[Updated 6/3/20]
One of the best features about Gen Z is our passion for fighting for what is right. In the past few years, we have seen important and vital changes to our country's system and policies. We are proud to be a part of this ever-evolving country but unfortunately not all necessary changes have been made. The most recent example being George Floyd, a Minnesota man, who was murdered because of the prejudices the Black community still faces.
We do not want to allow such hatred and ignorance to continue in this country. We want to raise our voice to also bring awareness and help educate ourselves & others so the Black community (and all People of Color!!) no longer have to face continuous heartbreak and fear. Why is it so hard for the Black community, who helped build and shape this country, to experience the same freedom other members of our community so clearly does?
We've been compiling our favorite resources that are helping us to be more educated on racial injustice, how to get involved, volunteer, donate & make a change through the Black Lives Matter movement:
PAY ATTENTION:
Support diversity with your wallet. Notice which of the brands you support feature diversity on their website, advertisements and even Instagram profiles. Are there different ethnicities being featured? Are there different types of people being shown? Do you want to continue supporting them knowing they aren't inclusive? Speak up in the comments or even email and ask about ways they plan on being more diverse! This is something I (Reece) personally want to talk more about on our blog and continue to feature on SEVEN.
SPEAK UP:
Have tough conversations with parents, grand-parents and loved ones about the racial injustices that have been going on for decades. Below are links to help get these sometimes uncomfortable and hard conversations going:
vital points of discussion!!! https://ct.counseling.org/2019/04/five-points-of-discussion-for-conversations-about-racial-injustice/
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a32734555/how-to-talk-to-friends-family-racism/
exposure to diversity is key!!! https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2020/06/02/teach-talk-children-racism-violence-protests-race
Speak up to friends or loved ones who use racist language or jokes but claim they aren't "racist:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/us/racist-remark-reactions.html
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/publications/speak-up/six-steps-to-speak-up
https://www.splcenter.org/20150125/speak-responding-everyday-bigotry
https://www.csusm.edu/sjs/summit/documents/speaking-up-to-bigotry.pdf
Links
Click this link, modify with your name & hometown and press send! http://tinyurl.com/emailforfloyd/
Sign petitions here: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#petitions
Find a rally near you: https://rallylist.com/
READ:
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (Recommended by Jessica Baca)
Between the World & Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond (Recommended by Jessica Baca)
Why Non-Black People Need to Speak Up and Actively Be Anti-Racist https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a32729081/chrissy-rutherford-anti-racism-video-essay/
LISTEN:
All My Relations by Matika Wilbur & Adrienne Keene
Code Switch by NPR Recommended by Jessica Baca
The Nod by Brittany Luse & Eric Eddings
WATCH:
When They See Us (Stream on Netflix)
Teach Us All (Stream on Netflix)
SELMA (Rent on Youtube)
The Hate U Give (Rent on Youtube)
The Story of Us (Stream on Netflix)
I Am Not Your Negro (Rent on Youtube)
13th (Stream on Netflix) Recommended by Jessica Baca
Get on the Bus (Stream on Netflix)
Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap [Season 1] (Stream on Netflix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSZpYGRd6SY Important Question about Race (45 seconds)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aCn72iXO9s Let's Get to the Root of Racial Injustice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9DDE7NV1Nw 50 Years of Racism-- Why Silence Isn't the Answer
SUPPORT:
Purchase from Black owned businesses.
KLUR https://klur.co/ (Beauty)
Essentials by Temi https://www.essentialsbytemi.com/ (Beauty)
Epara Skincare https://www.eparaskincare.com/ (Beauty)
Epi.logic https://www.brooklynfaceandeye.com/epilogic-skincare (Beauty)
Mented Cosmetics https://www.mentedcosmetics.com/ (Beauty)
The Honey Pot https://thehoneypot.co/products (Beauty)
BLK MKT VINTAGE https://www.blkmktvintage.com/collections/all (Vintage Items!!)
OUI the people https://www.ouithepeople.com/ (EVERYTHING shaving)
NL the Label https://nlthelabel.com/collections/all (Fashion)
lemlem https://www.lemlem.com/collections/new-arrivals/tops (Fashion)
T.A. https://shop-ta.com/shop (Designer Fashion- pricey but soo pretty)
Yam https://www.yamnyc.com/ (Jewelry)
DONATE
*Please research the organization before donating to ensure donations are rightfully used!*
Color of Change https://colorofchange.org/
Black Visions Collective https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/
The Action Network
https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/support-justiceforgeorgefloyd-protesters-in-atlanta/
Division of Indian Work (Native American) https://www.diw-mn.org/
The Liberty Fund https://www.libertyfund.nyc/
DISCOVER:
more ways to support with your wallet! https://www.vogue.com/article/55-black-owned-fashion-and-beauty-brands-to-support-now-and-always
https://nymag.com/strategist/article/black-owned-businesses-support-shop.html
https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ (Recommended by Jessica Baca and Sofia Murguia)
This is by no means an exhaustive list. We will keep adding resources to it! Please feel free to reach out on our Instagram DM @seventhelabel or to our email support@seventhelabel.co if you have any suggestions or feel something is incorrect. We are open to anything you have to say and want to keep fighting for Black and all People of Color communities!
With love,
Reece & Madi