Monthly Archives: June 2020

While there are many larger organizations doing great work right now, the Record compiled a list of smaller grassroots and decentralized organizations that would benefit most from donations at this time.

DONATIONS:

Journalism:

National Association of Black Journalists the largest organization of journalists of color, providing programs, services, grants, events, mentorship, and advocacy

Unicorn Riot A decentralized media organization that has been live-streaming uprisings and leading the coverage of protests

Futuro Media Group creates diverse multimedia content in the service of empowering people to understand and navigate the complexities and misinformation in modern news

Ida B. Wells Society increasing and retaining reporters and editors of color in the field of investigative reporting

The Marshall Project a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system

Nationwide:

Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective a collective of advocates, yoga teachers, artists, therapists, lawyers, religious leaders, teachers, psychologists and activists committed to the emotional/mental health and healing of Black communities

National Black Disability Coalition the nations organization for all Black disabled people. Membership and partners include Black disabled organizations, disabled people, parents, family members, faith-based, non-profits, and academic and policy leaders

United Negro College Fund increases the total annual number of African American college graduates by focusing on activities that ensure more students are college-ready, enroll in college and persist to graduation

Showing Up For Racial Justice a national network of groups and individuals working to undermine white supremacy and to work toward racial justice through community organizing, mobilizing, and education

Sisters Unchained a prison abolitionist organization dedicated to building community and power with young women affected by parental incarceration through radical education, healing, art, sisterhood and activism

Black & Pink abolition to dismantle the criminal punishment system and to liberate LGBTQIA2S+ people/people living with HIV/AIDS who are affected by that system, through advocacy, support, and organizing

Marsha P Johnson Institute an organization that protects and defends the human rights of Black transgender people by organizing, advocating, creating an intentional community to heal, developing transformative leadership and promoting collective power

Black Feminist Project funding radical programming that restores agency to the most marginalized of us, centers our narratives, promotes safety, empowers us to put ourselves FIRST, and enriches the lives of our children in our community with compassion, integrity, and joy!

Know Your Rights Camp, an initiative founded by Colin Kaepernick to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders

The Bail Project, a critical tool to prevent incarceration and combat racial and economic disparities in the bail system

Bail Funds/Legal Help by City

Resistance Funds by State

Minnesota:

Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha CTUL is a worker-led organization where workers organize, educate and empower each other to fight for a voice in their workplaces and in their communities.

Women for Political Change Holistically investing in the leadership and political power of young women and trans & non-binary individuals throughout Minnesota.

Northside business support support businesses on Minneapoliss Northside that have been impacted by recent demonstrations.

Pimento Relief Fund Were partnering with Pimento to provide black business without insurance relief after white supremacists set them on fire during the protests.

PETITIONS/RESOURCES:

Defund 12 Contact info for government officials and council members by location to reallocate egregious police budgets towards education, social services, and dismantling racial inequality

Master list of petitions/events/etc

Resources to support Black communities

Text FLOYD to 55156 or go here to demand all officers involved in Floyds death are charged with his murder

Text ENOUGH to 55156 or go here to demand justice for Breonna Taylor

Text JUSTICE to 55156 and 668366 to demand justice for Ahmaud Arbery

Text RESIST to 50409 to write to local officials demanding change

Sign this petition to demand a ban on law enforcement officials who have committed racially motivated acts of violence

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:

Anti-racism resources for white people

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

What to Do Instead of Calling the Cops

Reading recommendations by Williams staff

125 Black-Owned Business to Support

Read the original:

The Record's suggested action items supporting Black Lives Matter - The Williams record

AMANDA BANCROFTMaking Ripples

Some U.S. residents on the west and east coasts are eyeing the Midwest and Arkansas with keen interest these days. Who can blame them? While there are great reasons to live almost anywhere, places with lower covid-19 cases are understandably appealing to folks right now. But its not only disease thats driving relocation; for some, its about living sustainably in community.

Anyone can live in an eco village, except Elvis Presley (despite what witnesses may say). But that doesnt mean everyone wants to. There are benefits and drawbacks to living in an eco village, and its good to see both the pros and cons before making a life-altering decision. Depending on the community, eco villages offer far more rewards than downsides and are a critical component in the fight against climate change.

