Please note: I am a white and Latinx person. This post is intended to illustrate for other non-black people how I am supporting the Black Lives Matter cause.
I haven’t posted a lot about the racial justice protests because I find most social media posts from non-black people to be performative and unproductive. I prefer to take consistent, real world actions such as amplifying the voices of black artists and creators in my role as a journalist, having conversations about race with friends and family, and calling out racist comments and actions when I see them.
In that spirit, it’s important to remember that taking action YEAR ROUND is essential. An easy way to get started is by diversifying your consumption.
Diversifying everything that we consume is an important part of supporting black people and keeping the cause at the forefront of our minds. I constantly evaluate everything that I consume, that includes social media content, print media, books, art, and culture as well as what businesses I’m shopping at and what restaurants I’m buying from. Is your reading list mostly white authors? That’s a problem. Do you mostly buy from corporations or white owned businesses? That’s a problem.
To get the process of diversifying your life started, I’ve put together this list of black authors, artists, and influencers I love. I chose these three areas because I feel I have the most knowledge of them from my reporting and lifestyle. Remember, this is in addition to actions like donating to black activist orgs, signing petitions, and having those hard conversations.
Influencers
There are a lot of lists and shares of diverse influencers happening on Instagram right now, be sure to refer to those as they are most likely more comprehensive than this one. These are just a few of the accounts, mostly Boston based, that I love.
Nail the Cocktail
https://www.instagram.com/nailthecocktail/
Twenty Something Plus
https://www.instagram.com/twentysomethingplus/
Color Me Courtney
https://www.instagram.com/colormecourtney/
Tabitha Sewer
https://www.instagram.com/tabithasewer/
Heleena Norvette
https://www.instagram.com/heleenanorvette/
Books
It’s important to read books about race, of course, to better understand the systems at play. But it’s also important to read books of all kinds written by black authors. Black life is about more than just oppression, it’s important not to limit the narrative to the struggles. Another important piece of the book category is buying diverse books for children.
So You Want to Talk About Race
Ijeoma Oluo
Gingerbread
Helen Oyeyemi
Becoming
Michelle Obama
Thrall
Natasha Trethewey
On Black Sister’s Street
Chika Unigwe
Artists
Again, these are just a few of the many talented black artists and art organizations here in Boston. Seeing black art hosted by major organizations (MFA, ICA) and theaters is great, but supporting the artists themselves is even better!
Ellice Patterson
Dancer, founder of Abilities Dance Boston
https://www.abilitiesdanceboston.org/donate
Porsha Olayiwola
Boston’s Poet Laureate
http://www.porshaolayiwola.com/
Chanel Thervil
Artist and educator
http://www.chanelthervil.com/
Jamal Thorne
Visual artist
https://jamaldraws.com/
Oompa
Poet, rapper, and educator
https://oompoutloud.com/
This is a challenging time for all of us. I understand that white people often don’t know how to be supportive and are afraid of doing the wrong thing or accidentally being racist. Those concerns are valid, but right now we need to prioritize black people’s lives over our own concerns about being perceived as racist. Their lives are just more important than our comfort.
If you have concerns or questions about being a good ally feel free to shoot me an e-mail. Communication is an important part of the process!
Excellent ideas for supporting the black cause. As in most fights involving social injustice, its difficult to know how to be effective.