George Floyd was murdered on 25th May 2020. Almost a year later, this fight for justice has been emotionally exhausting for so many people. On 21st April 2021, Derek Chauvin was finally found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. This was a HISTORICAL moment. Why? Well, Chauvin is the first Minnesota policeman to be charged with the death of a black man. About damn time.
BUT, this is not justice, this is accountability. Real victory and justice would be George Floyd and the many other innocent black people being alive and here with their families and community today. The reality is that George Floyd wasn’t a ‘wake up call’, the same alarm has been ringing for years but the snooze button keeps getting hit. Chauvin is the eighth officer convicted of murder since 2005. There have been over 16,000 killings. So, Chauvin is where we start. The whole system is next.
We’ve all seen and heard enough to know that black people are still facing police brutality in many parts of the world. So, this fight is nowhere near being over. It’s a continuous effort. Remember, justice is when there are no longer black names behind hashtags connected to police brutality. Not a single damn one.
To make it easier for you to do your bit for the Black Lives Matter movement and the black community, we’re putting together a resource bank. You don’t need to have coins to donate, there are many other non-financial ways in which you can help.
Educate yourself about Black history and culture
If you’re looking to become part of the movement, it’s worth understanding why the movement exists in the first place. The best way to do this is by reading books about Black history and culture. If you can’t purchase books, most London libraries now have a ‘Black Literature’ section you can check out. If you’re going to purchase books then make your support count even more by buying them from a Black-owned bookshop. Some popular Black-owned bookshops in London include:
New Beacon Books
This book store is located in North London and was founded in 1966. They were the UK's first-ever Black Publisher bookshop. Their publishing arm has printed several books from Black writers over the years.
No Ordinary Book Shop’s mission statement is “Building our community one book at a time”. This online book store is committed to selling books for and about black, mixed-race and dual heritage children. They also sell books which help anyone wanting to learn about different cultures.
Pepukayi Books
Located in Tottenham in North London, Pepukayi Books was set up by an activist in the UK’s African liberation struggle. This book shop sells African-centred books with literature spanning from Black Pride to Black History.
One of the most direct and sustainable ways to support the Black community is by shopping at black-owned businesses. You don't even need to stress about spending hours looking for black-owned brands because there are several directories that have been curated.
One of our favourites is The Strategist’s 102 Black-Owned, UK-Based businesses to support where you can find black-owned brands in many different categories from accessories and home decor to clothing and beauty.
Donate to UK Anti-Racism charities
If you are able to donate then there are many Anti-racism charities in the UK that would benefit from your financial support. Some of these charities include:
- Black Minds Matter UK is raising money so they can connect Black individuals and families with free mental health services.
- Stand Up To Racism UK is a nationwide movement that aims to tackle the racism which prevails in our world and demands a society in which no racism exists.
- UK Black Pride is an organisation that is advocating, fighting for, supporting and celebrating LGBTQ people of colour. Your donations go towards their community outreach and hardship funds.
As a final note, the one thing you can continuously do is listen and learn. There are always new ways to help the Black community so keep your ears and eyes open!