The death of George Floyd has left people enraged.
Yet another Black man losing his life, after a white police officer knelt on his neck as he screamed: 'I can't breathe,' is a ghastly reminder of the injustices, prejudices and threat that Black people face on a daily basis.
Many have been left wondering about the best way to help. Beyond posting supportive Instagram messages, the path forwards is via learning more about history, acknowledging your privilege and platform, putting your name to the right petitions, donating to great organisations and, to quote Rihanna recently, 'pulling up' to support your Black friends, family, colleagues and citizens, not just now, but as we move further into the future.
Here are a list of organisations to donate to and resources to study, both in the US and closer to home too.
Where to donate in the US
George Floyd died in Minneapolis, Minnesota last week. In the city, protests have erupted there and in many other cities, as anger and frustration over police brutality has once again mounted.
You can donate to George Floyd's family directly via GoFundMe - Set up by Floyd's sister, the page asks for donations for funeral costs, counselling and legal assistance and to assist the family as they attempt to navigate their grief amid the high profile and traumatising nature of his death.
Minnesota Freedom Fund - The organisation pays the bail of those arrested during protests and provides support. Update: They are temporarily pausing donations because they've had so many, on their website they link to a number of other organisations. It's worth noting that most of the cities where marches and protests have been taking place have their own bail out funds too.
The NAACP Legal Defence Fund - Supports racial justice through the legal system, education and advocacy work.
Black Lives Matter - Founded in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman after the death of Trayvon Martin, the organisation continues to fight for justice for Black people who have been victims of violence 'by the state and vigilantes'.
Organisations to support and donate to in the UK
There are a number of incredible organisations in the UK, devoted to fighting racial inequality, racial injustice and holding the police to account.
The Runnymede Trust - A UK based race and equality think tank which conducts thorough research in order to challenge racial inequality when it comes to law, policies and governance in the UK.
The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust - Set up in memory of 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered by a group of white men in 1993, the trust works with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to support them in their future careers.
StopWatch UK - A coalition which monitors the activity of police, focussing primarily on stop and search laws which disproportionately target people of colour.
Institute of Race Relations - An independent charity conducting research on race relations and social justice in the UK.
Liberty - A human rights organisation focusing on defending freedom and campaigning for equality and fairness in the UK.
Show Racism The Red Card - Initially an organisation to tackle racism in football, the organisation provides education workshops and training to tackle racism in British society.
Operation Black Vote - The group tackles the lack of Black representation in British politics, as well as the democratic deficit of Black people in general, to ensure greater racial justice within the UK.
The Monitoring Group - The national charity, established in the 1980s, has three aims: to promote good race relations, advance rare relations by education and awareness raising, and supporting those who are distressed or suffering violence or harassment.
Black Lives Matter UK - The UK branch of Black Lives Matter, the have a specific GoFundMe page here.
United Friends And Family Campaign - A coalition of families affected by the death of a loved one in police, prison and psychiatric custody.
Black Minds Matter UK - Set up directly in response to the issues of the past week, the group supports members of the Black community experiencing mental health issues, directing them to free and accessible help from Black mental health professionals and therapists.
UK Petitions:
The petition for the white police officer who kneeled on George Floyd to be charged is the most signed in Change.org's history with more than 13 million signatories at this time of writing, but your signatures don't have to stop there. In the UK, there are a number of petitions you can put your name to:
Suspend UK export of tear gas, rubber bullets and riot shields to USA
The death of TFL employee Belly Mujinga, who died of Covid-19 after she was spat at by a member of the public who claimed they had the Coronavirus, according to her union. Last week, British Transport Police closed her case. Funds have been raised for Mujinga's family and now there is a petition for justice and ensuring frontline workers have the right protection.
Support The Demand For A Covid-19 Race Equality Strategy - After a government report confirmed that BAME Britons face a higher risk of dying from Covid-19, a petition is demanding a strategy for tackling this immediately.
As always, you can also write to your MP with your concern over the death of George Floyd, and so many before him, and ask for how they will be supporting Black people in the community at this time.
What to read and watch
Educating yourself is key. There is a plethora of books, documentaries and TV shows made about racial injustice and white people's failure to support Black communities.
Watch:
Amandla Stenberg: Don't Cash Crop On My Cornrows
13TH (Netflix)
When They See Us (Netflix)
Dear White People (Netflix)
Books on race by British authors:
Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race, by Reni Eddo-Lodge*
*Following a spike in sales after the death of George Floyd, Eddo-Lodge has asked for people to match their purchase with a donation, or borrow the book from a library or support an independent bookseller.
BRIT(ish) by Afua Hirsch
The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla
Natives by Akala
By American authors:
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Challenge racism
Whether you encounter it in your workplace, home or among peers, take pains to have the awkward conversation, listen more to the voices of the people who have experienced abuse and disadvantage, question your workplace and your local council about their track record for diversity and inclusion and look carefully at how you bring up your children.
'In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist,' - Angela Davis.
Olivia Blair is Entertainment Editor (Luxury) at Hearst UK, working across ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Michaela Coel and Ryan Gosling over the years.