Eco villages also known as intentional communities, communes, or sustainable communities are places in both rural and urban areas where a large or small group of people have chosen to live in proximity to one another while sharing resources, responsibilities and a common goal. That definition is based on my personal experience and research, but many people have their own definitions ranging from a place where crazies worship the devil to heaven on earth! One reason why eco villages get reputations along such a broad spectrum is because each individual eco village creates its own definition based on the needs of residents, while non-residents perceive each community very differently.

Some communities are completely dedicated to sustainability and preserving the environment. Other communities focus on Christianity or another religion or spiritual practice, with daily life revolving around worship and ceremony. Intentional communities are not necessarily created with religion or environmental concerns in mind, choosing instead to share services like child care and cooking. Many of them are open and tolerant to a diversity of people, with few rules sometimes life is highly individual, with residents having separate jobs, families and privately owned resources. But some can have quite a few rules ranging from income sharing to restrictions on who can become a member.

Living in community is the most common-sense approach to sustaining the human species. Were social creatures, after all, living on a planet with finite resources that are quickly being extinguished. In the current world population of over 7 billion people, do we really need over 7 billion personal vehicles, lawnmowers and televisions? It saves time and money to share resources, common spaces and responsibilities. There are also social benefits to living in a community where you know your family is supported and nurtured.

Not every community can fit every person, and not everyone wants to live in community anyway. But in these times of fear and uncertainty, people are strongly considering their options, and that includes how to live in such a way as to help one another and our planet.

Amanda Bancroft is a writer, artist, and naturalist living in an off-grid tiny house on Kessler Mountain. She and her husband Ryan blog about their adventures and offer tips to those wanting to make a difference at http://www.RipplesBlog.org. This column is reprinted with updates. Why Eco Villages first printed in The Free Weekly June 6, 2013.

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Come Together - The Free Weekly

The unrest we are seeing today is what happens when the road to justice is too long and drawn-out. These uprisings are a result of our communities feeling as though, once again, nothing is going to be done.

If the indefensible murder of George Floyd was not already enough, we have watched in horror the past few nights as our people were shot at, tear-gassed and beaten. This moment calls for us to unite around the outrage we feel and fight for the justice we demand. Now is the time to stand up and speak out as we guide our communities and our nation to the right side of justice. But let us be rational and move with care to make our voices heard with a lasting impact.

The following is a measured NAACP Response:

Between 1920 and 1938, the NAACP flew a flag outside its offices that read "A Man Was Lynched Yesterday" to mark the lynching of black people in the United States. It is a shame on our nation that almost a century later, black people continue to be brutalized and killed by racists.

The murder of George Floyd by police is an unspeakable tragedy. Sadly, police brutality against the black community has been an ever-present occurrence, dating back to its roots as a method used to preserve the system of slavery.

The arrest of ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin is not enough. There are three other officers who are just as complicit in killing Mr. Floyd. We want them all charged for their role in this inexcusable death.

The uprisings taking place in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota, Kentucky, Los Angeles and many other locations across this country are a result of the anger, fear, sadness and distrust that have manifested for years throughout our community. Enough is enough. We. Are. Done. Dying.

These are NOT isolated incidents. They are directly related to the systemic racism that plagues our country at an even more alarming rate than the coronavirus. Our communities have been in a state of emergency long before the first COVID-19 case was brought to light.

We are calling for federal legislation similar to a hate crimes bill to be developed, which would provide detailed procedures and penalties in cases of blatant police brutality. The unrest we are seeing today is what happens when the road to justice is too long and drawn-out. These uprisings are a result of our communities feeling as though, once again, nothing is going to be done.

We watched as the President gave alt-right protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, the benefit of the doubt, even when videos showed them terrorizing innocent Americans. Yet in this moment of anger, sadness and fear at the continuous death of black lives at the hands of the police, this President chooses to characterize people who are mourning the loss of Philando Castille, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, Jr., and now George Floyd as "thugs."

This Presidents actions are disgusting, yet not unexpected. He has proven to be incapable of displaying the competency and compassion necessary in this moment to lead this country through a turbulent time turbulence which has been largely orchestrated by his intentional marginalization of our communities.

Our recent national survey reported that 75% of Black people feel that Trump is the SINGLE greatest threat to the African American. That feeling was only amplified in one of his early morning tweets where he glorified violence against Americans stating that "When the looting starts, the shooting starts!"

