#BLACKLIVESMATTER
By Hannah Westfall and Katie Stanton
What is the right way to respond as a white woman to the protests occurring across our country?
How do I show my support when I can never understand the fear and oppression black men and women face every day?
How do I communicate with sensitivity?
How do I confront my own prejudices and bias?
How do I do better and join the fight for justice?
How do I participate in this movement?
These are a few of the questions we have asked ourselves over the last week. Living in the nation’s capital during this time is both an incredible opportunity and deeply emotional.
There are military personnel lining our streets.
There are people being tear-gassed for exercising their right to protest.
There is violence and fear.
But what stands out the most is beauty.
There is beauty in seeing the streets lined with men and women of every color walking, protesting, chanting, singing, kneeling, and calling out for change and justice.
There is beauty in seeing hands raised to show solidarity and support for the black community.
There is beauty in seeing people fight for the justice that black families more than deserve for what they have endured.
So when we think about what we can do, as white women with businesses in our nation’s capital and, therefore, as people with immense privilege, we have concluded:
We have to show up.
It is easy to let the fear of saying or doing the wrong thing keep you silent. It is easy to ignore what is happening, log off and just focus on something else. But too many people don’t have that choice.
If you have ever lost a loved one to police brutality, or if you are a human capable of feeling sympathy on any level, the fear and grief and frustration and pain that black men and women face every. single. day should compel you to action.
In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
We all have to be clear about where we stand. If now is truly a moment for change, you should be ready to do the work that’s required, and be in it for the long haul.
If you’re wondering what you can do as a white person to support the black community, here are 3 places to start. But we highly encourage you to put those Googling skills to work and find more resources, connect with others, and see how else you can positively contribute right now and well into the future:
Show up to the protests in your neighborhood: If you are able find a local peaceful protest and join in, do your best to show your support (safely; coronavirus isn’t over!). Your voice and your support matters; discover where protests are happening in your city and, if you’re not comfortable showing up physically, do so virtually.
Contribute financially: There are hundreds of campaigns (and they are not new, but have been around for this purpose for years) to support the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for racial equality and system reform. Here is a list of campaigns and organizations to which you can give.
Share on social media: Be a part of the conversation on your social platforms and spread the word about what is happening and where people can go to give or support the movement. You may worry that you don’t have much to add, or you may be afraid of being performative, but every honest contribution counts.
And don’t forget to check in on your friends and family of color right now. This week has been intense. Offer your love, your support, and your kindness, but do so compassionately. It’s possible that your loved ones need space to recharge and process a lot of difficult emotions, so it’s your job to to respect those needs.
Links Worth Visiting
8CantWait Movement (https://8cantwait.org/)
A Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Explains Why This Time Is Different
What Black Lives Matter Means (and Why It's Problematic to Say "All Lives Matter")
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism (Amazon & Libraries)
Press Release: DC Public Library Offers Unlimited Copies of eBooks on Race and Privilege