It should go without saying.

Black lives matter. It should go without saying, but unfortunately, it still doesn’t.

White Americans have systematically oppressed and weaponized black bodies for over 400 years and continue doing so today. It’s not up to the black community to dismantle these racist systems and beliefs. It’s up to all of us. That starts with acknowledging the problems and becoming a part of the solutions.

While we can never fully understand the hardships and fears felt by our black communities, we are committed to listening and learning. Here are some of the resources we’re finding helpful. Hopefully you will too. And once we know more, it’s up to us to do better. All of us. Every day. In big gestures and small interactions.

  1. Check out:
    1. “Anti-racism resources” by Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein
    2. “75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice“ by Corinne Shutack
    3. “White people, here’s how we can try to be better allies and proactively anti-racist“ by Chloe Laws
    4. “11 Shows and Documentaries to Help You Learn About Racial Justice and Police Brutality“ by Malcolm Venable
  2. Read:
    1. “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo
    2. “Me and White Supremacy” by Layla Saad
    3. “How to be Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi
  3. Listen:
    1. “The Nod” by Gimlet
    2. “Code Switch” by NPR
    3. “1619” by NYT
  4. Watch:
    1. “Dear White People” by Justin Simien
    2. “13th” by Ava DuVernay
    3. “The Hate U Give” by George Tillman Jr.

Educate your children.

  1. Read “These Books Can Help You Explain Racism and Protest to Your Kids“ with NYT
  2. Listen to “How White Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About Race“ with NPR
  3. Tune in to TODAY’s “How to talk to kids about racism, protests and injustice“

Follow the conversation and its leaders.  

  1. Rachel Cargle is an academic and an activist. She just released Public Address on Revolution: Revolution Now.
  2. Ibram X. Kendi is Director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. He recently wrote The American Nightmare for The Atlantic.
  3. Opal Tometi is a globally recognized human rights advocate and co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter. Tune in to her TED interview with fellow BLM founders, Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors.
  4. Read President Barack Obama’s “How to Make this Moment the Turing Point for Real Change“ for Medium.
  5. Deray McKesson is a civil rights activist, author of “On the Other Side of Freedom” and former school administrator who launched Campaign Zero.
  6. Black leaders compiled a recommended list of books and more for white Coloradans.

Support Black-owned businesses.

  1. 303 Magazine: “275+ Black Owned Businesses to Support in and Around Denver“
  2. KXAN: “Austin-area, black-owned businesses to support“
  3. Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce: Member Directory
  4. Greater Austin Black Chamber: Member Directory
  5. Colorado Black Arts Festival: July 10, 11 and 12

Donate your time and money.
As a company, SideCar PR made donations to each of these organizations this week.

  1. #BlackLivesMatter started in 2013 following the murder of Trayvon Martin. The movement is committed to “struggling together and to imagining and creating a world free of anti-Blackness, where every Black person has the social, economic, and political power to thrive.”
  2. Campaign Zero provides policy solutions for limiting police interventions, improving community interactions and ensuring accountability.
  3. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) urges Congress to protect black lives and civil rights through legislative action.
  4. Donations to Colorado Freedom Fund help pay bail and post money bonds for people who are unable to afford the cost of buying their own freedom.
  5. The Austin Justice Coalition is a Racial Justice Group that educates and builds community power for people of color who live in Austin, Texas.

Support policy change.

  1. Colorado Democrats unveil sweeping police accountability bill in response to George Floyd’s death by The Colorado Sun
  2. Colorado’s State Primary Election voting ends on June 30
  3. Texas’ Runoff Ballot Election voting is in July 
  4. Know your elected officials in Austin and Denver

At SideCar, we recognize it’s a privilege to be able to educate ourselves about racism instead of experiencing it. And we know that education is just the first step in showing up for the black community. Changing things will require persistence and action long-term. We welcome your input on this journey. Have some additional resources or advice to share? We’re listening.

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