Racial Diversity: Black Lives Matter
Right to Protest serves as a repository for resources and guidelines for before, during, and after any protest. You’ll find everything you need to know here, from materials to gather in preparation, to how to film incidents of misconduct, to how to deal with unexpected problems.
The ACLU has also put together comprehensive guidelines for protesting, with how-to’s for organizers and attendees alike, as well as outlining your legal rights if you’re stopped by police, and advice for those looking to photograph or record the events.
The National Resources List is a Google Doc compiling everything from lists of lawyers donating their services to social media tips for protestors to maximize their impact, know their rights, and protest safely and effectively.
How to Protest Safely on Wired.com outlines tips for what to bring, what to expect, and how to stay safe when you’re out there.
If You’re Planning to Take Part in Protests, Know Your Rights on CNN.com has two experts—a staff attorney for the ACLU and a professor of government and citizenship from College of William & Mary Law School—covering everything you need to know to legally protect yourself.
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance has tips on how to make sure you protect your identity and privacy from law enforcement and government tracking.
And if you feel that being out in large groups is too much of a risk, you can also protest from home and still lend your voice to the cause.
Educational resources on racism and racial justice:
Talking About Race is a free collection of resources from The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. It includes digital tools, online exercises, video instructions, scholarly articles and more than 100 multi-media resources related to race, with the goal of assisting and encouraging honest dialogues on race and racism.
Showing Up for Racial Justice is a national network dedicated to working toward racial justice through community organizing, mobilizing, and education. They offer activity guides and phone conferences on topics ranging from political education, racism, white privilege, white supremacy, and white nationalism.
How to Overcome our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them is a TED talk by diversity advocate Verna Myers that examines our subconscious attitudes towards out-groups, advising that we move toward the groups that make us uncomfortable.
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice is a comprehensive list of ways white people can use their privilege for the benefit of minority voices and further the movement towards racial equality.
Resources for White People to Learn and Talk about Race and Racism on Fractured Atlas lists a variety of resources they’ve gathered since their race-based caucusing, including information about the caucuses themselves, anti-racism facilitation resources, and suggestions for further reading.
How to support protestors:
If you’re looking for more localized, boots-on-the-ground ways to help, seeking out a mutual aid group near you is a great way to get involved. There’s a good chance that there is a group in your neighborhood, and right now many of them are mobilizing to assist protestors and the larger movement in a variety of ways, including organizing and providing supplies. Let’s remember that these same groups also continue their work to assist community members during the COVID-19 crisis, which remains an ongoing issue across the country. Whether it’s volunteering your time or donating, mutual aid networks will get your help where it’s most needed.
In alliance with the National Bail Fund Network, this database lists fundraising efforts, organized by city and state, across the U.S. Originally designed to minimize incarceration during the COVID-19 crisis, the database is now pivoting to redirect all donated bail funds to free incarcerated protestors.
The premier legal organization fighting for racial justice, the NAACP’s federal defense league is currently dedicating itself to providing aid and resources during the nationwide protests. Among resources being circulated, you’ll find a list of Jail Support Organizations for protestors taken into custody which you can donate to, as well as a petition demanding justice for George Floyd.
In partnership with City Joy, Support the Cities is a grassroots campaign to help repair the damages to small businesses and neighborhoods. The good news is that they’re currently overwhelmed with volunteer requests, but they do provide up-to-date opportunities to help out on their Facebook page if you’re still looking to help. They are also accepting donations, which go toward all their efforts to clean up and beautify.
The Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
This GoFundMe organized by the brother of George Floyd is meant to secure funding for funeral and burial expenses, mental health and grief counseling, and lodging and travel expenses for court proceedings. A portion of the funding will also go toward the Estate of George Floyd to ensure proper care for his children as well as funding their education.
Other ways to work for racial justice and police reform:
Dedicated to wide-ranging police reform, Campaign Zero provides proposed policy solutions including community oversight, limiting the use of force, ending for-profit policing, and methods for tracking the progress of legislation. They are seeking volunteers and donors to help fund their mission.
Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB)
A volunteer-run organization founded in 2000 and based in Minneapolis, MN, CUAPB works to end police brutality in their community through advocacy, political action, and education. They offer a 24-hour hotline to report incidents of police misconduct, and also feature a database for police complaints. They’re currently accepting donations to further their cause, and are always on the lookout for volunteers.
A social platform dedicated to meaningful civic action against police brutality, taking on the task of independently researching cases of police shootings in order to secure justice. They are currently looking for virtual volunteers to aid in a particular case of a fatal police shooting, and are hoping to expand their efforts and adopt additional cases in the future.
That’s just a small sample of ways you can get involved in the movement for racial justice and against police brutality. Be sure to visit The Obama Foundation as well as Black Lives Matter for more resources, tools, and ways to help. Source
- Cultural Competence in a Multicultural World The Community Toolbox is a service of the Center for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas. This chapter covers a number of important topics to help people understand culture, diversity, and inclusion, and to be allies
- Definitions and Concepts: Colorblindness, Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity this article by Gordon Nagayma Hall, PhD, Professor of Psychology is from University of Oregon’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. What’s the problem with being “colorblind?” Professor Hall explains how it undermines diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Male Allies University of Wisconsin Oshkosh presents a collection of resources to help men understand feminism and be allies in gender equality.
