BY Nylah Burton

How to Actively Oppose Racist Violence Instead of Posting a Black Square

The Blackout Tuesday effort was started by Black women music executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, who intended to persuade the music industry to pause business operations on June 2 “in observance of the long-standing racism and inequality.”

However, the intent of the social media campaign has been overshadowed by people posting black rectangles with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, which is largely used to share information and resources, causing critical help to be drowned out by useless black squares.

With that in mind, here are several things you can do besides side-stepping by means of this performative social media trend.

Join a protest

If you feel safe and healthy enough to do so—although, in times like these, it’s admittedly hard to feel safe at all—then consider actually joining protests.

If you do join a protest, wear a mask. Bring extras for others if you can, as well as hand sanitizer, or even just soap and water. Try to keep your distance from others and keep from talking or shouting too much, which may contribute to the spread of the coronavirus.

Donate to bail funds or mutual aid groups

Protestors are being arrested all over the country, and many need cash bail to be released. The National Bail Fund Network has a large directory of community bail funds to donate to, as well as a COVID-19 rapid response fund.

Join a mutual aid group if you can’t donate to one

Even if you can’t lend financial support, you can join mutual aid efforts directly to help distribute or donate needed supplies like groceries, medicine, hand sanitizer, etc.

You can also contribute your services. Do you have a car or home? You can help transport goods and people to where they need to go, or provide sanctuary for protestors. Do you have graphic design or administration skills? You help run your community's mutual aid operations.

Remotely provide protestors with protection against COVID-19 and tear gas

You can also donate to Masks For America, which has distributed 22,000 FDA-certified KN95 masks and 5,500 goggles and face shields to protestors in Minneapolis, D.C., and New York City.

Read about systemic racism, white privilege, prison and police abolition, and the history of oppression against Black people in this country

If you find that you don’t know much about the issues, being discussed right now, learn on your own.

Talk to your racist family members about what’s going on and hold them accountable for their views

Don’t stay silent when your family members say racist things or advocate for harmful policies.

Call or text your elected officials

Call your elected officials every day and tell them that you demand this violence stop, and that you demand they stand up to Trump. ResistBot is an amazing, quick way to do that.

Send Black protestors , journalists, healthcare professionals, and mental health professionals money

Literally, just send Black people on the front lines money on Venmo, Paypal, or CashApp. These are the people experiencing the most trauma.

Convince your academic institution to divest from policing, mass incarceration, and fossil fuels

Many academic institutions have financial connections to policing and mass incarceration. Start a divestment campaign and pressure them to withdraw from those financial entanglements.

Whatever you choose to do: Above all, don't be silent. The space taken up by a black square could be so much more usefully filled in with tangible support of Black lives.

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