We are dedicated to a lifelong journey of learning and unlearning
Source: Rachel Cargle.
In social media, that includes:
Being extra careful of disinformation on social media: Ryan Brooks, a politics reporter with BuzzFeed News, reported earlier this year that there is a rising number of fake bots drowning out real Black voices in social media. You should be diligent in trying to separate real from fake news, real voices from those who are trolling or intentionally trying to undermine others. Reports this week echo Brooks’ concerns, indicating one in three accounts tweeting about BLM protests are “guaranteed to be bots.”
Following more anti-racist educators in social media: This list is a starting point. Three people we follow are Mireille Cassandra Harper, Assistant Editor of Square Peg Books (start with this post); Layla F. Saad, a bestselling author and anti-racism educator (start with this post); and Ibram X. Kendi, Director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University (start with his book).
More broadly that means:
Centering Black voices: Jasmyne Keimig, a staff writer for the Portland Mercury, says non-Black people should amplify the voices of Black people and organizers, and open your wallet to support Black-owned businesses. Keimig urges caution with social media sites like Instagram, as it’s owned by Facebook and the platforms have been exploited by Russian trolls who intentionally spread misinformation.
Reading more Black writers: Kara Jillian Brown is a recent graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. As she wrote, the media you consume wields the power to educate you on how to be different, or reinforce prejudices. “To become a better ally, you have to understand what you’re fighting against,” she said. To start doing that, she makes 12 recommendations on books, movies and podcasts you should consume, and her colleague Rachel suggests eight online classes we can take to examine our own bias.
Supporting Black businesses: Here is a list of Black-owned businesses and black entrepreneurs across Canada that you can support. For American subscribers, Entrepreneur has curated a list in multiple states.
Making donations:
The Black Mental Health Matters Fund