Our communities are angry and saddened. But we must be strategic and measured as we battle this latest grave injustice. The NAACP will not rest until we see these officers charged and convicted for the murder of George Floyd. We must keep our focus on redressing the systemic racism against our community that led to this tragedy. We cannot afford to do so while losing more black sons and daughters.

While we protest peacefully, make persistent demands, and fight politically, let us remember that we are still under a pandemic with more cases of COVID-19 and deaths being reported in our communities. Let us not forget to practice safe distancing and wear masks to protect one another.

Most of all if we want to effect change, we MUST be determined to VOTE in November and encourage everyone in our circle of influence to VOTE. Please dont neglect participation in the 2020 Census.

Jimmy Buxton Jr. is president of the Fayetteville Branch of the NAACP.

See the article here:

NAACP chief: Our communities are angry and saddened. But we must be strategic and measured in battling injustice. - The Fayetteville Observer

Jamye Wooten isfounder of CLLCTIVLY, an organization thats building an ecosystem of grants and resources to nourish Black-led organizations that want to improve Baltimore.

CLLCTIVLY is currently offering microgrants of $500 to organizations as a part of the Baltimore Black-led solidarity Fund. The fund has already awarded over $30,000 to black led organizations and intends to contribute more. It is also currently raising money for its 2nd Annual Day of Giving. A drive to support and amplify black led organizations that will award over $10,000 in prizes. Like its 2019 event, this day of giving is aimed to combat stats that show only 2% of philanthropic Black-led orgs.

In an interview, the recent Johns Hopkins Social Innovation Lab alum gave his thoughts yesterday on the work hes doing, the George Floyd protests and his hopes for whats next. This interview has been edited lightly for length and clarity.

JW: We launched in 2019 and our first phase was an asset map directory, so mapping Black-led organizations based on the area of focus and neighborhood. So now there are currently 100 organizations on the platform. Wooten said. CLLCTIVLY wants to help amplify and increase access to funding for these organizations, Wooten said, which focus on areas like advocacy, mentorship, food sovereignty and mental health.

JW: Relationships move at the speed of trust and social movements move at the speed of relationships. You must first do the base build building work, must first do the relationship building work that fosters greater trust. Weve been very intentional about spending these first 18 months around building relationships and building trust. The base building component is the foundation of it.

CLLCTIVLY works to connect Black-led organizations.

Different in what way?

I think its a good sign. Im not aware enough to say that [the antagonism of the police] was not present but I will be going down today [Editors note: A youth-led march drew more than 1,000 people downtown to call for justice on June 1.] Ill talk to the people that I know that are on the front lines. We definitely know that there was a woman suffering from a mental health crisis that struck an officer and another officer knocked her out. I dont know what other incidents happened on the ground. So I wouldnt want to speak to what the response has been.

[The mass media often misses] the violence we often talk about that is systemic and structural violence. And I think certainly COVID has pulled the covers back on that, exposing the grave injustice of disinvestment and underdevelopment in the black communities. Its violence, and often we dont see that. So [the narrative] often [centers on] asking protesters to be nonviolent but were not talking about the system that has historically been violent towards black and brown people.

I hope that the greater community will learn is that we must shift resources. Fundamentally this is a question of power. I think real equity is [rooted in] how do we shift resources in a meaningful way to black communities so that theyre able to thrive. I hope that we begin to see a shift, between COVID-19 and the current protests, that resources are shifted in meaningful ways to black communities to build the capacity of our organizations and to be self determined.

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Supporting Black communities now and in the future: A Q&A with CLLCTIVLY Founder Jamye Wooten - Technical.ly

The company CEO wrote an open letter and the company shared a brief note on its website regarding recent protests.

ATLANTA Chick-fil-A is expressing its solidarity with black employees and communities, saying in a statement that "our hearts are breaking" for them.

Protests have flared nationwide in the last week in the wake of the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, with demonstrators demanding an end to police brutality and institutional racism.

"Our hearts are breaking, for our black Team Members, Operators and Staff and all those in the Black community who are suffering and who have suffered for too long because of racism," a Chick-fil-A post on the company website said.

It adds that, "Racism should have no place in society. Not now, not ever. It cannot be tolerated" and promises, "At Chick-fil-A, we know we have a role in moving all of us forward. We will listen. We will be intentional. We will share."

