5 Things Friday
So what are you going to DO about it? Here are your antiracism actions steps for April 30.
If you've been following the news this week, you are likely aware of at least 2 more high-profile killings at the hands of police: Mario Gonzalez of Alameda and Andrew Brown Jr. of Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
As we acknowledged last week, these brutal acts of violence and injustice were here long before we were, and will likely continue into the future. And we have been thinking deeply about how to cover these acts and how to communicate with you about them.
From the beginning, 5 Things Friday has been about what you can DO. What actions you can take, right now, to advocate for racial justice and to shift away from a mindset of helplessness. So while we would never want to ignore the heinous acts of brutality that we are actively fighting against, we won't make them the focus of our emails to you. We don't exist to be yet another megaphone blasting you with the heartbreaking news of the week. We exist to activate you to do something about it, and to amplify the incredible work being done by changemakers on the ground. Also, and equally important, we don't want to contribute to the further traumatization of Black people by replaying events, even in words, that brutalize entire communities just by their mere existence.
Here are your 5 Things.
SUPPORT THIS. Gary Chambers isn't done yet! While we were disappointed when our favorite congressional candidate didn't win, we are so energized and excited by his latest announcement. We'll let him tell it: "Today I’m announcing Bigger Than Me. I believe that we can build a real progressive movement in the Deep South. When I ran, we couldn’t get hardly any of the progressive leaders around or organizations around the country to support us. So I didn’t complain and get bitter, I said let’s build something because this is #BiggerThanMe. Let’s teach communities how to be civically engaged, push progressive policies, & support progressives working to get elected in the Deep South." Watch his video, get chills, and support Bigger Than Me right here.
DO THIS. Speaking of creative and powerful campaigns, Dr. Akilah Cadet just launched #Blackat16. Here's why: "Ma'Khia Bryant was 16. A cop shot her in the chest 4 times ending her life. This was me at 16. Awkward. Finding my voice and self-esteem. Understanding my body. Look at who I am now. See how I shine. How I'm changing the world. Ma'Khia will never have that opportunity. We won't have the privilege to see her shine. She should be here." Dr. Cadet is encouraging Black people to post a picture of themselves at 16 and tag #Blackat16. "Show the world that we are humans, not disposable. Black children and teenagers are not a threat. Black youth, Black people deserve to have a future complete with humanity and equality."
DONATE TO THIS. Safe Passage Park, or SPark, is a neighborhood-led campaign to create urgently needed outdoor space accessible to children, families and the wider community living in San Francisco's Tenderloin. The project will transform the 200 block of Turk Street into a safe, active community space for all. Volunteers have already started construction of SPark, but funds are needed for materials and ongoing stewardship. Help support the realization of SPark by making a financial contribution today.
SIGN THIS. Last year, YouTube, and its parent company, Google, released an anti-racism statement in response to the racial justice uprisings sparked by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. They proudly declared their support for Black people. But instead of supporting the Black community, Google blocked companies from using racial justice terms like “Black Lives Matter” to place advertisements on related video content. They said Black Lives Matter when it was trendy, then implemented policies that block financial sustainability for Black creators and the creators who cover the movement. At the same time that Google prevented advertisers from choosing ads based on Black Lives Matter content, they actively allowed advertisers to search and place their content on tens of millions of videos tagged with white nationalist terms like “White Power” or “White Lives Matter.” This pattern is heinous. Join Color of Change in calling on Google to go #BeyondTheStatement and make tangible commitments that benefit Black people. And for a deeper understanding of the inequality in tech, read this recent piece in Wired: Silicon Valley's Diversity Theater.
SEND THIS. On April 19, 2021 Alameda Police killed Mario Gonzalez, a 26 year old Oakland resident and father. The officers' bodycam footage shows officers on top of Mario for five minutes while he lay face down on the ground. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley has opened an investigation but under her watch, only one police officer has ever been charged. The DA has seen the footage and she has all the evidence she needs to bring charges. If Mario had been killed by anyone other than law enforcement, criminal charges would have been filed within a few days at the latest. Send this email and sign the petition to demand DA O'Malley bring charges immediately.