So What Happens After #BlackoutTuesday?

Some action steps for White folks

Alright, I saw all y’all’s #BlackoutTuesday posts. I’m encouraged to see the solidarity with Black lives from many of my White friends who have not spoken up about systemic racial injustice before.

That being said, what are y’all doing to continue now that #BlackoutTuesday is over? White Supremacy is not defeated by a hashtag and a show of solidarity. It takes work. As White folks, we can’t just post a little black square and think we’ve done our part.

Over the next few days/weeks, I’m going to be compiling some of the things I’ve found that actually make a difference and adding them to this article one by one.

I am committed to doing these things and I really hope you will join me.

The first action item seems simple, but it’s easy to overlook, especially because we are so used to our voices being centered as White folks.

#1: Listen to and amplify Black voices.

• It should go without saying, but White people are not the experts on racism, and certainly not on the Black experience. But in the White-centered culture in which we live, we simply aren’t used to stepping back and listening.
• Yes, this includes reading books and articles, listening to podcasts, watching videos/films, and following Black voices on social media. (I’ll mention some of my recommendations later.)
• Yes, this includes talking to and genuinely relating with real Black people. Take a minute and consider the actual diversity of your relationships. You may find that you only have that one token Black friend or that one Black coworker. You may be surprised that there aren’t very many people in your circles who don’t look like you.
• No, this does not mean that you are entitled to ask your one Black friend their opinions about what’s going on. From what I’ve heard and experienced, many of them are exhausted. The constant pressure of collective and personal trauma and the fight-or-flight reaction that comes with it will do that to a person. It’s not their responsibility to educate you. Google is your friend. I get it; it feels good to have my thoughts/opinions validated by my Black friends. It feels nice to have the assurance that I’m on the right track. But we gotta be better about doing the work ourselves.
• This also means paying Black content creators for their labor. I’ll delve more into this in a future post, but so many Black voices have Patreons or other ways to pay them for their services. Part of reversing the centuries-old tradition of exploiting Black bodies and labor is actually paying people.
• Listening and amplifying Black voices also means considering the space your voice takes up. In some contexts, we need to just shut up and listen. As a person whose “I can fix it” mentality tends to dominate, this is a valuable lesson that I’m still trying to learn. In other contexts, this means coming to “get our people” when they’re spouting nonsense in the comment section or in real life. Because of how used to White Supremacy we are, White voices are usually listened to and given credibility way faster than Black voices. If you see another White person spouting off (especially in a Black person’s comment section or in a face-to-face discussion), amplifying Black voices may look like taking on the emotional labor of educating them.
• Finally, check your own biases. Trust me, they are there. I know because I’m not immune to bias either. If you need some proof, just take the Race Implicit Association Test from Harvard. I’ve been engaged in this work for several years now and my own biases are still evident.

So in light of all this, I beg you not to just post something and move on. Take action by listening to and amplifying Black voices.

#2: Leverage your financial privilege by supporting Black-owned businesses and donating to causes that directly benefit Black folks.