It also included a recent LinkedIn post by CEO Dan Cathy explaining his views, which includes him writing he's heard his black friends and colleagues telling him repeatedly they are tired.

"They are tired, because no amount of kneeling or marching seems to truly address what has ailed our country for generations: A controverted view of race which is sometimes overt and sometimes subtle but always destructive," Cathy writes.

"There are countless academics and analysts who have written about how our democratic capitalism benefits only a few hundred incredibly wealthy families, individuals and corporations, so that the American dream is now reserved almost exclusively for them and their descendants.

"Because I am among that demographic, I am calling on them us to use our power and influence," he adds.

See the article here:

Chick-fil-A weighs in on recent injustices against black people - 11Alive.com WXIA

Jun. 6, 2020

To the Webster University Community,

We are writing again this weekend at a pivotal moment for our community and the nation, with a message of hope and change, along with a report of progress, as promised. As our letter to the community last week outlined, the killings of George Floyd and so many other Black Americans, such as Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Manuel Ellis, along with those of the recent past, such as Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice, are unacceptable and tragic losses. Such killings of unarmed members of the African American community, at the hands of police, must end. Webster University deplores violence of all types. The University condemned this racial violence in last weeks letter and those sentiments are reiterated today while unequivocally declaring, Black Lives Matter.

The Webster community believes in engagement to make progress for racial and social justice rather than a destructive path by using divisive rhetoric. Our community believes in respectful and constructive dialogue rather than sensational statements meant to grab attention but little else. The University community must work together for the University to continue being a catalyst for positive change and the builder of a hopeful future during this defining moment of our era. Our community must work together to end systemic racism, inequity, and injustice.

This past week, we have taken these measures:

University Engagement

Parental & New Student Engagement

Community Engagement

In the coming weeks, the University will communicate about more ways that community groups and others beyond our students, staff, faculty, and alumni can brainstorm and partner with us on additional initiatives.

Our University community is hopeful for the fall and the future. This is an example of how Webster moves conversations to action. The expectation is that there will be more initiatives as our community draws closer to a fall semester that presents more opportunities for embracing progress on social justice issues while also adjusting to a campus climate coping with the coronavirus pandemic. The University will invest wisely, initiate measures in intentional ways, and report progress. The University will provide tangible evidence of how our community is bettering the climate for social justice and racial equity.

Webster continues to stand with its Black students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The University will actively work to dismantle institutional racism at every level throughout society. There should be no doubt, our communities and our nation must do better.

We embrace these challenges with open minds, open hearts, and open arms. We embrace each other so we can build a better and more hopeful future together while strengthening our community.

Elizabeth (Beth) J. StrobleChancellor

Julian Z. SchusterPresident

Vincent C. FlewellenChief Diversity Officer

tags: alumni, employee news, faculty, students, global, home page, president, chancellor, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, webster today,

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Message from the Chancellor, the President, and the Chief Diversity Officer - Webster University Newsroom

Over the past several days, in the midst of the protests related to the killing of George Floyd and death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet in Toronto, many people have asked me (and other Black people) this question: what does the government do now? What are the solutions to racism in Canada, Celina?

As much as it frustrates me, and likely other members of the Black community, to be recipients of racism and still be asked to come up with solutions, I will acquiesce to this request, and provide some insights for government colleagues.

First, acknowledge and understand that racism exists. And not just the capital R racism that is consuming all the oxygen in our media, but the daily death by a thousand cuts microaggressions that Black, Indigenous and people of colour face every day. This is the truth. And there is no reconciliation without truth.

Next, provide adequate, intentional and sustained funding to community programs and organizations that empower and uplift communities. Dont make announcements about combatting guns and gangs in the Jane and Finch area of Toronto while handing over money to law enforcement for the further over-surveillance of an already stigmatized community.

While the area has its fair share of problems, the community has also had a tremendous amount of success notably highlighted in the film Mr. Jane and Finch (about community advocate Winston LaRose), which recently won a 2020 Canadian Screen Award for best social/political documentary program.

