The events of the last month have forever changed our country. We have seen immediate responses from the removal of the Columbus statue at the Capitol to the banning of Confederate flags at NASCAR as we wake up to the true state of our nation. 

 

CCPC is proud to stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the movement to end systemic racism and police brutality in the United States. 

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Since the day of George Floyd’s murder on May 25th, protests have seen unprecedented levels of unity across both national and international communities. Tragically, yet ironically, law enforcement has responded to this movement with unconscionable acts of racism and brutality. One Civil Rights Activist produced this Google spreadsheet to chronicle the 760 acts of police brutality during the second week of protests.

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As a result, our nation continues to reel from historical levels of trauma, tension, and disinformation. Accordingly, this movement will require unprecedented levels of grass-roots resources and support to continue the movement forward. Today we urge our supporters, as long time advocates for ending the racist war on drugs, to join the larger community of interest in social justice by standing in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. 

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As social justice advocates focused on protecting public health and safety, we want to provide the public with resources to help individuals meaningfully contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement during this critical time. The utility and power of protest can never be overstated. Political movements critically depend on various efforts and fortunately, many do not require physically attending an event. We’ve taken the liberty to generate a list of the available options and provide links to additional resources.

                                   

How can you help?

 

• Sign up with BLM.

  • By signing up with BLM, you grow their organization and will receive updates on special launches, network actions, programs, partnerships, and more.

    • https://blacklivesmatter.com/

  • Afterwards, see their guide on how to stay actively involved:

    • https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

• Fight Disinformation. 

  • Don’t feel comfortable being a voice in the movement? Be the movement’s eyes and ears instead. Political misinformation is being spread at unprecedented rates, and BLM is especially susceptible to being targeted by misinformation campaigns. Help their cause by reporting directly to BLM any suspicious sites, news articles, social media accounts, advertisements, youtube video, or other forms of online disinformation that you come across.

    • https://blacklivesmatter.com/help-us-fight-disinformation/

• Donate to the Cause. 

  • In addition to donating to BLM you can also donate to organizations dedicated to championing policies to end mass incarceration and enhanced sentencing, such as the Equal Justice Initiative, which provides legal representation to people who have been incorrectly convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in incarceration. Some groups, like the National Council For Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, focus specifically on providing assistance to female inmates and reformed felons.

• Educate Yourself and Others.

  • TIME has developed lists of books to read and movies to watch for those looking to educate themselves on the topics of racism and protest history. 

  • Critic acclaimed documentaries on the subject include “13th” which analyzes the origins of systemic racism and mass incarceration of black men, focusing on the exception to involuntary servitude permitted in the 13th Amendment (available on Netflix). “Whose Streets” narrates the Black Lives Matter uprisings in Ferguson (available on Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google, Vudu).

  • Those interested in how to become an ally of the movement will find value in reading this Google Doc on anti-racism resources for white people and this syllabus on “becoming an active ally to the black community”.

  • To understand how the war on drugs is used as an apparatus to systematically target African Americans for mass incarceration, the Drug Policy Alliance developed this succinct summary of the pertinent facts. Additionally, in 2016, Jay-Z produced a short artistic clip that elegantly summarizes the racist essence of the then 45 year war on drugs.

• Provide Essential Supplies for Protesters.

  • Protestors critically depend on an array of essential items. You can make a considerable contribution to protests by sewing face masks, making posters, gathering first aid kits, and purchasing snacks and water. Some protests have supply drop-off stations, and if not then you can either contact a protest organizer or a friend in attendance to collect the supplies. 

  • See also, Amnesty International’s User guide to providing protestors with essential supplies. (https://www.amnestyusa.org/pdfs/SafeyDuringProtest_F.pdf)

• Donate to Pay Bail for Political Protesters.

  • The National Bail Fund Network has composed and regularly updates a list of 60 community bail and bond funds across the United States. Other lists of bail funds and related resources include Resistance Map, Bail Out Network, National Bail Fund Network, and The Bail Project.

• Sign Petitions.

  • The Change.org petition demanding justice for George Floyd and the attention of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has over 17 million signatures. The petition is now the largest US petition in the history of Change.org. 

  • There are petitions for a variety of causes, including a national action against police brutality. Petitions can be found all across Change.org and social media. 

• Contact Your Local Elected Officials.

  • USA.gov provides links to locate your local elected officials' contact information where you can advocate for police reform policies. If you are looking for talking points to write to or discuss with your local elected officials, NAACP and Black Lives Matter have key policy changes outlined on their site.

• Support Black-Owned Businesses. 

  • Insider compiled a list of different apps that direct you to local and black-owned businesses. There are restaurant directories that connect you to Black-owned restaurants and online marketplaces that also advance Black-owned businesses. 

• Register to Vote. 

  • To register yourself to vote, visit Vote.org. Consider registering for a mail-in ballot so that you don't put your health at risk by voting in person.

• Monitor Police Activity.

  • You can monitor police scanners via mobile apps. Apps like Police Scanner Radio & Fire and Broadcastify Pro will allow you to monitor police activity to allow you to notify those in your contacts to avoid these areas if necessary. 

• Record Police Encounters

  • The Shortcut App allows you to instantly start recording video, then automatically uploads that footage to your icloud account and sends your location information to your designated emergency contact. This process is activated simply by simply saying, “Hey Siri, I’m getting pulled over.”

 

Advice If You Do Attend Protests:

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• Wear a mask, eye protection, and heat-resistant gloves

• Do not yell, because it can spread droplets. Choose signs, drums, or similar noisemakers instead.

• Stick with a buddy group to keep your number of unknown contacts low.

• Carry water, hand sanitizer, and bandages. Keep your hands as clean as possible

• Self-quarantine and avoid the elderly, if possible, for 14 days afterwards.