Take action to support Black Lives

The murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by four white police officers in Minneapolis has launched historic protests nationwide against pervasive police brutality toward Black Americans. And our local, state, and federal government has responded with more violence, entrapment curfews, and setting the National Guard on crowds demanding justice.

The time for silence is long gone. And speaking up without TAKING ACTION is also no longer “enough.”

Ways to support the Black Lives Matter movement, the ongoing protests, and fight police brutality against Black communities:

1. DONATE to cover bail bonds for arrested protesters. Now that many cities have imposed last-minute curfews (Los Angeles gave protesters less than 45 minutes to receive curfew information and get home, and Chicago issued a curfew while downtown public transportation was shut down), the arrests will escalate further.
2. CALL Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman at 612-348-5550, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison at 651-296-3353 and Gov. Walz at 651-201-3400 and demand that all four cops present for George Floyd’s death are charged with murder. Tell them nothing less than full accountability, police reform, and justice is acceptable.
3. PROTEST police brutality and lend your voice as an ally. Every city has different organizers, but start by following your city’s Black Lives Matter chapter on Twitter and setting notifications for their tweets. Remember to take your temperature before leaving the house, wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, and social distance when possible, to stop the spread of the virus. Follow curfew rules and review your legal rights as a protestor.
4. DEMAND your city mayor divert funding from the police force to invest in resources for Black communities. Black neighborhoods are over-enforced and over-surveilled at the expense of many city programs that could actually provide benefit.
5. EDUCATE yourself on being an ally. White folks, read Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility (even if, and especially if, you think you don’t need to). Read the article 75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice, and share with White friends who “feel helpless” or “don’t know how to help.” (Article is addressed to White people, but includes many useful actions for non-Black POC to take in allyship to Black people). Watch Tamika Mallory’s speech to challenge your own or others’ tone-policing of Black protests. And read through this short thread on how to be an ally without centering yourself during these protests and beyond.

Black Lives Matter. If you believe it, prove it by taking action.