FTL supports Black Lives Matter - some resources for you

To our FTL community:

Our words aren’t the ones you need to pay attention to most right now. For more than a week, protests have been erupting all over the world in the days since George Floyd, a black man, died at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

We will keep this message short. We’re taking this time to listen, educate ourselves and take action. But we wanted to, at the very least, provide some thoughts, resources, and, most importantly, support and celebrate some powerful female voices. Keep reading for more information.

We also want to stress that we’re here for conversations. If you’re looking for further resources and suggestions, or just want a sparring partner, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. While we are fighting for cultural and institutional change, we must not forget the importance of change at the individual level.

Back to our going a bit quiet in the next few days: Before posting on social media, be aware that you are taking up space in a place where important conversations are happening and resources are being shared. Consider also taking a break from posting as it can be counterproductive; instead, listen, have a conversation, educate yourself, sign petitions, and donate.

And for those of you who want to march or protest: Please be safe. Remember we’re also in the midst of a global pandemic. Here are some tips on how to more safely protest during a pandemic, according to public health experts:

  1. Wear a mask and bring water, hand sanitizer and bandages

  2. Use noisemakers and signs instead of yelling to reduce droplets in the air

  3. If pepper-sprayed, do not rub your eyes; blink as much as possible, then rinse out your eyes with baby shampoo and water

  4. Consider protective gear like goggles and face shields

  5. Try to stay 6 feet (2 meters) from others

  6. Stay at home if you feel even a little bit sick

Here are some organizations you might consider donating to:

Petitions to sign:

Here are also some powerful black female voices to follow:

And if you want to educate yourself, our (humble) recommendations…

Movies:

  • 13th

  • American Son

  • Fruitvale Station

  • I Am Not Your Negro

  • Selma

  • The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

  • The Central Park Five

  • The Hate U Give

Shows (spanning documentaries and shows that celebrate black life/from black producers):

  • Atlanta

  • Becoming

  • Black-ish

  • The Chi

  • Dear White People

  • Insecure

  • When They See Us

Books – non-fiction:

  • So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo

  • White Fragility by Robin Diangelo

  • When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele

  • Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper

  • Biased by Jennifer L. Eberhardt

  • Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

  • White Supremacy and Me by Layla F. Saad

  • Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

Books – fiction (all these stories center around and celebrate black lives, and are written by black authors):

  • Sula by Toni Morrison

  • The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

  • Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

  • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

  • Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

  • Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

  • An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

  • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

  • Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

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