{"id":5084,"date":"2020-06-11T10:05:34","date_gmt":"2020-06-11T10:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/international\/?p=5084"},"modified":"2020-06-11T10:05:34","modified_gmt":"2020-06-11T10:05:34","slug":"black-lives-matter-beinganally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/international\/black-lives-matter-beinganally\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Lives Matter – Being an Ally"},"content":{"rendered":"

Black Lives Matter<\/a> is an international human rights movement originating from within the African-American community, which campaigns against violence and systemic racism towards black people. Following the brutal murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, millions of people are standing up in support of Black Lives Matter.<\/p>\n

I live in the UK at the moment but I have always been interested in American history, culture, and politics. Watching how things have unraveled in the United States, I felt compelled to comment on the matter. The particular focus of this blog is on the two countries with which I am most familiar with. However, it is very important to acknowledge that racism remains a global issue, and other countries around the world are far from innocent. What started in Minneapolis has gone global with at least 40 countries in the world<\/a>\u00a0having to confront uncomfortable truths.<\/p>\n

As an active ally and supporter of this impactful movement, I want to share important resources and raise awareness in any way I can.\u00a0<\/span>Accompanied by some powerful images of protestors taken by me and my friends, I give you 3 ways in which we can all\u00a0do our part to support the Black Lives Matter movement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Research<\/h2>\n

\"Black<\/p>\n

In everyday life, we’re often more eager to solve problems than to try and understand where the problems originate. It might seem\u00a0<\/span>impossible for many of us to truly comprehend the pain and anger felt by the Black community. But I believe it is our responsibility to try.<\/p>\n

Racism is not solely a social issue but engraved in the systemic structure of society. In the US for example, failure in the provision of equal opportunities to the African-American population has led to an enormous racial wealth gap<\/a>\u00a0and a black-white unemployment gap<\/a>. This seems to be a sad trend we are still seeing across the world.\u00a0Research<\/a> into the criminal justice system and law enforcement continuously finds evidence for differential treatment and racial bias. In England and Wales<\/span>, if you are a black person, you are at least <\/span>six times as likely<\/a> to be stopped and searched by the police as a white person.\u00a0<\/span>In the US, Black people are\u00a0<\/span>twice as likely<\/u><\/a>\u00a0to be killed by a police officer while unarmed, compared to a white individual.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Oh, and have you heard of <\/span>Redlining<\/a>? It was a corrupt and racist practice that barred minority communities from building wealth and sharing the infamous American Dream. Its effects are still ever-present today, with black homeownership being at an <\/span>all-time low<\/a>. If you are willing to stand up for the black community, you need all the information you can get.<\/span><\/p>\n

[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YrHIQIO_bdQ]<\/p>\n

In the mid-20th century, the pioneers and supporters of the civil rights movement<\/a> knew exactly what kind of change was needed. Abolishment of segregation and important breakthroughs in equal-rights legislation were proudly achieved through protest and struggle for justice.<\/p>\n

Where can we go from here?<\/h4>\n

The truth is, most of us today have limited knowledge of where we can go from where we are now. We strongly demand change and continue to scream for justice. Yet, we are not completely sure of what that actually looks like. In short, research is one of the top priorities for an ally and supporter of any socio-political movement. By increasing our knowledge of important issues, we can increase our competency and expertise in the fight against inequality and injustice. Black Lives Matter.<\/p>\n

There is no need to wait for October (or February in the US) to come around; researching Black history does not have to be confined to a specific month. Some suggestions from me include watching TED talks<\/a>\u00a0on systemic racism. Reading non-fiction literature (here<\/a> is a list of useful recommendations) and listening to podcasts such as Intersectionality Matters!<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>hosted by\u00a0a leading critical race theorist\u00a0<\/span>Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Contribute<\/h2>\n

\"Black<\/p>\n

Today’s tragic reality is that black people are still dying at the hands of those sworn to protect them. At its most basic level, this movement calls for a shift in the statistics. But most of all, Black Lives Matter gives a platform to the unheard and demands rightful accountability for the ones we have lost. George Floyd’s unlawful death was recorded on video but there are thousands of other violent incidents involving police brutality against black communities that go unseen. Sadly, it’s the same story every time, just a different name.<\/p>\n

You may, therefore, ask yourself, what can I do? I am just one person. Well, as a matter of fact, strength lies in numbers. Find out if there is a protest happening in your city and stand in solidarity with the movement.<\/p>\n

\"Black<\/p>\n

Petitions<\/h4>\n

You might not feel comfortable going out to protest during a pandemic, so perhaps start with signing petitions. These petitions will only take two minutes to sign. Most of the petitions below are demanding action from the government or criminal justice system. They are urging appropriate response from the authorities following unlawful deaths of people of colour in the USA and UK.<\/p>\n