There are organizations like Zero Gun Violence run by Louis March, Trust 15 run by Marcia Brown, and Generation Chosen run by Dwyane Brown and Joseph Smith. Each of these organizations has been working tirelessly to help uplift and empower our youth. Itah Sadu, owner of A Different Book List bookstore, has been raising funds for a cultural centre for the community. All of these individuals are tired of jumping through hoops to get funding. They have demonstrated their ability to effect change and have sustained their businesses with proven results. Our governments could find ways to help them scale up and grow (in the same way they are helping Canadian commercial entities and projects to scale up). This should extend to the governments procurement processes, as Black-owned businesses are often left out of the conversation, off the list and fail to receive invitations to trade missions.

Additionally, if governments are going to make announcements about investments in Black communities, they should do the math first. Budget 2018 dedicated $19 million to addressing challenges faced by Black Canadians. Such efforts include $10 million over five years to provide more culturally focused mental health programs to the Black Canadian community and $9 million over five years to enhance community supports for Black youth. Additionally, $23 million was allocated to increase multiculturalism funding. Part of the funds were to be used to conduct cross-country consultations on a new anti-racism approach, which will find new ways to collaborate and combat discrimination.

But when you do the math on these numbers, they dont make sense, and they certainly do not speak to Black lives mattering. Lets use the example of $10 million over five years for mental health programs (or $2 million per year). There are 1.2 million Black people in Canada. For ease of this analysis, lets make this number an even million. If we use the current statistics of mental health challenges impacting one out of five people, we can hypothesize that approximately 200,000 Black Canadians are impacted by mental health issues. This budget is essentially allotting $10 per year per person affected by mental health ($2,000,000 divided by 200,000). How TF is that supposed to do anything? How is that going to have impact? Was this investment intentional or some sort of window dressing? Have we been took? Hoodwinked? Bamboozled? Led astray? Run amok?

However, doing the math is only useful if you are putting forward good policy. And please do not let how well a particular issue will poll get in the way of good policy. If you are considering how good policy will impact your ability to get re-elected, find a new line of work, because you do not deserve to represent the people who need you the most.

So, here are some policy changes that can be made. They are suggestions, and not in any particular order of priority. They all should have been done a long time ago. (Most are listed on my Top 43 things to do in the 43rd Parliament tweet thread dated December 4, 2019).

Lets start with the expungements of criminal records for those folks, predominantly Black and Indigenous, who have been charged with marijuana possession. The government has introduced pardons; however, the over-surveillance of Black and Indigenous communities, which is a violation of our human rights, has led to a disproportionate over-representation of these groups in the prison system. It is time to right the wrong. And while you are at it, get rid of mandatory minimums, too.

Immigration patterns for the approvals of visas from Black and Brown countries into Canada is abysmal. This was a topic of countless conversations during the 42nd Parliament; however, very little was done to improve the situation. The government should investigate immigration practices that discriminate against people from these countries and review visa lifts. In the interim, they should increase the number of mobile biometric units, which track information necessary for a visa application, available in Caribbean and African countries.

Domestically, if representation matters, increase the number of Black people in Cabinet and Black people in Governor in Council appointments. Name an experienced Black person to head the new Anti-Racism Secretariat within the department of Canadian Heritage and increase the number of Black political staffers in prominent positions. Honour the spirit of my private members Bill C-468, and remove the barriers that exist for Black federal employees to be promoted within the federal system, especially in deputy minister and assistant deputy minister positions.

Lastly, as a former entrepreneur in the area of research, I was heartened that budget 2018 dedicated $6.7 million to create a new Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics at Statistics Canada. This centre will work to improve our understanding of the social, economic, financial, and environmental issues facing groups, including Black Canadians. This new information will help organizations and leaders better understand the barriers faced by the community and will inform future evidence-based policy. So, start collecting and analyzing race-based data, especially around COVID-19, to properly use our limited resources strategically.

Now, I know what you are going to say. You were there, Celina. If this was a problem with government policy and spending, why didnt you do something about it instead of complaining now? And with this statement, you would be partially correct. I was there during the time the announcements were made in 2018 around anti-racism program and funding. But I was not a part of the conversations or decisions involved in the outcome. In fact, meeting attendees were told not to tell anyone about the meetings logistics or discussions. They were especially kept secret from me. Additionally, after the announcement was made and I made my frustrations known, I was told that I needed to get on board because it looked bad that I was bad mouthing the government and the related stakeholder group that had been consulted.

