Resource Links Tagged with "Collective Action"

Do’s and Don’ts for Bystander Intervention

by American Friends Service Committee Staff | Date Unknown
If you witness public instances of racist, anti-Black, anti-Muslim, anti-Trans, or any other form of oppressive interpersonal violence and harassment, use these tips on how to intervene while considering the safety of everyone involved. Available to download as a PDF.
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Bystander Intervention] [Tips-Dos/Don’ts] [Role Model] [Individual Change] [Strategies] [Advocacy] [Quaker] [Faith-Based/Spiritual]

What Do We Do With White Folks?

by Anthony James Williams | February 2019
But here is where the problem of progressive minded whiteness comes into play. No matter how “woke” mainstream media labels white people for doing things like reading The New Jim Crow, history has never given us examples of people in power who give up their power.
White supremacy is our abuser, and white folk are most often the ones embodying it and benefiting from it through their whiteness.
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [White Supremacy] [White Culture] [White Privilege] [Individual Change] [Black Lives Matter] [Reparations] [Tips-Dos/Don’ts] [Accountability]

10 things every white teacher should know when talking about race

by Angela Watson | Janurary 2017
Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room–why I am talking only to white people? Isn’t that racist? (Hold that question in your mind, because I want you to ask yourself that same question again after you’ve read my words here, and see if your thought process has changed.) I’m specifically addressing white people in this episode because around 83% of teachers in the U.S. are white. Most of you reading my blog are in fact, white. Conversations about race are super prevalent right now and for many white people, it feels like stepping into a minefield. They have literally no idea what to say, or feel like they don’t understand the history of people of color enough to contribute much to the conversation. Or, they say something they think is totally valid but inadvertently offend people of color in the discussion. Or get their own feelings hurt because they feel “attacked,” vowing to never, ever enter another conversation about race again. This can’t happen, teacher friends. It really hurts my heart to see so many misunderstandings in our country around race right now, particular when it’s among white teachers who are shaping the next generation of minds. Teachers are smart, thoughtful people tasked with raising up young people to be leaders. We cannot be ignorant about race or avoid talking about it. Includes PODCAST.
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Teachers] [Tips-Dos/Don’ts] [Accountability] [Podcast] [Anti-Racism] [White Supremacy] [White Culture] [“Reverse Racism”] [White Privilege] [White Defensiveness]

Colin Kaepernick Was Right About Us

by John Pavlovitz | September 2018
* He exposed us when we felt it was our right to tell another human being how to express their personal freedoms, during an anthem supposedly devoted to celebrating those personal freedoms. He exposed us when we treasured flags and songs over flesh and blood; when we repeatedly ignored dissenting facts in order to hold on to our easy and lazy outrage.
TAGS: [Collective Action] [Accountability] [Role Model] [2010’s]

Black Women Have Never Had the Privilege of Rage

by Kimberely Seals Allers | October 2018
The past several weeks have sparked an unprecedented conversation about women’s collective fury in this #MeToo, #WhyIDidntReport and post-Kavanaugh hearings era. Three recent books and a flurry of op-eds, essays and social media energy has everyone talking about rage in a brand new way. This is good news for women. But what’s been blatantly missing from mainstream dialogue is a nuanced understanding of how rage is perceived by and received from black women ― and whether this alleged new moment in the ongoing liberation of women will actually be an equitable one.
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Silencing POC] [White Privilege]

Police Incitement Against Black Lives Matter Is Putting Protesters in Danger

by Sarah Lazare | July 2016
* From the floor of the Republican National Convention to the online pages of the Blue Lives Matter Facebook community, it is now commonplace for public officials, police and first responders to openly declare war on Black Lives Matter—the civil rights movement of our times. “After the shooting, when they [the police] talked about the protest, they talked about how violent protesters were,” Mica Grimm, organizer with Black Lives Matter- Minneapolis, told AlterNet. “They never talked about how five people were shot. No one will ever bring that up. They really don’t care that much about protesters.”
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Policing] [White Supremacy] [Black Lives Matter] [Accountability] [Silencing POC]

