The Time is Now

This wasn't the post I thought I'd be uploading this week but it just doesn't feel right to post a usual blog post with such an important and pivotal movement and discussions happening. While I am by no means an expert on this, we must all work to educate ourselves and those around us and support those suffering because of an injustice that should not exist.


While there is no way that I could ever understand the fear and injustice felt throughout the black community, we have a duty to learn more, speak more and do more. 

1. Use Your Voice

Even if you can't attend a protest, you can post on social media, while this may seem like nothing, joining the conversation and showing your support is important. So if you're doubting what effect you can have by using your voice, it can't have any less effect than being silent.

2.  Sign Petitions

Signing petitions takes so little time but is imperative for change and is a way that everyone can help. I've linked some petitions and threads to petitions, but there are so many out there which need support.

https://www.change.org/p/gavin-williamson-make-white-privilege-and-systemic-racism-a-compulsory-part-of-the-british-education-course?recruiter=false&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=0a966570-a51b-11ea-9201-7f7403062116

https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor?source_location=discover_feed

https://www.change.org/p/suspend-uk-export-of-tear-gas-rubber-bullets-and-riot-shields-to-usa?source_location=petitions_browse

https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-condemn-the-violence-against-peaceful-blm-protesters-by-the-us-police-military?source_location=petitions_browse

https://www.change.org/p/district-attorney-tom-durden-justice-for-ahmaud-arbery-i-run-with-maud?source_location=discover_feed

https://www.change.org/p/department-of-justice-police-accountability-act-of-2020

https://www.change.org/p/us-senate-hands-up-act

https://pendingpetition.carrd.co/

3. Donate

Donations are important and if you are in a position where you are able to donate I would definitely encourage you to consider doing so. However if you are not able to make a donation, there are other ways that you can financially support this cause, some influencers are donating the revenue made from advertisements on their posts and videos to BLM causes and other videos are being made solely for the purpose of using these kind of ads as a way to generate funds for this movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCgLa25fDHM&feature=youtu.be

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/movement-4-black-lives-1

https://bailproject.org/

https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=YUcrcrri4upWRFP5ZfOv0Ofv49sCTCua2fRKMEtcDzBX_jrQ2ZjtNECuhPAJmXDmWaYbc0&country.x=US&locale.x=US

https://www.gofundme.com/f/black-minds-matter-uk

https://www.stophateuk.org/fundraising/

https://www.theredcard.org/fundraise

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15gBiGqIB5ViNtfl__jlER0qNNRkxX8R0GGuryMu2k4A/edit#gid=0

4. Read

There have been reading lists circulating and so I've listed some of the recurring suggestions but there is so much to read and this can provide you with more information on the importance of this movement.

• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness By Michelle Alexander
• Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
• Brit(ish) by Afua Hirsch
• The Good Immigrant ed. Nikesh Shukla
• They Can’t Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, And A New Era In America’s Racial Justice Movement by Wesley Lowery
• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
• Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad 

So use your voice, show your support online and remember this isn't a trend, this is real life. The time is now to help. Signing petitions are so important and do not take much time at all, if you can donate then please do that also but don't discredit the power of learning.

I have created a highlight on my Instagram page (xjess_bayleyx) of posts that bring awareness to the Black Lives Matter movement and also more material that shows how you can help and I will continue to add to this with more resources.