Black Lives Matter

Why do cities have to burn before we pay attention?

In the UK I hear people saying the plight of Black Americans is a US problem. Not true. Black people in the UK struggle daily. More black people than any other group have been fined & searched during the lockdown – that’s symptomatic of a wider systemic problem.

So what can non-black people do? (Numerous & detailed resources for the points made below follow at the end of this post)

1. Don’t ask black people to engage in the emotional labour of raising your awareness about the impacts of racism.
2. Sign petitions
3. Support black-owned businesses and movements, eg: Kayleigh Benoit, Omari McQueen, Cephas Williams
4. Amplify black voices. Share their stories and raise awareness about the work they are doing.
5. Check in on black friends & colleagues. Remember that racism causes trauma. You must not ever expect someone to talk about the racism they have suffered or assume that it’s easy to talk about. If you are unsure of how you to start that conversation then send me a private message – I will try to help.

You will feel discomfort as you do these things (maybe even as you read this post). If you feel like stopping, remind yourself that you have the luxury to stop & move on to something else. Black people do not.

#justiceforgeorgefloyd #BLM