A reminder for anyone doing black out Tuesday social media posts - please don’t post them in the hashtag blacklivesmatter. Doing so is drowning out the very voices and information people are trying to illuminate.
(I haven’t seen this from anyone here but have quite a bit on my Insta feed)
Thank you for this.
I just wrote my reps and senators to demand that they do SOMETHING to rein Trump the fuck in already because sending the GD MILITARY, FFS into my city is not going to help matters. Governor and mayor are next. Yesterday I wrote the mayor and signed petitions to get her to start up the program again where Chicago Public Schools gives away food to low-income children each day. Yes, that was suspended because it was “unsafe” due to the unrest so kids went without food yesterday (though restaurants stepped up).
I should have my Etsy money hit my account today and then I’ll be able to make a donation. It won’t be very big. I posted on my business social media a list of the MN orgs I was donating to because at that time shit hadn’t blown up in Chicago yet, but now I want to donate locally though I’m unsure if that makes me a liar. Really, I just want to donate fucking EVERYWHERE but I can’t do that.
My small town has had three peaceful protests, with the police blocking traffic so they could walk freely. At the first one people simply laid on the ground with their hands behind their backs saying “I can’t breathe” for 8 minutes.
For those who have no more money left to donate, a group of black creators made a YouTube video where all the ad revenue from watching the video will be donated to the BLM cause. You just need AdBlocker disabled and can play the video in the background.
Through a DAF, I want to make a donation to BLM. With so much intentional disinformation on the internet, I want to be sure I give to the valid organization with a valid TIN. I was looking at a BLM site but the donation url had the word blue in the profile. Color me paranoid, but I need to be sure I don’t accidentally donate to the wrong cause! Can anyone provide a url w/ the TIN for BLM? I haven’t slept in weeks and my brain is really broken right now.
The blue is for ActBlue, which is a registered charitable organization that aims to democratize charitable giving. When I go to
I see the charity’s registration numbers in different states at the bottom. Is this what you are looking for?
@anomalily will know more.
Yea actblue is a payment processor that focuses on progressive causes - they’re like using stripe or paypal, except they specialize in progressive causes and compliance with campaign finance regulation reporting.
Thanks!
Thanks.
Absolutely! I’ll shoot you a private message as soon as I get to my computer!
Hey y’all.
I have so much to type, but also am operating on so little sleep and so much coffee my brain is sizzling.
I currently live in the capital of the former confederacy, Richmond VA. Things have been tense here (recently and FOREVER). I’ve been to one protest, and it was calm and peaceful. Last night, before curfew the police gassed out the crowd who was 30 minutes from dispersing and at the end of their marching route. Kids and everything. I was not there, but was watching it live.
Then a cop repeatedly spit on a cuffed detained protester on video. Then they randomly walked through downtown spraying people just out walking while laughing, and also spraying into the open windows of folks video taping. Many things in addition to these things, but these are the most recent.
I live near enough to the city line to hear the flash bangs and the sirens, and helicopters (for now just news).
We have dozens of glory-held confederate statues that can’t be torn down without a crane (they are bigger than my house), but most have been vandalized and confederate buildings have been lit fire.
My current action plan is self education, donations, offering services via my business pro-bono, and offering mental health packets delivered to those who need it. It’s not enough, but it’s my start.
I’ve been working with a black-owned business that I frequent on my side of town to offer pro-bono services for their staff if they need or want to go to protests, take a day off of work with no responsibilities (hence me caring for their pets) - so far they have not taken me up on it, but offered me some free food instead… which is… 
I’m also having many conversations with my parents, who are quite liberal, but who both have only ever met one black person in their lives (and they are in their 70’s) due to their tremendously rural location.
^ This is all sort of just word vomit, but I’m glad we’ve got a thread to discuss things.
Additionally,
Do we have any black folks on the forum? No one needs to call anyone out, just in general? If not, what do y’all think we can do to be more inviting to communities of color - through the many threads and posts within this forum there’s a lot of support, resources, and information here that should be more widely shared. What do y’all think we can do?
;;;edited because I didn’t need to say that shit about my mom and be defensive and fragile about her ethnicity;;;
I’d like your words too. I’ve got a few of my own, but I’d like yours too.
This is the template that I’ve been working from, and I’ve used similar templates in the past. This was not drafted by me but by members of SURJ, and it’s easy to customize.
Dear ____,
I am outraged by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis.
I am emailing to express the need for antiracist legislation to be a focus of your agenda next Session. This should include policing, prisons, and education. Black lives matter—our state’s laws need to reflect that.
I don’t want this to be used as an opportunity to demonstrate the work that has already been done in years past. We need more action.
Please take this email as a call to action for you and your team to write and sponsor antiracist legislation with urgency and input from Black people.
Sincerely,
Name, address
It’s important to include your address if you’re in the US, it validates your voice as a member of your elected official’s constituency.
It’s often important to keep these as concise as possible; if it’s particularly lengthy, it won’t receive all the attention it deserves and the message can get lost.
If you don’t know how to find your elected officials, this site will pull them up based on your address and list them from federal down to county:
https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/change-your-address/
I’ll also add that Resistbot on Facebook Messenger is a really easy way to email your officials. I use it often. I believe when you sign up it asks you where you live and then remembers who your reps/senators/etc. are.
SIX Organizations in Bernie Sanders contribution request (contribution split between these 6, via ActBlue):
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund is the country’s top legal firm fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, it seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve justice for all. It also defends the gains and protections won over the past 75 years of civil rights struggle.
Poor People’s Campaign confronts the interlocking evils of systemic racism, poverty, and militarism. As a nation we are at a critical juncture — and we need a movement led by working people that will shift the moral narrative, impact policies and elections at every level of government, and build lasting power for poor and impacted people.
Color of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization that helps people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by 1.7 million members, they move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America.
The Citizenship Education Fund , founded by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, is working to protect, defend and gain civil rights by leveling the economic and educational playing fields while promoting peace and justice around the world. It is a multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of all people by serving as a voice for the voiceless.
Mijente is a national hub for Latinx and Chincanx organizing that advocates on behalf of those communities as well as other oppressed communities. It has been leading the charge within Spanish language media, attempting to bring awareness and solidarity with Black-led protests and organizations. It serves as a link between many Black-led organizations and Spanish-speaking communities, participating and leading in solidarity actions in several states.
The Bail Project is a national nonprofit organization that pays bail for people in need, reuniting families and restoring the presumption of innocence. In fighting mass incarceration, they aim to secure freedom for as many people as possible and ensure equal justice for all.
This just came across my feed. In light of the fact that we artists are supposed to be telling others to support African-American artists rather than buying from us so that we can donate, here is a list:
I’m mostly out of the local craft scene these days and I’m realizing I can only think of a few African-American local crafters who are still in business. I need to think on this more. I know there are some I know who quit.
For those overwhelmed by the number of places to donate, here is a donation link that splits your donation amongst 11 orgs working for racial justice and police reform:
Thank you. Called all three of my federal-level reps. Will try to call state level reps tomorrow because why should they get out of this. I have time. I have their numbers.
Don’t forget your local gov’t! PDs are by city and sherrifs are by county, even if some funding and regulation may be state and federal. LA sheriff is an elected position, not sure about other locations.
Thanks for the reminder that my sheriff is up for reelection this year. Gonna go see what her opponent is like.
