Ways to Peacefully Advocate for Equality During the Black Lives Matter Movement

After a number of shootings of unarmed black Americans since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, people around the world have initiated protests and marches to raise awareness and fight back against racism and inequality in the United States. Here’s how you can peacefully advocate for equality during the Black Lives Matter movement.

Sign BLM Petitions

There’s power in numbers and signatures, so sign your name onto relevant petitions to get the ball rolling towards justice, change, and equality. Here are several petitions to sign: Justice for George Floyd ‘Stand with Breonna’ to hold Louisville Metropolitan Police accountable The Minneapolis Police Officers to be charged for murdering George Floyd Movement For Black Lives Petition to push elected officials to fight against militarization against colored communities NAACP #WeAreDoneDying’s Justice for George Floyd Petition

Show your solidarity on social media

Recently, the music industry called for a day where nothing is shared on social except awareness and support for the movement. It was known as Black Out Tuesday where Instagram users shared black boxes on their feed and showed their support for the movement. Others virtual events are likely to follow. However, in the meantime, continue to focus on raising awareness. Use the tools you have in front of you to share articles, do research, and advocate for the cause. Show love and support for black lives.

Take to the streets in peaceful protest

Protests are happening around the world from Barcelona to Tokyo and in both major cities and small towns. For those located in the Los Angeles area, follow Black Lives Matter LA to learn about future protests and how to get involved. To find protests in your area, check events on Facebook, Google, and Black Lives Matter’s official website. If no events are happening in your area, spread the word and start your own peaceful protest.

Educate Yourself

Education is an essential part of advocating for change. Visit the official Black Lives Matter website to learn more about the importance of the movement. Explore organizations such as Black Table Arts, which has a mission of providing art programs centered around education and social justice to uplift black lives. Follow these 11 anti-racism accounts for seminars, updates, and stories. Here is a Google document full of resources about the history of institutional racism and why it’s a problem in the US. Beyond educating yourself, educate others by sharing content you feel others would benefit from seeing.

Educate Our Youth

Whether you’re a teacher, relative, or parent, take time to educate the future of our societies: children. Teach them about black history, equality, and kindness. These are the generations who will be leading the future, and we know we want societiesto be free of racial inequality. So, teach children in a positive and fun way. There’s a great book for educators called Teaching for Black Lives, which is full of curriculum materials and approaches on how to educate children while connecting it to their lives. It also highlights the beauty of student activism and taking action. You can even do neighborhood family-friendly protests and gatherings where children can learn together, make signs, and advocate for equality.

For some awesome ideas inspired by Philly Children’s March:

• Toy Protest – How do the toys feel about how things are in our country? Make miniature signs and posters and let your children pick out some of their toys to create protest signs for and stick them in the yard.
• “Chalking the Walk” – Grab some chalk and walk around your neighborhood writing inspirational and motivational messages on the sidewalk for passersby to see. For example, one message could say “What will you do with the power that you hold right now?”
• Make posters – Help children make anti-racism and pro-equality posters. Allow them to think about how they feel and how they can make a difference, and then let them create a poster from that.
• Reading – Purchase anti-racism books that are age appropriate. The New York Times wrote up a fantastic list of books to go along with the movement.

Donate money

A number of fundraising drives have recently been set up to support a number of relevant BLM movements. Here are some US organizations and funds you can support. Black Lives Matter Reclaim the Block for Minneapolis City Council Official George Floyd Memorial Fund Communities Against Police Brutality National Police Accountability Project Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative

Author :

Christa Adams is a writer, photographer, and sustainable traveler based in Barcelona. She's been traveling solo since 2014 has a passion for the outdoors, coffee culture, and exploring quaint European towns. Follow her adventures at www.thespiritedexplorer.com