four dollar allowance that you donate to an organization. Two weeks means eight dollars, three weeks means twelve, and so on. There are also many stream-to-donate Youtube videos that you can watch without spending any of your own money. Unfortunately, some of them have been removed for violating Youtube’s terms of service in accordance to Google’s monetization guidelines.
5. Support Black-Owned Businesses
Use your power as a consumer. There are so many great Black-owned businesses that you can support. These businesses range from big to small and offer a variety of goods to all types of their customers ranging from delicate jewelry to self-care, wellness apps. Black-owned companies also sell things specifically for Black or dark-skinned people that sadly aren’t available anywhere else on the market, which mainly caters to white or light-skinned people. For example, Mented Cosmetics creates cosmetics in inclusive shades and Curlbox sends monthly subscription boxes of curly hair products. Forbes made an organized list of “100 Black-Owned Businesses To Support” that you should definitely check out if you're searching for some Black-owned businesses to enjoy.
6. Attend Protests
There is power in numbers. Attending a BLM protest is a way to stand in solidarity with victims, allies, and Black communities. The image of people gathering together fighting for justice also visibly sends a message that what’s happening is not okay and that you and many others will not stand by it. It also gives you a chance to hear some really good speakers, from political candidates to victims’ families and friends. You can organize your own protest in your local area, or you can join one. There are multiple ways to find information for BLM protests. You can follow Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook accounts and hashtags that post the location, times, and dates for protests happening. For example, if you live in New York City like me, consider following @justiceforgeorgenyc, a well-informed Instagram account that posts updates on protests going on around the city. Cnet published an article on “How to find a Black Lives Matter protest in your area this week” that may be helpful. Once you’ve decided which protest you’re attending, make sure you bring water, food, a charged phone, a friend or family member, and a mask. If you don’t feel comfortable or safe attending a protest because of the coronavirus pandemic currently sweeping the world that’s ok. You should only go if you feel safe and can support BLM in many other ways as listed here.
7. Petition
The U.S. the First Amendment guarantees the right to petition the government. If a petition reaches 100,000 signatures within 30 days, government officials and policy experts will review it and issue an official response. Change.org is a petition website whose mission statement is “to empower people everywhere to create the change they want to see.” Keep in mind that you have to be 16 years old to use Change.org. Click this link to get to the Black Lives Matter topic petitions at Change.org. The Black Lives Matter website also has a petition section. Each petition will have a title and a more in-depth explanation of what the petition is pushing for. Signing a petition only takes a few minutes and can lead to real change. For example, following outrage after the killing of George Floyd, “Half of the nation’s largest police departments have banned or limited neck restraints since June”. You can also share petitions you’ve signed by sending the petition link to friends and family via social media, email, or text.
8. Hold Representatives Accountable
An effective way of supporting the Black Lives Matter movement is to hold your representatives accountable, which can be done easily by contacting them through email or calls. First, plan out what you’re going to say to them, what points you want to cover, what you demand from them. Many activist groups and accounts on social media share suggested scripts or phrases to use on certain topics. Then, find your representative on Congress’s Find Your Representative page. You can email or call them and their staff, but calling is usually the best method since it’s harder to ignore. Don’t be shy, their job is to listen and hear you out, which is why they represent you. For more detailed information on contacting your reps click this article link.
9. Hold Police Officers Accountable
Recent events make it clear that the police have been imbued with far too much power and leeway. This is partly a result of inadequate conduct policies and contracts that protect police officers, despite complaints. This is further explained by this aclu episode and the police union contract project website. Americans need to take back their power and hold police accountable for their actions. First, know your rights. You’re allowed to film police officers performing their public functions as long as you don’t interfere. Cops are not allowed to delete, confiscate, or demand to view the video you have recorded. If an officer asks you to stop videotaping, calmly remind them of your rights and continue filming the interaction. Learn more by clicking on this Atlantic article titled, “What to Say When the Police Tell You to Stop Filming Them.” If you are concerned about a police encounter you witnessed or filmed there’s a chance that the conduct that struck you as cruel or inappropriate is actually within the department’s rules, or the rules themselves may be unclear. So it’s important that you ask the department for its policies on the practices that seem unnecessary and concerning. If you conclude that a corrupt, confusing or lack of policy on a certain method of policing is harmful, then you should make a complaint, start a petition, or notify the public. Remember, your parents’ tax dollars pay for the reports and documentation officers do every day. This means you’re entitled to public records. Go find and investigate them. See whether the rules are being followed! For more information go to this Propublica article, titled “I Cover Cops as an Investigative Reporter. Here Are Five Ways You Can Start Holding Your Department Accountable.”
10. Take Care Of Your Mental Health
Please remember to take care of your mental and physical health! You matter! Times are hard and stressful with all the current events, school, and work. It can be extremely emotionally damaging and harmful for POCs and people who identify as Black to hear and see so much news and graphic images of Black people being murdered. If you feel yourself experiencing anguish or stress I implore you to take some time off social media and focus on your mental health in whatever method works best for you. Click this link for ways to protect your mental health. BLM supporters should also discuss strategies to avoid activism fatigue and continue consistently pushing for justice. One such strategy is to remind yourself that the institutional systems the Black Lives Matter movement is fighting against have been in place for hundreds of years. So don’t be too heavily discouraged if it doesn’t seem like anything changing, what’s important is that you keep fighting. Read this article on activism fatigue and how to combat it.