Herein lies what is the biggest impediment to collective progress. Exclusion. The exclusion of voices of dissent and unusual suspects around the table. The ones who will speak truth to power, call out your bullshit and hold you accountable. The exclusion of ideas that are considered too extreme because you are too lazy to see the other side of the coin.

Talking about defunding police is apparently an absolute non-starter, though it has been skillfully addressed by women like Sandy Hudson and Robyn Maynard for quite some time. Their core idea is that if you reduce funding for policing, you can increase funding that uplifts communities and you can invest in mental health supports. Are those also non-starters? I hope not.

Lastly, and most hurtful, the deliberate and intentional exclusion of marginalized groups, and in particular, Black female voices from conversations. Everyone thinks they want the Black woman in the room to fill the diversity quota (Black person check; female check), but do they really want her opinion? Do they really want her to tell the truth? Or, dare I say, tell them where they are wrong?

If diversity is truly going to be our strength and #BlackLivesMatter is going to be a reality beyond the hashtag, our governments need to be serious and intentional about policy that is inclusive and funding that is sustainable. We are beyond the point of community consultations and rhetoric. It is time for accountability and action. And both need to start now.

Photo:Thousands of people gather for a peaceful demonstration in support of George Floyd and Regis Korchinski-Paquet and protest against racism, injustice and police brutality, in Vancouver, on May 31, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

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If Black lives matter, it's time for true policy action and accountability - Policy Options

Years ago, when I worked as a patrol officer in a college town, a university police officer who was a close friend showed me some cool things on campus on a quiet midnight shift. One of those things was a soundproof booth in the speech and hearing program area. We took turns going into the little booth and screaming our heads off to see if the other could hear anything. The experience caused a little bit of panic and claustrophobia reminiscent of a nightmare where youre trying to say something or warn somebody, and they cant hear you.

Ive felt that way since the George Floyd video. Suddenly, its not just the radical cop haters accusing all police officers of systemic and violent racism. The narrative is so often repeated and so strident that people of goodwill are being swept up in the tide.

Many want to know what they can do besides Facebook keyboard strokes. Here are some things you might suggest.

This means more than saying there are more good cops than bad. It means supporting your local law enforcement agencies. When they get it right, which is the majority of the time, send a note of thanks, a letter to the editor, or a donation to a related cause (foster care, homelessness, victim assistance, domestic violence, etc.) in the name of the agency. Send a book for their break room (maybe even one of mine). When you hear of an officer hurt in a crash or arrest, send a card of concern. If you have a positive encounter with an officer, let others know.

This means resources. Whenever there is a cry for more training that necessarily means that the seats filled in the classroom are drawn by emptying patrol cars of those officers. Even free training costs in personnel and backfill. When 911 calls dont get answered in a timely way, the complaints about lack of training are forgotten. A 1,000-officer agency was criticized by a political candidate for not immediately agreeing to a 40-hour annual training on mental illness. Thats a thousand weeks of officers off the streets. And thats just for one topic. Other interest advocates want domestic violence training, animal encounter training and diversity training. Thats in addition to firearms and less-lethal weapons, arrest control and de-escalation, legal updatesand a plethora of recertifications. Communities have to support the budgets and staffing necessary to enable quality police training.

Statistics will seldom overcome preconceived notions with high emotional investment. In moments of cool reflection, there may be some light available from the numbers. Many studies cast serious doubt on assumptions of racial disparity in enforcement, use of deadly force against minority citizens and use of force in general. Arrests by race are roughly proportionate to representation by race in the general population. Although not a welcome argument, the amount of risk to minority citizens from other sources vastly outnumber the risk of unlawful violence by police when over half of all homicide victims are black. This may help to direct ones activism.

Many people point to the over-representation of minorities in the nations jails and prisons as evidence of race-based policing. Institutional racism does not begin and end with law enforcement. Where it is present may be traced from the future inmates pre-natal and subsequent healthcare, diet, housing, family structure, education, literacy and enrichment, employment, and a multitude of other social factors constantly debated, discovered and dissected.

Concerned citizens must act to ensure equity and opportunity in their communities. Isolation along racial lines, whether intentional or by default, does not foster intercultural communication. Individuals must ask if their monochrome associations contribute to a lack of understanding among racial and economic divides. Cooperation and community building without the patronizing presumption that one group must condescend to work with one another builds resilience and unity.