• In a capitalistic society like ours, money speaks. Whether or not money should have as strong a voice as it does is a matter for another day, but the fact remains that we can use our financial capital to effect real change. So let’s use it for the benefit of all people and not just hoard it for our own comfort or personal gain.
• Centuries of oppression and exploitation of Black bodies in America have resulted in a huge wealth disparity. According to the Brookings Institution, “the net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family.” While I realize that many of my White friends aren’t exactly rich, I’m fairly certain that the majority of us have better financial support systems than most of our Black friends. There is a lot more that can be said on this, but the wealth gap is an important backdrop for this conversation.
• One way to speak with our money is to invest in Black-owned businesses. This means buying the works of Black artists, eating at Black-owned restaurants, and supporting Black-owned establishments in general. In this case, Google is your friend. Look up Black-owned businesses in your city. I think restaurants are some of the easiest businesses to support because who doesn’t like to eat good food (that you didn’t have to cook)! I know some people in Austin have made several detailed lists for our area and you can find them here, here, and here.
• Another way to invest in Black businesses is to bank Black. Since the founding of our country, White Supremacy has dictated that the vast majority of this nation’s financial resources are controlled by the people in power (and the vast majority of those people have historically been already-wealthy White men). Financial institutions such as banks are no exception. In light of this, I’ve had a checking account with OneUnited Bank — the largest Black-owned American bank — for the past year and my experience (which is entirely online) has been overwhelmingly positive. Here is a link with my referral code. I believe there is a referral bonus and I pledge to donate any bonus money I receive to organizations that directly benefit the Black community.
• So on the subject of donations, I realize that the sheer number of organizations to give to might feel a bit overwhelming. I don’t have many answers on how to chose which organizations to give to, but one of the criteria that I look for is if the organization is Black-led/has significant Black leadership. It’s super easy to fall into the White savior complex and believe that we know what’s best for people. I’ll admit that I’ve been a part of multiple organizations that fell into the easy mindset of White saviorism. So I’ve decided that I want my donation dollars to go specifically to Black folks who lead organizations/create content/provide services/etc. directly benefit the Black community. For example, I’m trying to find Black-led organizations (that are often smaller/have less funding) that directly do things like help kids of color get into the outdoors, or that educate people about equality, or bail Black protesters out of jail, rather than giving to a generic “Justice for George Floyd” fund or a large food bank. Obviously, you gotta go with your own convictions about where to donate, but that’s one thing I’m personally looking for. Again, Google is your friend. And there are a ton of Black folks out there that are trying to bring awareness to their own organizations, especially on the local level.

So in light of all this, would you, my White friends, join me in leveraging your financial privilege to supporting Black folks?

#3: Get involved locally by participating in protests, attending city council meetings, voting in local elections, and other means of effecting systemic change.

• On the individual level, it’s great to have conversations, read books and articles, learn, and empathize. But the reality is that racism is systemic. Yes, systems are made by people (specifically people with power). Personal change hopefully results in systemic change. Yet, the fact remains that the systems change only when people directly change them. Because we’re the ones that set the oppressive system up, White folks have to be the ones to dismantle that system.
• One way to help bring change to the system is to support Black folks who are protesting. The bare minimum of support is to not find excuses to write protests off (e.g. talking about “looting,” focusing on the specific language used or “attitude” displayed, disagreeing with the way that people are protesting).
• Participating in a protest in your local area can add even more support. It helps send the message that systemic racism isn’t a “Black issue,” but a broken and oppressive system that the entire public is raising its voice about. I understand the unique situation we are in right now in the midst of a pandemic. But I encourage you to take the time to consider if you’re only using the pandemic as an excuse for inaction.
• When attending a protest as White people, it is extremely important to recognize our privilege. We have to center and elevate Black voices. It’s not our place to start chants, give direction, and be the loudest voices. We should also utilize the privilege that our White bodies bring. Physically shield and protect Black people and obviously don’t antagonize the already hyper-militarized police.
• Protests change things. Maybe not as quickly as we’d like, but it’s an effective way for the public to make their voices heard. When I participated in a protest here in Austin a couple of weeks ago, I made sure that it was Black-led and centered Black voices. The result was that Black Austinites were heard and some changes in local policy/practice have already been made.
• While protests bring attention to an immediate need, many policies that directly affect Black people in the long-term are decided at the local level by the city council. As White folks, it is important to stay informed at the bare minimum. Attend some city council meetings, familiarize yourself with what is being proposed, and contact your city council representative. Policing, housing, education, and so many of the current oppressive systems are decided at the local level. Use your voice as a constituent of your district to effect lasting change.
• And last but not least, vote. This applies at the local level just as much as it applies to the presidency. Vote for systemic change. If possible, vote for Black candidates and other historically oppressed voices. Vote for people who are committed to dismantling White supremacy.

So will you, my White friends, join me in bringing about systemic change by getting involved locally?

Stay tuned for more action steps.

Note for clarification: I am using the terms Black and White in this article on purpose. This is not to erase the experience of other People of Color, but I believe it’s important to call attention to the unique experience of Black Americans in this hour. A whole other series of articles could be written about the Indigenous experience, the Latinx experience, the Asian experience, and the non-White experience in general. But there is a particular focus on the Black experience in this moment and I believe it’s helpful to talk about the anti-Blackness that is evident at this moment.