protesting and activism

I feel it is important to stand with others in protest now. To make it known we are not fine with the way things are going in this country!  I have never done protests before. So it is (and was) scary and emotional to get started. But I will get stronger and it will not be as difficult in the future. Building stamina! 
Here are the ones I participated in recently, including activism that is a form of protest too:

• Ashland Farmers Market anti-racism education & activity on June 25, 2016. Even if we believe in racial equality and diversity, we might not talk about it much. No racial healing or justice will happen with silence. Go to this link for more info. Here are fill-in-the-blank pages I collected before the tabling event at the market, these are the ones collected during the market.  Here we are at the market:





• I went to the Black Out Trump rally on June 29, 2016. I am deeply concerned about Trump's racist talk and fearful it will further divide this country and make the white dominate culture we live in more divided, and even more difficult and dangerous for People of Color. Here is the Boston.com video of the rally. I was asked some questions. If you want to skip ahead to it, my interview starts around 17.2.
  
  In the video, my signs look reversed due to the rear-facing camera the interviewer was using. This is what my signs looked like:
  
  


• I joined 1000 or more protesters in Boston on July 13, 2016... listening to folks share their experiences with racial injustice in Boston, marching and chanting together through the streets near Ruggles T station...against police brutality. Yes, even Boston has issues that need to be addressed.
  

• Went to my first SURJ monthly meeting., Showing Up for Racial Justice on July 21, 2016. An unprecedented amount of folks came for the first time too...over 400! Besides learning about what this group does, and who they are affiliated with, and ways to get engaged, we also did various actions together that evening, including reading together, in unison while we were filmed, a letter about Just Cause Eviction for sending to Marty Walsh.
  
   
  
  
• Upcoming at Framingham Concert on the Green, July 29, 2016. Join us!

links for further education

These are articles and essays I have read or want to read to further inform me about racial justice (some are audio or video clips). I know this is a lot to take in at once...so don't. Read over time. But know the list is here to come back to. They are listed in no particular order...numbered for easier referencing. -Deb

1. White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

2. Death in Black and White

3. Criminalizing the hustle: Policing poor people’s survival strategies from Eric Garner to Alton Sterling

4. Things Your City Can Do Right Now to End Police Brutality

5. Crime, Bias and Statistics

6. Wake up, fellow white people. Time to get to work.

7. If Anyone Ever Questioned How White Privilege Manifested Itself in America This Is The Perfect Illustration

8. Reflecting On Police Shootings, Author Kwame Alexander Focuses On Next Generation

9. all houses matter: the extended cut

10. Curriculum for White Americans to Educate Themselves on Race and Racism–from Ferguson to Charleston

11. Nothing to add: A Challenge to White Silence in Racial Discussions

12. Here's what Obama tells his daughters about civil rights

13. Read the Full Transcript of Jesse Williams’ Powerful Speech on Race at the BET Awards (see v3 below for the video version)

14. Talking to Kids About Racism and Justice: a list for parents, caregivers & educators

15. Five Concrete Things You Can Do to Make Black Lives Matter

16. 5 Valuable Ways to Use Your White Privilege to Fight Anti-Black Racism

17. 6 things I wish people understood about being biracial

18. 11 Things White People Can Do to Be Real Anti-Racist Allies

19. Be Less Racist: 12 Tips for White Dudes, by A White Dude

20. Here's What Native American Designers Want You to Know About Cultural Appropriation

21. An open letter to my white coworkers on days like today

22. 23 Everyday Actions Punishable by Death if You're Black in America


Resource:
The Counted, People killed by police in the US


Videos:
v1. Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools By Dr. Howard C. Stevenson

v2. MIT Community Dialogue Closing Remarks: DiOnetta Jones Crayton

v3. Jesse Williams' fiery BET Awards speech (see 13 above for the text version)

White Boy Privilege, a slam poem by a 14 year old boy

Royce Mann talks about his "White Boy Privilege" here on youtube

This is amazing. Youth have a lot to teach us.
-D

Shootings of Alton Sterling & Philando Castile, and more

I am deeply saddened by these new deaths of black men in the hands of police officers.

Alton Sterling was killed on Tuesday while selling CDs.
"Alton Sterling shooting: Second video of deadly encounter emerges" on cnn.com.

Philando Castile was killed at a traffic light yesterday.
"Minn. governor says race played role in fatal police shooting during traffic stop" on washingtonpost.com

This is helpful reading from www.justinccohen.com:
Advice for White Folks in the Wake of the Police Murder of a Black Person

This is a colorofchange.org petition for justice for Alton Sterling.

BATON ROUGE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
From the site: "Since Friday, July 8, more than 200 people have been arrested in protests against the killing of Alton Sterling. This fund will cover all aspects of legal support for arrestees--most urgently, their bail and court fees."

Please help if you can, D