- On Making Black Lives Matter Roxanne Gay’s essay, quoted above, addresses the dangers of allyship and what it should mean.
- A History of Race & Racism in America, in 24 Chapters This list, compiled by author Ibram X. Kendi, is on Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health website. Originally published in the New York Times.
- The Race Card Project by Michele Norris “The Race Card Project encourages people to condense their observations and experiences about race into one sentence with just Six Words. Since it began in 2010, the Project has received tens of thousands of Six Word stories from all over the world. The Race Card Project has earned a deep well of trust on a thorny topic as evidenced by the candor and depth of the submissions.”
- Refugees, Racism and Xenophobia: What Works to Reduce Discrimination? This article by Nicola Pocock and Clara Chan at United Nations University outlines some of the issues impacting migrants and displaced people., including racism.
Gender Diversity:
- Between the (Gender) Lines: the Science of Transgender Identity This Science in the News blog post by Harvard Biological and Biomedical Sciences graduate student Katherine J. Wu provides a brief, clear overview of the science of gender. The gist? “Science tells us that gender is certainly not binary; it may not even be a linear spectrum.” An excellent read.
- Gender Pronouns From the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus (LGBTQ+) Resource Center at UW Milwaukee, this site includes a helpful FAQ section.
- The Gender Unicorn Designed by Landyn Pan and Anna Moore, this graphical representation of the many aspects of gender might help you visualize how the concept of gender goes way beyond anatomy.
- The Singular “They” Is Scholarly From the APA blog: “APA endorses the use of “they” as a singular third-person pronoun in the seventh edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. This means it is officially good practice in scholarly writing to use the singular ‘they.'”
- Invisible Women This interview on the podcast 99% Invisible with Caroline Criado Perez illuminates the data gap that leaves 51% of the population — women — without representation in the design of nearly everything from infrastructure to goods and services to policy. Perez authored a book also called Invisible Women.
- What Is Feminism? From the International Women’s Development Agency, a brief and simple definition with links to further resources.
- Workplace & Economic Equity Resources on workplace equity from the American Association of University Women.
Gender Diversity Around the World:
- Gender Diversity Around the World
- Hear Kids’ Honest Opinions on Being a Boy or Girl Around the World
- Hybrid Gender – National Geographic Video
- Third Gender: An Entrancing Look at Mexico’s Muxes
Generational Diversity:
- Generation Z Engaged in the Classroom This article by Vickie S. Cook, Ph.D. (Executive Director, Center for Online Learning, Research and Service, University of Illinois Springfield) at WCET Frontiers explains what educators should know about Generation Z.
- The Millennial Generation: Understanding & Engaging Today’s Learners Cornell University’s Center for Teaching Innovation provides information about Generation Y, commonly known as Millennials, in the classroom.
- Leading the Four Generations at Work This post at the American Management Association’s website provides an overview of different generations in the workplace.
Size Diversity:
- Association for Size Diversity & Health (ASDAH) “As a non-profit organization with an international membership committed to the practice of the Health At Every Size® (HAES®) Principles, ASDAH envisions a world that celebrates bodies of all shapes and sizes, in which body weight is no longer a source of discrimination and where oppressed communities have equal access to the resources and practices that support health and well being.”
- Council on Size and Weight Discrimination A nonprofit who are “consumer advocates for larger people, especially in the areas of medical treatment, job discrimination, and media images.” The website includes a wealth of statistics and resources.
- Here’s what fat acceptance is — and isn’t An article by Evette Dionne in YES! Magazine about sizeism and fat acceptance activism.
- Shaping the body politic: mass media fat-shaming affects implicit anti-fat attitudes An open access article by Amanda Ravary, Mark W. Baldwin, and Jennifer A. Bartz at McGill University about how we are unconsciously biased by media fat-shaming.
Body/Ability Diversity
The National Center on Disability and Journalism (NCDJ) has created its own style guide, providing historical background on individual terms and their recommendations for usage, to meet these needs and track the evolution of an inclusive vocabulary.
It’s also important to consider regional differences and consult the appropriate resources, such as the Disability Association of Singapore’s glossary or terminology from the United Nation’s Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
For people who prefer person-first language, this choice recognizes that a human is a person first. Their disability doesn’t define them. For people who prefer identity-first language, that choice is about empowerment. It indicates their disability isn’t something to be ashamed of, but is, in fact, a part of who they are.
Intersex Intersex people are born with any of several variations in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones, or genitals that, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, “do not fit the typical definitions for male or female bodies”.
Intersectionality theory The theory that the overlap of social identities contributes to the specific type of oppression and discrimination experienced by an individual.
Beyond The Binary Sex is between the legs, gender is between the ears, and neither is automatically coincident with who, what, or how much you experience sexual desire.
Download the full NDCJ style guide as a PDF
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