Over the last couple of weeks, after a video of George Floyd’s death went viral on May 25th 2020, we have witnessed one of the biggest Civil Rights Movements in history. Emotions have been flying high and protests have taken place all over the world to promote racial equality and drive change for POC.

#BlackLivesMatter has been the topic of almost every conversation I’ve had in the last 10 days and it’s been insane to watch people take responsibility and to face the music, worldwide.

The Black Lives Matter movement began with a hashtag in 2013, with 146,000 #BlackLivesMatter tweets in 2014. Now just a couple of weeks ago the same hashtag had more than 8 million tweets – just a small example of how social media has been the driving force behind the power of this movement. We must now continue to utilise it as a tool for change.

If you are in the segment that, like me, have never had to face battles because of skin colour, you are privileged. If you have never had to worry about whether the country you are travelling to will accept the colour of your skin, you are privileged. And if you’re privileged? It’s time to take responsibility. My friend Glo (@glographics) has been writing some incredible articles and has been sharing her perspective on travelling as a Nigerian-American woman if you’re looking to dive into a new account. My friend Yaya (half of the Hand Luggage Only boys) also recently shared his experiences on their travel blog here.

I’m writing this blog post to share some collective resources on my platform and to further the worldwide education that is currently needed. If you have any suggestions/additions, please leave a comment below and I will add it in! This is our post to drive change for our people, our planet.

If you’re yet to dive into the history, the injustices and the embarrassing hierarchal systems that have ruled many parts of the world for longer than you’ve been alive, let this be your opportunity to open your eyes.

We have an opportunity now to educate ourselves, to understand the frustration and the anger of POC and to stand with them. To amplify POC, their platforms and their stories and to maintain momentum until we are in a world that shows equal opportunity for everyone. We are writing the future with every move we make and we have the power to reshape the future.

This simply can’t be a moment. It has to be applied and amplified every day. We must speak out. We must challenge. We must be prepared to be challenged.

As a privileged white woman, I have had a lot of learning to do to even begin to try and understand how it must feel to battle because of my skin colour. I have been absolutely shocked by the documentaries I’ve watched this week. I’ve been sheltered completely. But I’m awake. I’m wide awake now and I’m mortified by what I’m watching.

#BlackLivesMatter, they matter as much as everyone else on this planet and it’s about time equality was realised.

Racial equality: Resources for education and dismantling racism

MOVIES AND DOCUMENTARIES

13th
American son
King In The Wilderness
Dark Girls
See you yesterday
When they see us
Just Mercy
Dear White People
Malcolm X

PODCASTS

1969 (New York Times)
About Race
Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
Pod Save The People
Seeing White

ARTICLES

BOOKS

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Raising Our Hands by Jenna Arnold
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

PEOPLE TO FOLLOW

@glographics ‘Travelling as a black woman’
@amberkgoodwin
@themanacha ‘Uncomfortable conversations with a Black Man’
@blklivesmatter
@iamrachelricketts

ORGANISATIONS

LGBTQ+ Freedom Fund: donate here
Show Racism the Red Card is the UK’s leading anti-racism educational charity
Black Lives Matter: donate here
The Bail Project is a critical tool to prevent incarceration and combat racial and economic disparities in the bail system.
Stand up to racism UK: donate here