The Effects of Structural Racism are Not Normal

by Erin Okuno | November 2017
*The feeling of wondering why everyone else was ok to be at a meeting of all-white people is what Heidi (of the Fakequity team) describes as a byproduct of structural racism. We often don’t think twice about why whiteness pervades our society and we’re conditioned to accept and normalize it. “…imagine if I walked you into a room and it was of a major corporation, like ExxonMobil, and every single person around the boardroom were black, you would think that were weird. But if I walked you into a Fortune 500 company, and everyone around the table is a white male, when will it be that we think that’s weird too?”
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Tips-Dos/Don’ts] [White Culture] [Systemic Racism]

The 5 Types of ‘Becky’

by Michael Harriot | August 2017
*Becky: (noun); a white woman who uses her privilege as a weapon, a ladder or an excuse. Ex: “A random Becky hit me up on Twitter to explain why not all white women are racist.” An eyeopening description of different levels of racism, could you be one of them? (note: in 2020 “Becky” changed to “Karen”)
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Accountability] [White Blindness]

How America Spreads the Disease that is Racism by not Confronting Racist Family Members and Friends

by Racism Recovery Center | August 2017
In counseling many white Americans who are against racism, one thing stands out: they are afraid to confront their racist family members and friends. They are against racism, but they also love their family and friends. I am often asked, “April, I don’t know what to do. How do I confront them without upsetting them?” Where do you fall on the Racism Scale?
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Systemic Racism]

Curriculum for White Americans to Educate Themselves on Race and Racism–from Ferguson to Charleston

by Jon Greenberg | July 2015
There are no doubt complexities that come with White Americans working for racial justice. White privilege can lead to a chronic case of undiagnosed entitlement, creating poor listeners, impatient speakers who talk over others, and people unaccustomed to taking orders. Nevertheless, the movement for racial justice needs more White Americans to get involved. And it’s our responsibility to help each other get involved–and get involved productively. A list of articles and links to help on your journey.
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Tips-Dos/Don’ts] [White Privilege]

Whites Only: SURJ And The Caucasian Invasion Of Racial Justice Spaces

by DiDi Delgado | Updated April 2017
White-led racial justice groups have displayed problematic behavior, lack of accountability, and outright anti-Blackness. White folks need to ask themselves if they’re doing this work because it’s a moral imperative, or because they want accolades and kudos to soothe their white guilt. If it’s the latter, then they’ve picked the wrong hobby.
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [White Fragility/Tears] [Accountability]

Black Activists Don’t Want White Allies’ Conditional Solidarity!

by Stacey Patton | February 2017
White allies have a long history of centering themselves in Black-led racial justice movements and telling leaders how to protest. In 1964, during Freedom Summer, a number of White participants often showed up to explain to Black organizers and community members what should be done. … That’s what people don’t get about “white fragility” and “white tears.” White people aren’t getting upset because they feel some affinity with whiteness as a racial construct, but because white references family and loving relations. So to call into question white privilege and call for the end of whiteness is to call their existence, their families, their friendships, and their power into question.
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [White Fragility/Tears] [White Privilege] [Tips-Dos/Don’ts]

Gaslighting: State Mind Control and Abusive Narcissism

by Vanessa Beeley | May 2016
Gaslighting as an abuser’s modus operandi, involves, specifically, the withholding of factual information and its replacement with false or fictional information designed to confuse and disorientate. Gaslighting involves a step by step psychological process to manipulate and destabilize its victim. It is built up over time and consists of repetitive information feeds that enter the victim’s subconscious over a period of time, until it is fully registered on the subconscious “hard disk” and cannot be overridden by the conscious floppy disk. Put more simply, it is brainwashing. “Overall, the main reason for gaslighting is to create a dynamic where the abuser has complete control over their victim so that they are so weak that they are very easy to manipulate.” ~ Alex Myles
TAGS: [Collective Action] [2010’s] [Silencing POC]

RACIAL EQUITY: How to Value Black Lives

by Enola G. Aird | June 2016
The Black Lives Matter movement has correctly pointed to this dehumanization as the driving force behind the police killings of black people. But it’s crucial to recognize that the dehumanization of black people is rooted in the lies, and that black lives will never truly matter until these lies are extinguished. It’s been 150 years since the end of enslavement, and nearly 50 years since the official end of Jim Crow, but the lies are still warping the world’s perceptions of Black people, and our perceptions of ourselves. These lies are the reasons why, in spite of all the constitutional amendments, legislation, and litigation, the black community in the United States and around the world seems to be standing still — and, in some cases, moving backwards.
TAGS: [White Supremacy] [Black Lives Matter] [Strategies] [2010’s] [History] [Collective Action]

