What can YOU do to help? & What am I doing to help?

I am not alone when I say I am immensely overwhelmed.
And I hope I am not alone when I say,

BLACK LIVES MATTER.

During times like these it is very easy to be overwhelmed and just not do anything.

Taking action during times like these is very difficult. I have depression and mild anxiety which has been amplified throughout the past 4 months. I have often felt helpless and that I cannot change anything. Which is false. There are so many small actions that can be done to advocate for the black community during these times of struggle. The first that comes to mind is, protest. Many people have trouble with big crowds and especially during a global pandemic. More than anything I want to be downtown Milwaukee protesting, but I know with my mental health that is just not a reasonable option. It is tough to be around that many people after being quarantined for the last 4 months. So here are some things you can do to make a difference while preserving your physical and mental health.

Here is a link to a Linktree that contains lots of informational articles, podcasts, and videos about the BLM movement and Pride month

PLACES TO DONATE: 

• Minnesota Freedom Fund
• Black Lives Matter
• ACLU
• NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
• George Floyd Memorial Fund
• Black Visions
• National Bail Fund
• Anti Racist Research and Policy Center
• Rebuild Lake St.

"Daddy changed the world" - Gianna Floyd

ARTICLES TO READ: 

• The Price We Have Paid for Not Confronting Racism NY TIMES
• In America, Protest Is Patriotic NY TIMES
• The Headlines That Are Covering Up Police Violence The Atlantic
• A Nation Without Law, Order, or Justice The Atlantic
• "As a white man, I cannot claim perfect understanding of the fear and anger that African Americans feel today. But as someone who has been around for a while, I know enough—and I’ve seen enough—to understand that those feelings are real and that they are all too painfully founded."

SMALL mad-CRAFTY THINGS TO DO:

•  Create. Art is so important to get your ideas and opinions out into the world
• I am embroidering baseball hats with the black lives matter fist and "black lives matter" stitched on the back
• Create sticker designs - Redbubble is super easy to work with and upload art. Add new work on Redbubble
• Make posters to stick in your front lawn if you are unable to protest. 
• Sell posters to some of your friends that will proudly put them in their lawn and donate the money to a BLM fund. 

Please take some time to read these wise words from MLK,

"Urban riots must now be recognized as durable social phenomena. They may be deplored, but they are there and should be understood. Urban riots are a special form of violence. They are not insurrections. The rioters are not seeking to seize territory or to attain control of institutions. They are mainly intended to shock the white community. They are a distorted form of social protest. 

The looting which is their principal feature serves many functions. It enables the most enraged and deprived to take hold of consumer goods with the ease the white man does by using his purse. Often rioters do not even want what he takes; he wants the experience of taking. But most of all, alienated from society and knowing that this society cherishes property above people, he is shocking it by abusing property rights. 

There are thus elements of emotional catharsis in the violent act. This may explain why most cities in which riots have occurred have not had a repetition, even though the causative conditions remain. It is also noteworthy that the amount of physical harm done to white people other than police is infinitesimal.

A profound judgment of today's riots was expressed by Victor Hugo a century ago. He said, 'If a soul is left in the darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness.'

The policymakers of the white society have caused the darkness; they create discrimination; they structured slums; and they perpetuate unemployment, ignorance and poverty.

Day-in and day-out he violates welfare laws to deprive the poor of their meager allotments; he flagrantly violates building codes and regulations; his police make a mockery of law; and he violates laws on equal employment and education and the provisions for civic services. The slums are the handiwork of a vicious system of the white society; Black people live in them but do not make them any more than a prisoner makes a prison. 

Let us say boldly that if the violations of law by the white man in the slums over the years were calculated and compared with the law-breaking of a few days of riots, the hardened criminal would be the white man."

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

THIS MOVEMENT IS NOT OVER JUST BECAUSE TIK TOK CHANGED YOUR ALGORITHM BACK TO"NORMAL"

Regarding the very relevant pandemic that is still going on in our world. This is a fairly long read (30 mins) but I strongly suggest reading the whole thing. This is full of great information and will ease any worrying thoughts in respect to the pandemic.  How the Pandemic Will End

Please be safe, and stay healthy. To be able to properly help to the best of your ability you have to be healthy mentally. Take care of yourself and others. Check in on your friends and family. Stand up to racist people and speak your mind. 

 

Stay healthy & never stop creating art,

-Mads 

PHOTO SOURCES:

SOURCE: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/george-floyds-daughter-6-shouts-22131761

https://time.com

my own photo library