Monday.

Good Morning. What a strange weekend it's been. George Floyd. Another name. Another dead black man. Another family mourning. Another round of trauma, confusion and fear for black Americans. 

When I was in school, I remember black history being taught very differently to what I see it as now. There was segregation, and people were racist. But men like Martin Luther King, Junior marched, and women like Rosa Parks sat in the whites-only bus section, and students protested, and then, finally, Lyndon B. Johnson listened, and just like that everything was over. 

I wonder if this is how they still teach it. This was a while ago, mind you. Before social media truly took off. When facebook statuses were what kind of cereal you ate that morning, and when most cellphones didn't have cameras to record how the world really looks.

I'll stop here. I don't want to make this about another white voice. We've heard enough from people like me. Now is the time to listen to the voices of black Americans, amplify those voices and stand alongside them in the fight for their lives. See below. 

This is America. And below, a video explaining some of the symbolism. 

Watch the documentary 13th by Ava DuVernay the next time you're on Netflix: 

This gives a great history of the many policies that have been used to oppress the black minority in the U.S. during the last century. Other great resources to learn from: this podcast episode from This American Life, Scene on Radio's Seeing White series, and HBO's documentary Student Athlete. Next up for me: getting a start on this reading list. I have also heard that this book is really good.

Support protestors and the Black Lives Matter movement. Show up if it's safe for you to do so (yes we are still in a global pandemic. But many protests have been able to maintain social distancing.) You can also donate to bail funds, fair media funds, and the #Blacklivesmatter fund supporting affected communities.

Learn about your own biases. Understand the difference between being "not racist" and being anti-racist, and call out acts and words of racism you encounter in your daily life. Realize you don't have to be perfectly unbiased before you do this. No one has zero bias. We're humans. It's in our nature to think this way. The greater evil is to stay silent and not speak out because you're ashamed of your biases. 

Follow and learn from the platforms of people of color- Rachel Cargle, Black Lives Matter, The Conscious Kid (a great resource for parents). 

Finally, hold police accountable for their actions. Many officers seem to have forgotten that their duty is to protect and to serve.