A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement

by Alicia Garza | October 2014
Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression. ‘“When we say Black Lives Matter, we are talking about the ways in which Black people are deprived of our basic human rights and dignity.”
TAGS: [History] [Black Lives Matter] [Strategies] [2010’s] [Collective Action] [Accountability]

The Role Of Spirit In The #BLACKLIVESMATTER Movement: A Conversation With Activist And Artist Patrisse Cullors

by Hebah H. Farrag | June 2015
While the involvement of church groups and traditional religious leaders in various aspects of Black Lives Matter has been noted by news outlets, there is another spirit that animates the Black Lives Matter movement, one that has received little attention but is essential to a new generation of civil rights activists….Images of a white-clad black woman burning sage across a militarized police line. Altars using sacred images and symbols from multiple faiths placed to hold space for those murdered. Events ending with prayers for the oppressed. Protests called ‘ceremonies’ in front of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s house, with attendees asked to wear all white.”
TAGS: [Faith-Based/Spiritual] [Strategies] [2010’s] [Black Lives Matter] [Collective Action]

Addressing Racist Rhetoric in the U.S. Elections- Updated

by John Michael | December 2015
“The language of hate is often coded, but was understood by two Boston adults, who beat a homeless Hispanic man. They pointed to Donald Trump as their inspiration. The use of hate speech threatens all people of color. Citizens of this nation need to promote the “Beloved Community,” not walk down a road of racism.”
TAGS: [2010’s] [Faith-Based/Spiritual] [Advocacy] [Strategies] [Collective Action]

On Black Mama’s Bail Out Day, “Goal is to Free Our People from These Cages” Before Mother’s Day

by Democracy Now! | May2017
On Thursday, racial justice groups began bailing women out of jail as part of a nationwide “Black Mama’s Bail Out Day.” The effort, taking place in nearly 20 cities, raises money to free as many black women from jail as possible in time for a Mother’s Day celebration with their families. Organizers for Black Mama’s Bail Out Day are calling for an end to the cash bail system, which keeps hundreds of thousands of people who have not been convicted of any crime imprisoned in jails every day nationwide while they await trial. For more, we speak with Mary Hooks, co-director of Southerners On New Ground, or SONG, an Atlanta-based regional LGBTQ nonprofit and one of the organizers of Black Mama’s Bail Out Day.
TAGS: [Strategies] [2010’s] [Prison System] [Collective Action]

New Monument To The People Of Malaga Island Offers ‘Healing And Closure’

*Paywall Alert
by Dennis Hoey |July 2017
More than a century ago, the state wiped out the coastal community, institutionalizing its mixed-race population. The monument at Pineland Farms promises we’ll always remember.
TAGS: [History] [Strategies] [2010’s] [Art & Culture] [Collective Action]

The Story on Reparations I’m Not Qualified to Write

by William Spivey | June 2019
The primary argument against Reparations is that individuals today shouldn’t bear the brunt of what happened long ago and that enough time has passed since (choose one); the end of the Civil War, the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the end of Jim Crow, the end of school segregation… that equality should have been achieved. The case for Reparations has never been to exact retribution from generic white people for the harm done to slaves in time past. The case is best made against the United States Government, which has been part of every effort to suppress black people since they came to this country until the present day.
TAGS: [Reparations] [Strategies] [2010’s] [Assumptions] [Collective Action] [Silencing POC] [Politics]

For Lasting Climate Change Solutions, It’s Time to Listen to Young People of Color | Opinion

by Nyiesha Mallet and Asli Mwaafrika | September 2019
With much attention turning this week to the upcoming U.N. Climate Action Summit and Greta Thunberg’s involvement as a youth leader, the time is long overdue to listen to young voices from these disproportionately impacted communities of color. The time has come for us to be recognized as leaders in climate advocacy and solutions.
TAGS: [Strategies] [2010’s] [POC Climate Action] [Role Model] [Collective Action]

THE DRAGONS

When George Floyd was killed, or Freddie Gray or Michael Brown there is intense, widespread outrage and mass protests but then things die down until the next murder. The Dragon Panel Project connects these isolated events, touches people’s hearts and brings awareness that it is part of a system.

