Moving further into 2020, the death of George Floyd caused by police officers has awakened the Black Lives Matter movement. For the past two weeks, protests have been spreading all over the world, from the United States all the way to Europe. The attached video shows how people all over the world are tired of unjust systems, continuous racism in everyday life and are making the decision to step up to put an end to it. I myself cannot protest but watching others do it gives such a great feeling inside of me. This is our message to the government and those around us; enough is enough.

As protests gain momentum, more people are getting involved. Yet not everyone can. There are parents who feel as if it is too dangerous to allow their child to go due to growing fears that the protests won’t always be peaceful. So the question remains, what can I do to still show my support?

Here are some things that YOU can do to stay in the loop and make a change.

• Sign Petitions

By signing petitions, you are helping create justice for individuals wronged by the actions of the police., the government, or by people. These petitions are created by everyday citizens and are aimed towards the government. It does not cost anything to sign and can also be shared with others! These petitions can be found on people’s social media or even just by looking them up. There are plenty out there so don’t be afraid to sign one, or all! 

• Donate

No matter the amount, every donation counts and every donation matters. All donations that are made using the link above go towards George Floyd’s family, Breonna Taylor’s family, African American businesses, youth in the African American community, their future all those that have fallen at the hands of a police officer and more. The money that is being donated has not and will not be used for anything other than those things related to the Black Lives Matter movement. It is a crucial time for all and help is needed everywhere. 

• Educate

Teach yourself. Teach others. Learn about the truth. Learn about how this all came to be and understand every aspect when it comes to this movement. This is not something that just started. It has been going on for decades and it’s about time that people truly understood why, how, when, where, and what. People tend to have the wrong idea and instead make assumptions that can hurt those around them. To prevent that, educating those around you and yourself will help you understand those of color. The more that you know, the more we, as African Americans, will accept your effort of trying to understand. 

• Listen

If you have a friend of color, take the time to sit down and talk with them. Let them express their feelings to you. Let them talk about what it is to be them. In times like this, we may or may not feel like talking. But if you show that you care and that you are interested in our opinion, it makes us feel more comfortable being ourselves. We want to talk to someone, we want to help you understand, we want you to be the friend you said you would be before this even began to happen. You listening creates a strong bond that will stay for an eternity. 

Times like these are hard. But it is a time where all hands should be on deck and all should be doing something to stop the oppression that has been going on for years and years and years. It is a time where our voices should be the loudest in the room. We are stronger than we know and we must keep going together.