EMILEE STENSON
Special to The Leader
The intent is there in supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
Posting something on Instagram, sending a tweet or liking some pictures is good and all — but real, active change comes from within.
It takes effort. It’s challenging. Breaking the norms that you’ve been taught your entire life is hard.
As college-educated 20-somethings, we have the ability to be the change.
We’re here, we’re educated and we’re willing to stand up for what we believe in.
The systematic oppression that this country was founded on and continues to perpetuate is not acceptable.
It’s up to us to actively fight the injustices that we see in the world.
It begins by educating ourselves: opening our eyes and changing our mentality, becoming more aware of the world around us and refusing to be ignorant.
It can feel overwhelming, which is completely understandable.
Social media provides so much information from a huge variety of sources, and this tidal wave of new knowledge can be a lot to sift through.
“Be Actively Antiracist” is a cheat sheet of key information and resources pertaining to the Black Lives Matter movement.
There’s two main parts to this: some important definitions and terms, and plenty of resources to use.
The terms that are relevant here are white privilege, allyship and intersectionality.
Understanding these basic definitions can go a long way in being able to better comprehend different discussions around race as well as being able to educate others on these ideas.
The resources include books, movies, documentaries and podcasts. These are all critically acclaimed and highly recommended works that will begin or further your education on racial oppression and inequality in America. Additionally, there are organizations to follow on social media or on their websites, which will provide more information on activism and more resources to use.
If you’re financially able to, there are also organizations to which you can donate.
Lastly, there are petitions to sign; these are completely free and only take a few minutes to fill out or text in.
Refusing to be ignorant, checking your privilege and amplifying voices in the BIPOC community are the first steps in combating the rampant racial prejudice and discrimination present in America.
Reading up on these topics, understanding the history of systematic racism and being consciously antiracist are all ways to open our minds and fight inherent biases.
These injustices didn’t go away because you reposted something online — it is an ongoing battle to remain educated and aware.
Listen to others, be open to criticism and speak up against racial discimination. It’s up to us to be the change.