In our current culture, quality conversation is more a matter of what to avoid than what to affirmatively engage. Being the curator of your own voice and filtering through the voices of others is a supreme challenge. Americans used to get their news once a day from their newspapers or favorite television anchor. Now it is a constant bombardment from media whose objectivity is suspect, and social media whose voices are often angry, misinformed and narrow. Learning to discern is a skill yet to be widely developed in our culture. But we can encourage each other to hear the biblical mandate to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.

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A letter to the American public: The steps you can take to support quality communities - Police News

I remember calling 9-1-1 as a child. I was maybe 10 years old when I saw a neighbor fall to the ground with chest pains. I leaped into action, picked up a phone, and called the number I had been taught to use in case of emergencies. Even at that early age, I knew dialing 9-1-1 could save a life.

I also remember the first time I called The Trevor Project. I was a scared college kid who wasnt out to many people. I was having a really hard day and was overwhelmed by the feeling of being alone and rejected. At first, I didnt know who to call. Thankfully, a good friend recommended I try a suicide prevention lifeline. I was grateful to learn there was somebody I could call who would accept me for who I was part of the LGBTQ community. In a moment of profound vulnerability, I needed to know that the person on the other end of that call was safe for me to talk to.

Over 100,000 LGBTQ youth contact The Trevor Project in a year, but we know that is only a fraction of the young people in need. In fact, our research suggests that 1.8 million LGBTQ youth between the ages of 13 and 24 in the U.S. seriously consider suicide each year and could benefit from our services. And even that is a fraction of the number of Americans of all ages who may someday find themselves in need of LGBTQ-inclusive crisis intervention services.

Thankfully, since 2004, Americans have been able to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 to talk to trained counselors. In recent years, it has become common for people to post the National Lifeline number on social media after reports of a high-profile suicide, in hope of providing a friend with the tool they need to save a life. The number even inspired a Grammy-nominated song.

But it would be so much better if every American knew what number to call as instinctively as they know 9-1-1 and best of all for LGBTQ people if they always knew when they dialed that number that they would get the kind of specialized services and intentional welcome that I counted on receiving from The Trevor Project.

The United States is experiencing a mental health emergency, as physical distancing contributes to social isolation and economic strains stretch our national psyche to a breaking point. Despite the extraordinary efforts made by the medical professionals saving lives each and every day, it has never been clearer that our national mental health infrastructure requires reinforcement and innovation to meet the growing need. We need a 9-1-1 for mental health. We need 9-8-8.

Thats where the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act comes in. First, the Act designates a simple three-digit number, 9-8-8, to eventually replace the current ten-digit number, 1-800-273-8255. Its a simple change, but one with the potential to save millions of lives by making it easier to access life-saving services in a moment of crisis.

Second, the Act recognizes the need for these services to be specialized to save the most lives possible. The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act directly empowers the skilled and dedicated staff at the National Lifeline to take into account the distinct needs of those communities shown by scientific research to be at higher risk of suicide, including LGBTQ youth.

This legislation is commonsense and that is why it is succeeding. At a time of deep political polarization, when no other piece of LGBTQ-inclusive legislation has moved in the Senate, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act was passed by the Senate unanimously. Americans can be glad to know that, at least on the issue of suicide prevention, bipartisanship is still possible. Sens. Cory GardnerCory Scott GardnerWe need a '9-1-1' for mental health we need '9-8-8' Overnight Energy: US Park Police say 'tear gas' statements were 'mistake' | Trump to reopen area off New England coast for fishing | Vulnerable Republicans embrace green issues The Hill's Campaign Report: Trump juggles three crises ahead of November election MORE (R-Colo.) and Tammy BaldwinTammy Suzanne BaldwinWe need a '9-1-1' for mental health we need '9-8-8' Democrats introduce bill to rein in Trump's power under Insurrection Act 21 senators urge Pentagon against military use to curb nationwide protests MORE (D-Wis.) deserve our thanks for their leadership to find solutions in these difficult times.

To be clear, there will be a lengthy implementation process before people in crisis will be able to dial 9-8-8. Setting up helplines like this takes time and training. But at The Trevor Project, we are strongly encouraged by the progress weve made so far, not just in the Senate, but from the many conversations weve had with leaders at the Federal Communications Commission and Veterans Crisis Line.