“Got… Really?” beads

“Got… Really?” beads are a cheap and easy action. Choose what “Got _ _ _ _?” phrases you want to use such as “Got bias? Then on the back print “Really?”
TAGS: [Collective Action] [Accountability] [Role Model] [White Privilege]

Ibram Kendi, One of the Nation’s Leading Scholars of Racism, Says Education and Love Are Not the Answer

by Lonnae O’Neal | September 2017
Professor Ibram Kendi, founder of the new Anti-Racism Center at American University and author of Stamped from the Beginning, The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, talks about the “ideas that grow out of discriminatory policies.” and breaks down the “layers of racist ideas that account for why we think like we do. Just so you know, black people are not inherently better athletes than white people, Kendi says. We only think so because “black people have not only been rendered inferior to white people, they’ve been rendered like animals,” and thus physically superior creatures. It’s an old racist idea that helped justify African-Americans’ suitability for backbreaking labor and medical experiments and the theft of their children.
TAGS: [Strategies] [2010’s] [Implicit Racism] [Systemic Racism] [White Culture] [Assumptions] [Collective Action] [Tips-Dos/Don’ts]

How the Daughters and Granddaughters of Former Slaves Secured Voting Rights for All

by Martha S. Jones | March 2019 Historian Martha S. Jones takes a look at the question of race versus gender in the quest for universal suffrage. The history of black women and the vote is one about figures who, though subjected to nearly crushing political disabilities, emerged as unparalleled advocates of universal suffrage in its truest sense.
TAGS: [Strategies] [2010’s] [History] [Politics] [Collective Action]

19 Youth Climate Activists of Color Who Are Fighting to Protect the Earth

by Sherronda J. Brown | September 2019
Meet the black and brown teens fighting to protect their lands from industrial, military, and colonialist actions that have caused climate change. This list is not extensive and far from complete—there are many more BIPOC youths leading the fight against climate change and demanding that world leaders step-up and confront how colonialism continues to destroy the earth and Wear Your Voice highlights some of these teens.
TAGS: [Role Model] [2010’s] [POC Climate Action] [Advocacy] [Collective Action] [Environment]
[Strategies]

Speak Out! Dangerous White Woman

by Pegi Eyers | September 2016
There are no shortage of tools for the highly-relevant learning curve that Allen Johnson calls “racial reconciliation and cultural competency.”1 And whether we are approaching anti-racist activism as a new direction or have been working as a change agent for years, it is extremely useful to look at the model of “The 8 White Identities” by Barnor Hesse… White Suremacist, White Voyerism, White Privilege, White Benefit, White Confessional, White Critical, White Traitor, & White Abolitionist.
TAGS: [Assumptions] [2010’s] [Definitions] [White Supremacy] [White Privilege] [Individual Change] [Collective Action]

Believe in Something and Get Uncomfortable: The Truth about Fighting Racism

by Shay | September 2018
…Change is a process, and rarely is it easy. True change often means sitting with the uncomfortable and facing ourselves. Our realself. The one that we might hide from the world but that we know is there.
As I start to turn my attention back to anti-racism work, I am struck by how the work of white people dismantling racism is a process much life working on yourself. Actually, as a white person, you are working on yourself if you are doing such work. Racism isn’t simply about ignorance and individual hate. Rather, it is a system of power that was crafted by and for white people and undergirds every system we have. Even when society “allows” an individual Black person or other people of color (POC) into a position of power, the system itself is controlled by white people.
TAGS: [Individual Change] [2010’s] [White Supremacy] [Systemic Racism] [Collective Action]

Building Accountable Relationships with Communities of Color: Some Lessons Learned

by the Pax Christi Anti-Racism Team | November 2007
One benefit White Pax Christi folks are discovering as a result of engaging with Communities of Color during the Peoples Peace Initiative process are the new insights and wisdom that have deepen their understanding of the challenges of peacemaking in this new century. As a result, White Pax Christi groups around the country are becoming more committed to transformation Pax Christi into an anti-racist multicultural Catholic movement for peace with justice. TAGS: [Collective Action] [Accountability] [2000’s]

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

by Corinne Shutack | August 2017
Note that the author is a white woman and what seemed in 2017 to be “good ideas” such as requiring on-duty officers to wear body-worn-cameras, in practice, at least by itself, have led to worsening injustices. Other ideas may have better withstood the test of time TAGS: [Collective Action] [Teachers] [Policing] [2010’s]