Black Lives Matter

In solidarity with the Black community in the US (and worldwide), I am taking this week to step back from telling you what I think, and to instead use this space to share the knowledge and opinions of Black writers and thinkers.

While many of these authors are quite prominent, they represent a narrative that is still so often sidelined in our national conversation. What little I can do to help bring these conversations to the forefront, I do gladly and urgently.

People to Follow:

There are so many really deep and complex conversations happening on social media these days. Following people is totally free, and can serve as an entry point to new ideas and other resources.

  1. The official Black Lives Matter page is @blklivesmatter on both Instagram and Twitter.
  2. Munroe Bergdorf is a British model and Black trans woman who is very insightful. She can be found @munroebergdorf on both Instagram and Twitter.
  3. Roxanne Gay is an author, professor, and thinker. She’s amazing. You can find her on Instagram as @roxanegay74 and on Twitter as @rgay
  4. Ibram X. Kendi is an author, professor, and historian. In 2019 he published “How To Be An Antiracist”, which I would encourage y’all to read. You can find him on Instagram as @ibramxk and on Twitter as @DrIbram.
  5. Rachel E. Cargle is a writer and lecturer, I’ve attached a few of her articles below. You can find her on Instagram as @rachel.cargle and on Twitter as @RachelCargle.

Articles To Read:

Articles are kind of tricky because a lot of them are hidden behind paywalls. Some other time we can talk about accessibility and journalism. These are just a few that have really stuck with me.

  1. Activist Rachel Cargle Explains What It Means to Be Actively Anti-Racist – InStyle (by Rachel E. Cargle)
  2. When White People Are Uncomfortable, Black People Are Silenced – Harper’s Bazaar (also by Rachel E. Cargle)
  3. I Wanted To Know What White Men Thought About Their Privilege. So I Asked. – NYT Magazine (by Claudia Rankine). This one is behind a paywall, it’s also long. If anyone wants to use my NYT account to login, holler.)

Things To Watch:

George Floyd and the Dominoes of Racial Injustice – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Books To Read:

I understand that books are a commitment not everyone has the time for (or the money for). However, these are a few books that have been foundational to my own understanding of the way I operate within this racist system, and my understanding of the system in general.

  1. The Fire Next Time – James Baldwin
  2. Are Prisons Obsolete? – Angela Davis
  3. White Fragility – Robin DiAngelo
  4. Letter To My Daughter – Maya Angelou
  5. How To Be An Anti-Racist – Ibram X. Kendi

Places To Donate:

While you’re here – Here are some organizations doing great work, who could use your support.

  1. Black Lives Matter
  2. The NAACP
  3. National Bail Fund Network – You can donate to Protest related bail outs HERE, and COVID related bail outs HERE
  4. National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls
  5. Centro De Trabajadores Unidos En Lucha
  6. NorCal Resist
  7. Black Youth Project 100
  8. Isuroon

If you have other people, resources, or organizations that you’d like to shout-out, please leave a comment! As always, thank you for being here.

In solidarity,

by Grace Thieme