Dismantling White Supremacy is White People’s Work

Image via Charis Books and More

Though the burden of the tragedies brought to light in the last few weeks falls harder on the Black community, the responsibility for addressing and destroying white supremacy rests with white and non-Black folks. 

Some non-Black folks are finally opening their eyes to the 401 years of systemic oppression of Black folks in the United States and are working with the Black community to engage in an uprising. All across the country, people are protesting the injustice that Black folks face in this country.

At Break Away HQ, we do justice work. That means we have a responsibility to work toward more inclusive communities, workplaces, and social spheres—free of police brutality, the racist actions of individuals, and tyrannical authority figures. This is especially true in our society which is built on the continued oppression of People of Color. 

Breonna Taylor would have turned 27 today, had she not been murdered in her own bed by Louisville Police officers. From Ahmaud Arbrey out for a run in south Georgia to the police murder of George Floyd in the streets of Minneapolis—our hearts break for the families, friends, and community at this senseless theft of life.

Image via Etsy

While the videos depicting these events are shocking, as a country founded by way of genocide and slavery of both Indigenous/Native and Black people, the racist and violent actions perpetrated by police and white men in the videos are not new. The United States was created to benefit some and subordinate others. The violence portrayed in the videos is a very real symptom of white supremacy. We have to name the culprit before we can combat it.

Now that the disease has been named, know that the emotional and physical labor of unlearning and dismantling white supremacy belongs to white people. Break Away vows, alongside with you, to continue using our platform to engage in dialogue, discussion, and education as we work towards a more equitable and honoring future. 

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Resources for anti-racist work

Unlearning

• Start Here, Start Now: A guide for white folx who want to do better (2020)

• Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources

• The Great Unlearn from Rachel Cargle

• Hope and Hard Pills from Andre Henry

• Academics for Black Survival and Wellness (A4BL)

• Building Movement Project

• “Mapping our Roles in a Social Change Ecosystem” from Deepa Iyer

• A book list for white readers to dismantle white supremacy

• A book list for kids and teens that unpack racism and white supremacy

• A list of films and documentaries about race and racism

• The history of the American Police by Throughline from NPR

Protest

• Find protests in your area

• Know your rights and make sure BIPOC* protesters have access to legal services

Virtual Activism

• Sign this petition to defund the police

• Write representatives to demand action

  • Eight specific policies to decrease police violence

• How to be an anti-racist ally

• An abolitionist study guide

Donate

• Bail bond funds

• Black Lives Matter (BLM)

• The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL)

• Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)

• Mutual aids (research to find ones in your city)

• Fair Fight Action

Support Black Businesses

• Research Black-owned businesses in your city

• Black-owned businesses you can support from anywhere

Diversify the Voices You Hear From

• Read books by Black authors (list 1) (list 2) (list 3) - all lists include a mix of fiction (contemporary and classics), non-fiction, memoir, and young adult

• Follow Black influencers

• Listen to Black-hosted podcasts

*Black, Indigenous, People of Color