BLM Resources

 

• My statement on the Passing of Rep. John Lewis – Barack Obama (here)
• 9 essential reads for your racial justice conversations
• 14 Anti-Racism Educators & Activists To Follow And Support Online. Click here.
• Resource Guide: Prisons, Policing, and Punishment – Micah Herskind here.

BLACK LIVES MATTER – a great “Education & Resources” page, shared with us by Sophia Nakasone

This resource –  #805STRONG – has an amazing amount of information, including this list of names of folks from the 805 community.

Donations/Boycotts

Support Organizations doing antiracist work.

• Split donations equally among these organizations here.
  • Black Lives Matter Global Network
  • Movement for Black Lives
  • National Bail Out
  • NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
  • The National Police Accountability Project
  • Color of Change
  • Unicorn Riot
• Contribute even a small amount to the George Floyd Memorial Fund (GoFundMe), to support his children’s education, and his family as they seek justice.
• Support the Nationwide Bail Fund, which will split your donation among 39 bail reform organizations that work to end cash bail and pay bail for poor arrestees
• Recommended organizations include:  
  • The Marshall Project – donate
  • Advancement Project – donate
  • Campaign Zero – donate
  • Anti Police-Terror Project – donate
  • The Sadie Collective – donate
  • Reclaim the Block – donate
  • Communities United Against Police Brutality – donate
  • The Sentencing Project – donate
• (6/4 – Update) New resource – How to be an activist when you can’t attend protests.
• (6/4 – Update) New resource – watch this video, including the ads. 100% of the ad revenue from the video will be dispersed between various BLM organizations, including bail-out funds for protesters. 
• (6/5 – Update) From Young Invincibles.
  • In memory of Tony Dade: the official GoFundMe to support the McDade family
  • Justice for the family of David McAtee: the official GoFundMe to support the McAtee family
  • Justice for Breonna Taylor
  • Justice for Ahmaud Arber

Vote with your dollars everyday. Stop supporting the businesses sending money to Trump

• Businesses sending money to Trump are sometimes surprising. Read about it here.

Support Black-owned businesses in our county instead.

Google doc spreadsheet here.

New Resources!

New: Eight Online Exhibits to see right now on Black History, Racism and Protest.

COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Plan for Black America

“For too long, Black people have had to work twice as hard to barely get half as far in America. The rules of the economy, our democracy, and our society are rigged — and as a result, Black communities are falling farther behind.

COVID-19 has exposed the connection between rigged rules and their impacts on our families: Black people are infected at higher rates, and comprise the majority of deaths from the disease in many cities across America.We need a plan for Black communities that protects our families, provides access to the care we need, and that builds new infrastructure to address the crises facing us. It’s time to change the rules, and make new ones that protect and strengthen our communities. The Black Agenda 2020 is a roadmap for making Black people powerful in all aspects of our lives.To flatten the curve and level the playing field, Congress must adopt the following Black Agenda2020 priorities immediately.”

Justice in June

“Justice in June cultivates a community rooted in truth, inspires action and is committed to awareness.

This resource was compiled by Autumn Gupta with Bryanna Wallace’s oversight for the purpose of providing a starting place for individuals trying to become better allies.

Choose how much time you have each day to become more informed as step one to becoming an active ally to the black community. On this document are links to the learning resources and a schedule of what to do each day.”

Resources for Accountability and Actions for Black Lives.

Seeking justice means putting in the work. Say their names, share their stories, but first and foremost, take action. We must help the families of Ahmad Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and the many other Black Americans unjustly murdered and abused by law enforcement and other protectors of white supremacy.  Take action today. Link here. En español aquí

 

 

Black Lives Matter Library of audiobooks for kids!

This is a very cool resource for kids! Click on a book, and it’s read aloud to them!

Sunrise Movement’s Creative Tactics for Black Lives!

(Source: Sunrise Movement) “Have you seen this guide we put together about visual strategy, art, media and storytelling and how to plug in to the movement for Black lives, police abolition, and racial justice?

“The time for action is now, people are taking to the streets, flooding social media, calling local officials and demanding justice for those who have been killed by the police all over the county. And now is the time to join them.”- @mvmnt4blklives

Check out our guide to learn more at smvmt.org/creativeuprising ! “

“Bold Conversations” – #EndWhiteSilence

(6/11 – Update) We haven’t seen any notices for protests in Ventura County today…yet. So we’re taking this lull in real-life activity to address  online activity – the rising number of comments people are seeing from white people who are frightened and angered by the protests, the protestors and their demands. Before you de-friend, mute, or respond in anger or exasperation, there may be another way…

Color of Change, in collaboration with SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice), have created “Ten Tools for Bold Conversations” and resources to get helpful talking points when navigating these interactions. SURJ has put together this toolkit full of conversations you’re hearing right now, along with great resources, like this “Alternatives to Police Poster Series.”

 

Online African American History Class

OYC.YALE.EDU: African American History: From Emancipation to the Present/Open Yale course. This course examines the African American experience in the United States from 1863 to the present. Prominent themes include the end of the Civil War and the beginning of Reconstruction; African Americans’ urbanization experiences; the development of the modern civil rights movement and its aftermath; and the thought and leadership of Booker T. Washington, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X. . Download all course pages [zip – 10MB]

(6/11 – Update) Heather Cox Richardson – History of the Republican Party. 

Other Actions

#8CantWait – Find your city’s record on police policies that cause death and call your mayor.

#8CantWait is an amazing resource from Campaign Zero showing which cities have adopted 8 strategies that are proven to reduce police violence by 72%. (Police manual on “Use of Force Continuum” here,  ‘USE-OF-FORCE TACTICS AND NON-LETHAL WEAPONRY’ reference) Look for your city on the pull-down menu to find your police department’s official stance on these policies and who to contact to voice your concern. If your city isn’t on the list, a chat box will ask you what city you’d like them to add.

(6/5 – Update) Update for Ventura’s police force

These are the policies the #8CantWait researchers say our police force is missing. Ventura Mayor Matt LaVere has already written a very interesting response to comments on this issue here. One item that needs more study is the KOGA method used by our police officers versus the continuum of force method described in 8CantWait and he should be willing to produce information comparing injuries and deaths by both methodologies. Contact: Email Matt LaVere, Mayor – at large ir call here: 805-654-7827. Information for all other city councilmembers below.