The news media has stopped focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement. Possibly because they stopped being violent, or because it is now old news. It feels like we are moving to the next big thing, which in America happens to be the resurgence of coronavirus cases and the politicization of masks. While I would like to have a moment of silence for the stupidity of the last part of that sentence, I am more concerned about the lack of fervor with which everyone was posting about the civil unrest in America and world wide. However, we can continue the fight, should we choose to and here are five ways to help us along.
Follow the right people
The outrage is still there. The movement is still fighting. We just have to find the right people to follow to give us updated news. There is no shortage of incidents of police brutality against black communities. We have to remain informed. Being outraged about injustices is crucial for humanity. The cure of outrage fatigue is to take action. And we can follow the lead of activists. We can follow the accounts of Tamika Malory, Until Freedom and Linda Sarsour to keep us informed and vigilant.
Sign up for Newsletters
It’s easy to swipe out of stories and quickly scroll past text heavy posts. But what if the notification came directly into your mailbox. You can receive alerts about protests and action items and future plans for the movement. Signing up to NAACP’s website will inform you of volunteer and donation opportunities. It will allow you to be consistent with the promises you made in June for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Hold yourself accountable
It’s easy to become complacent and indifferent to everything going around. Which is why a self check-in is necessary to make sure we’re continuing in our activism. Hold yourself accountable in a way that works for you. Create a buddy system. Ask a friend to remind you. Set an alarm on your calendar four weeks from now to do a check-in. Question if you have become passive and how you can do better. Racism and its injustices have been ongoing for so long. We cannot allow ourselves to fall into indifference again.
Be consistent in your activism
A few weeks ago it was, for lack of a better word, trendy to post a black tile and share videos about police brutality. We also jumped on the wagon and wrote an article about all the ways we can help the BLM movement. While all that was commendable it is vital to continue those actions despite the trending hashtag. Share what you’ve learned from the books that your read. Be persistence in speaking up in moments of injustice. Support Black owned businesses and empower them with your attention. Your attention is powerful and necessary to continue the fight.
Learn about and support other causes
Learning about the struggles of our black brethren is commendable. But our education and attention should not end there. We need to look at other causes to support. The Hispanic population in America faces many of the same hurdles with the justice system as their Black counter parts. Nelson Mandela said that the freedom of those suffering due to the apartheid in Africa will not be complete “without the freedom of the Palestinians.” We cannot move forward while leaving others behind. The refugee crisis and famine in Yemen are amongst the many calamities that need our attention. It will not reduce us to care and support for others. Let us adopt other matters of injustice the same way we made the Black Lives Matter movement personal.
