You don’t have to donate to every crowdfunding link on your twitter feed or donate thousands to the Black Lives Matter foundation to properly contribute to the Black Community. If you take anything from this post let it be that the only goal is to provide us with the resources it needs to sustain in the fluctuating economy + heal from the internal and external trauma we’ve experienced from systemic and structural oppression. It's a lot and it's important to understand so listen up, I got some ways to help out! This can look like so many things:
Gain knowledge on the influence of the Black Community and learn it's contributions outside of slavery. Read our literature (physical copies if you can) and online content, watch movies or documentaries, attend local informational and vending events which are commonly so resourceful.
Donations do always help: whether it be a family that needs to eat or an organization catering to black youth. This can mean money, food, books, clothes, etc. So click on the crowdfunding and non-profit organization links when you see them. At least learn about them and if you would want that for yourself then make that financial arrangement. If you simply can- why not/
Providing our community with opportunities to work in fields with no black occupants.
Retweeting, reposting, and sharing content from your friends in the Art field. Providing black artists with space in local galleries and attend art shows with black artists.
Learn about local resources in your neighborhood/city so that you can give them out as needed.
Shop Black as much as possible, especially with small black owned businesses. This way we can keep our money within our community.
Take care of yourself. Yeah - it’s hard being black and they not trying to hear it. Realign with your goals because they’re powerful. Don’t ever let that be dimmed so stay on track!
If you haven’t done something that to contribute to the black community this month I think you need to make some time to plan that out tonight, support does not expire on February 28th friends! Here are a few ways to show love:
Buy something from Miiriya - a online selling platform catered to black creators only. Go on a retweet spree and share the pinned tweets of various small business owners on social media. A good hack is to get on twitter and search “black history month pinned” or "black owned business"- you’ll find various artists trying to get exposure during black history month! Searching black owned business on instagram will get you similar results. Donate to your local food shelter, thrift store, or money to a black person/family/organization that is in need online and in real life. I've recently learned about Loveland which helps black women get therapy treatment which is so necessary. Therapy has personally changed my life and I know others can benefit. Offer guidance or mentorship to someone trying to enter your field so that we can keep Black Excellence prevalent! Help slightly in distributing wealth by diversifying your offices and providing black professionals with new opportunities they're qualified for and intrigued in, yet absent due to fault other than their own.
I personally look forward to sharing more resources as I grow SONAO. and learning about more creative black owned businesses to share with yall so make sure you're subscribed to this website to get exclusive content (shameless plug) - there's a form at the bottom of every page. Happy Black History Month!