Issue 4: What Strange, But Necessary Times We Live In
Happy Juneteenth and Pride!
Hello everyone,
Welcome to Issue four of Blaxplaining. A LOT has happened in the last two weeks, so much that I can’t even fathom covering everything…but what would be the point of this newsletter if I don’t cover a bit of the news, so let’s begin, shall we? Ok so boom, Trump campaigned for his role of Authoritarian-in-Chief by ok’ing a forceful removal of protestors for a photo-opp in front of a nearby church; calls for defunding the police are now becoming mainstream, with even the Minnesota City Council disbanding their police force; fashion brands and media beacons, like Vogue and Refinery29, are being exposed as toxic workplaces for Black employees; voter suppression is still very real and happening in the state of Georgia, COVID-19 cases are rising in 21 states after reopening; and in the most maddening of events, a Black man, Rayshard Brooks, was fatally shot by the Atlanta police when thousands of people are STILL protesting against police brutality.
Ugh.
Like many of you, I’ve already been struggle-busing in trying to manage during the age of COVID-19, but now as we are entering into this new era of racial reckoning, my Give-A-Damn-About-Everything meter is now at a record low of two. That’s not to say that I don’t care about what’s going on in the world, but I’ve learned the hard way that I can only control what I can control. This type of thinking has guided me through these last couple of weeks, but it has also influenced how I participate in activism. Like I’ve mentioned in my previous issue, I’ve been looking for ways to protect my mental health and one of the ways I’ve done so is to explore the different types of activism in which I can be most helpful. I may not be the person to protest, to educate friends about anti-racism, and be engaged on social media, but I know that I can buy from Black-owned businesses, continue writing this newsletter, and find joy in my Blackness. I say all of this to say that it’s okay to not be on the frontlines of every issue and that different types of activism are always needed. I would love to share some more of my philosophical knowledge, but instead, I urge you to find out what works for you, and if you haven’t, I listed a few ideas below:
If you’re looking to donate:
These organizations are accepting donations:
If you want to support Black-owned businesses…
To get started, check out apps like Black Nation and Official Black Wall Street, both of which are online platforms dedicated to highlighting thousands of Black-owned businesses.
If anti-racist texts aren’t doing enough for you…
Read stories and watch films about Black people living, not just racism. Here’s a Google spreadsheet that I created with over 100+ films and literature centering on Black stories.
If you’re broke but want to do something…
Watching monetized YouTube videos about racial justice, donating your travel rewards points or cash-back, signing petitions, or setting up a fundraiser of your own on GoFundMe or Facebook, are free ways to get involved.
If you just need time to process…
Same. Here are some resources to help you find a therapist that understands you:
I always look forward to reading your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment, reach out to blaxplaining@gmail.com, or hit me up on Instagram (@tylerrharriss). If you like this post, please click the heart! And if you’re not a subscriber, go ahead and hit that subscribe button!
Until next time,
Tyler