The House of Representatives has technically passed this legislation as part of the latest COVID-19 relief bill, the HEROES Act. But as it is unclear that that version of the bill will pass in the Senate, we need the House to bring this bill directly to the floor for a vote. In the midst of one national emergency, we must take action to de-escalate another and well save lives doing it.

Sam Brinton is Trevor Projects vice president of Advocacy and Government Affairs.

Read more here:

We need a '9-1-1' for mental health we need '9-8-8' | TheHill - The Hill

N

ative Women Lead states:

To our Relatives:

Native Women Lead (NWL) stands in solidarity with our Black relatives. The sadness and pain of the unjust killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless others before, has become too common for too long. Native Women Lead vehemently condemns racialized violence that terrorizes Black, Brown, Immigrant, Indigenous and Communities of Color everywhere.

NWLs foundation is rooted in our BEWE values - we are the Backbones of our community, Emerging as leaders, Weaving our ideas and resources and Empowering one another for change.

Justice is a shared responsibility and if we truly stand in our values then we must stand for our Black Relatives. Now is the time to center the Black community by holding space and activating our support for #BlackLivesMatter as anti-racist relatives and allies. It will not be business as usual, NWL will pause its online webinar retreat series and instead use the time on Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 11:30 am (MST) to call-in our Native womxn sister entrepreneurs to hold space and support our Black relatives by asking ourselves to reflect on how we can do better from where we are with what we have.

We must once again strengthen our Backbones and call out the systemic racism that has benefited for over 500 years off of the backs of Black and Native people. We believe if we act in solidarity mobilizing our communities we will move closer to Liberation for all.

We must Empower by calling to action ways we can all do the work together:

As non-Black people of color we must not remain silent when others in our community make anti-black comments, our complacency is part of the problem;

We will continue to acknowledge our Black-Indigenous/Afro-Indigenous relatives as kin, understanding anti-blackness has lived in our communities too;

Check in with our Black relatives, they are in pain. Doing so to hold space and not centering ourselves;

As businesses and entrepreneurs we know the power of intentional buying, use your money to buy and/or donate to a Black business and organizations. Put your money to work;

Use your network, promote amazing Black owned businesses, post about them on social media, share them with your friends.

To Emerge as leaders, we must do it by holding ourselves accountable. NWL does not have all the answers but we can use our platform and our resources to be a part of the solution. NWL will be convening Healing In Solidarity for #BlackLivesMatter conversation in place of our retreat this Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 11:30 am *MST. Register here. (Our previously planned retreat is postponed.)

We are Weaving our resources together and will be donating a $1,000 to #SayHerName and invite you to do the same here: https://aapf.org/supportshn #SayHerName is a movement that calls attention to police violence against Black women, girls and femmes, and demands that their stories be integrated into calls for justice, policy responses to police violence, and media representations of police brutality.

Finally, we are committed to doing this work in public and with the community. As a result we have updated our Community Working Agreement to be explicitly anti-racist. These agreements were always meant to be a living pledge for our work and approach:

Our organization is committed to the understanding of the inherent value of the women in our community. We believe we can learn from each other and it is this exchange which is critical to our movement.

Celebrate mistakes. Our work to revolutionize systems requires a dedication to experimentation and fearlessness. We will make mistakes and will learn and grow from them.

We are committed to radical transparency understanding as an organization that will work to heal each other and our communities in the decisions we make. We are committed to learning together in public and will share our reasons for decisions with our stakeholders and relatives.

We believe in thinking critically about our work and its impact on our Earth Mother and our peoples.

We come to the table of Native Women Lead as equals. Dedicated to striving for excellence and holding one another accountable as we co-create.

As we deconstruct the western systems of entrepreneurialism, we strive toward greater inclusion of our relatives who are Black-Indigenous/Afro-Indigenous, LGBTQIA, veterans, possessing differing abilities and come from different backgrounds.

We believe that our work must be intentional and utilize anti-racist frameworks to ensure we keep moving forward with social and economic justice in mind for all.

In Solidarity,

Native Women Lead Co-Founders

To find out more, see link below:

https://www.nativewomenlead.org/

See the article here:

Native Women Lead with Solidarity for Black Lives Matter - KSFR