Black Lives Still Matter
2020 was a very significant year for the Black Lives Matter movement.
George Floyd’s death set off an array of support for the movement world-wide. People in countries all over the world came together in a bid to end the heartless and insanely unjust discrimination faced by the black community.
What was most significant about the movement in 2020 was the involvement of members outside of the black community. People joined protests, and actions of the movement as a sign of solidarity with both the movement and their black friends. All over social media people were encouraged to take responsibility and educate themselves to help put an end to these unjust events.
Nine months on it is so important that we don’t forget all that we learned in 2020. There is so much more we can still do to help the Black Lives Matter movement and help make this world a more equal and fair place for everyone.
Here are just a few reminders of things we can do to make sure we are doing everything we can to support BLM and end racial discrimination.
Stay Educated
One of the best ways someone outside of the black community can show support for the movement is by staying educated on both the racial discrimination faced by members of the black community and learning about the Black Lives Matter movement.
Even though we may not be able to fully relate to the experiences ourselves, educating ourselves on the racial injustice at hand can remind us of our position in society and how we can use that position for good.
Other ways you can educate yourself can include listening to podcasts that discuss racial injustice and black people’s experiences. Or reading books about the movement or even watching You Tube videos of people discussing racial injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Have a look at this article we did on accounts to follow to educate your-self about the black lives matter movement.
By educating ourselves we can learn more about the role our position plays in society and how we can use that position to help the matter at hand.
Keep talking
While BLM made a lot of progress in 2020 it still has a long ways to go. It is important that we don’t leave the work done in 2020.
Keep talking about racial injustice and the movement with friends; discuss books you may have read on it, or documentaries that you may have watched. Racial injustice still exists and we need to keep moving forward to try and rid of it completely.
Simply not letting the conversation die and consistently reminding people that the issue is still prevalent will bring us closer to the end of racial discrimination.
Having these discussions with older generations is also incredibly important. It may not always be comfortable for you to have these discussions or for other people to hear, but it’s important that we continue to try have honest conversations and point out racial bias.
Support Brands That Support Black Lives Matter
2020 saw a lot of brands coming forth in support of BLM in a bid to help end the ongoing racial discrimination. Many of these brands donated money and resources to organisations helping the movement. Supporting these brands is a great way of continuing to support the movement.
See this article here for a list of brands that are actively supporting Black Lives Matter.
You can also look at donating to Irish Network Against Racism.
Use your privilege for good
Once you have educated yourself on the movement, if you are white, you will likely understand the privilege you have and are probably aware of the term white privilege.
What is most important is ensuring you use that privilege for good. Whether that is speaking up and highlighting the movement, supporting the movement by going to protests, or even just educating your friends about their white privilege.
Understanding your privilege will make you realise why it is so important to support the BLM movement and make you understand how it is you can use that privilege to help. Check out this article we did on how to be a black lives matter ally.
Whatever you do keep talking and keep supporting!
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