art by @sacree_frangine on Instagram.

art by @sacree_frangine on Instagram.

Black Lives Matter

Useful resources for everyone looking to be a better ally

When George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was murdered by a white police officer by leaning his knee on George’s neck for 9 minutes, the world mourned. And we not only mourn for George Floyd, but also for Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Elijah McClain, Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Mark Duggan… and the countless of other Black people killed by police brutality every day.

It has to stop. How many more innocent black lives must be taken before the world will listen? Things much absolutely not get worse before they get better.

I kept being asked by non-black friends, “What can I do?” so I had the idea to share resources all in one place, so that I can keep updating it and others can keep referring back to.

Please take this time to educate yourselves, support Black creators, and speak about race frequently within your circles.

START HERE

Resources to help African and Caribbean students evacuate Ukraine (Twitter thread).

Black Lives Matter - Ways to help.

UK anti-racism charities and organisations you can support right now (Twitter thread).

The Lammy Review is an independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in the criminal justice system in England and Wales.

A template for holding your employer accountable for racial injustice, courtesy of Rachel Cargle.

Black-owned businesses in the UK to support and buy from.

Re-education, a free monthly subscription to activism

DONATE

Please consider donating to one or more of the following organisations. If you’re unable to give funds at this time, please do share this around to those who can:

Help support a working-class Black trans person of colour cover their living costs.

Donate to Breonna Taylor’s family.

Justice for Jacob Blake - donate to Blake’s family as they face unprecedented medical bills and legal representation.

Donate to Elijah McClain’s family, a 23-year-old man who died at the hands of police brutality and injected with ketamine as a sedative by paramedics.

Donate to Miss Major’s Fundraiser, a veteran of the historic Stonewall rebellion and human rights activist.

Support the Homeless Black Trans Women Fund to aid women in Atlanta, Georgia who are sex workers and/or homeless.

Donate to Campaign Zero to help end police brutality in America.

Diversify your feeds

Here is a, not at all Exhaustive, list of black creators, writers, educators, activists and organisations who need our support now more than ever.

Please consider making financial contributions to their PayPal/Venmo/Ko-fi accounts, subscribing to their Patreons, etc.

Please also check out Tinuke Bernard’s Directory of 250 UK-based Black Influencers.

Africa Brooke - @africabrooke

Layla F Saad - @laylafsaad

Reni Eddo-Lodge - @renieddolodge

Munroe Bergdorf - @munroebergdorf

Char Ellesse - @ellessechar

Aja Barber - @ajabarber

Ericka Hart - @ihartericka

Rachel Cargle - @rachel.cargle

Candice Brathwaite - @candicbrathwaite

Kelechi Okafor - @kelechnekoff

Amanda Seales - @amandasales

Demi Colleen - @demicolleen

Remi Sade - @remi.sade

Tanya Compas - @tanyacompas

Mary Mandefeild - @mary.mandefield

Mikaela Loach - @mikaelaloach

Akala - @akalamusic

No White Saviours - @nowhitesaviours

gal-dem - @galdemzine

Black in Britain - @blackinbritain

The Great Unlearn - @thegreatunlearn

(Note: many of these link to Instagram however most are available on other platforms)

BOOKS

I’ve added Waterstones links, but please seek out and consider ordering from independent bookshops.

All books are also available as ebooks or on Audible on a 30-day free trial.

NON-FICTION:

Me and White Supremacy: How to Recognise Privilege, Combat Racism and Change the World by Layla F Saad

Why I’m No Longer Talk to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

What White People Can Do Next: From Allyship to Coalition by Emma Dabiri

I am Not Your Baby Mother: What it’s Like to be a Black British Mother by Candice Brathwaite

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot by Mikki Kendall

Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of the Empire by Akala

White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson

The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla

Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging by Afua Hirsch

Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism by Safiya Noble

The Clapback: Your Guide to Calling Out Racist Stereotypes by Elijah Lawal

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colourblindness by Michelle Alexander

How to Argue with a Racist: History, Science, Race and Reality by Adam Rutherford

Black, Listed: Black British Culture Explored by Jeffrey Boakye

FICTION / Creative non-fiction:

45 Black Young Adult Novels to add to your TBR

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Podcasts

Delve into these podcasts by black creators, some that talk about race, and others that are just good fun.

In Good Company with Otegha Uwgba

About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge

Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata

The Receipts Podcast with Audrey, Tolly and Milena

2 Queens in a Pod with Iman Laila and Leah Mai

Culture Kings with Jacquis Neal and Edgar Momplaisir

Laid Bare with Oloni, Shakira Scott and Shani Jamilah

Scam Goddess with Laci Mosley

This list is constantly being updated. If there is a book, petition, report, talk, or anything that you want to see added to this list, please email me on hello@whimsicella.co.uk