Black Lives Matter

We stand against systemic racism and police brutality. Black lives matter.

 

 

As a business and as individuals, we are taking the time to have difficult conversations and educate ourselves in order to work towards implementing long term, concrete change within our own business and communities. Change doesn't happen overnight, this fight requires a long-term investment and will take a lot of work, we are committing ourselves to that work. Our initial actions on this long road include a donation pledge of $12,000.00, to be dispersed over the next eight weeks to organizations who support and fight for Black lives. Each of our employees will have the opportunity to select the organization that they wish to donate to. We are also extending additional paid time-off to our employees who are taking time to support the movement by volunteering, contacting their representatives, and using their first amendment right to protest. 

 

We’ve included a list of organizations that we are donating to individually along with resources below. We encourage you to donate and use your voice. This is far from an exhaustive list, if you’d like to add to the list feel free to leave suggestions in the comments section.

 

George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, David McAtee and countless others should still be alive today. Black lives matter.

 

SIGN PETITIONS

Demand justice by signing all of the petitions below.
Justice for George Floyd
Justice for Breonna Taylor: 
Justice for Ahmaud Arbery
Justice for Tony McDade
Justice for David McAtee
Text and send emails for change via this link.

 

DONATE

Memorial Funds
Send funds directly to the family members of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and David McAtee.
George Floyd Memorial Fund
Breonna Taylor Memorial Fund
Ahmaud Arbery Memorial Fund
Tony McDade Memorial Fund
David McAtee Memorial Fund

 

National Organizations
Black Lives Matter
BLM is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the SPLC works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality.
NAACP
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
Color of Change
The nation’s largest online racial justice organization, Color of Change helps people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us.
The Anti-Racism Project
The Anti-Racism Project seeks to educate participants about how institutionalized racism, internalized racism and white privilege feed oppression.

 

Local and Community Led Organizations
Find local organizations in your area that are fighting to build strong communities, defund police departments, and for decarceration. We’ve listed organizations here based in Minnesota, where George Floyd was murdered, along with a few NYC organizations in our hometown.

 

Reclaim the Block 
A Minneapolis based organization that works to move money from the police department into other areas of the city’s budget that truly promote community health and safety.
The Black Visions Collective
Founded in 2017, the Black Visions Collective has been putting into practice the lessons learned from organizations before them, in order to shape a political home for Black people across Minnesota.
Black Table Arts
Based in Minnesota, Black Table Arts gives access to quality, art based programs that center education, social justice and artistic development to uplift black lives.
Make the Road NY
In New York, Make the Road builds the power of immigrant and working class communities to achieve dignity and justice.
Equality for Flatbush
Another NYC based organization fights for displaced people in an ever gentrifying Brooklyn. E4F is anti-police repression and anti-gentrification.

 

Bail Funds
“There is nothing “normal” about cash bail - the United States and the Philippines are the only two countries in the world where someone has to put up cash to avoid being imprisoned before their trial. We stand against cash bail as unjust and identify wealth-based discrimination as a vehicle for the criminal justice system to target populations for structural violence. People of color and immigrants face higher rates of arrest, harsher sentencing, and disparities in the setting of bail compared to white citizens.” - The Minnesota Freedom Fund.

 

At the moment, bail funds are overflowing with donations, many organizations are asking donors to redirect funds. Below are a few organizations that provide free bail assistance and have resources to learn more about the disparities in the cash bail system.

 

The Bail Project
Provides free bail assistance for people who can't afford it, reuniting families and restoring the presumption of innocence.
National Bailout
National Bail Out is a Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers and activists building a community-based movement to support our folks and end systems of pretrial detention and ultimately mass incarceration.
Split Donation Bail Fund
Split a donation between 70+ community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizations.

 

COVID-19 Relief
COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting Black and Indigenous Americans. Donate to mutual aid funds and organizations that are taking action and providing relief for BIPOC communities.

 

Directory of Community Mutual Aid Funds in Brooklyn, NY
Sustainable Brooklyn Rent Relief Fund
Brooklyn Community Foundation 
FAMM Foundation

 

RESOURCES 

 

WEBSITES + SOCIAL
The Appeal
The Conscious Kid
Rachel Ricketts’ Anti-Racism Resources
The Great Unlearn by Rachel Cargle
Raising Race Conscious Children

 

ARTICLES
The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Why You Need to Stop Saying "All Lives Matter" by Rachel Elizabeth Cargle
Washington Post Police Shooting Database
Is Prison Necessary? by Rachel Kushner
Building a Police Free Society Infographic

 

BOOKS
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
and here is a list of independent, Black-owned bookstores to order from. 

 

PODCASTS
1619 from the New York Times
Pod Save the People from Crooked Media
Code Switch from NPR
Justice in America from The Appeal
Floodlines from The Atlantic
The Nod from Gimlet Media
Ear Hustle from Radiotopia

 

FILM
When They See Us available on Netflix
Fruitvale Station available for purchase on iTunes
13th available on Netflix
16 Shots available on Hulu
The Black Power Mixtape available for purchase on iTunes
College Behind Bars from PBS and available on Netflix
and so many more resources available here.
SHOP
Directory of Black-Owned Design Businesses from AD

 

VOTE
Many states have primaries this month and it’s essential we register to vote and turn out for the general election in November. Voter suppression is still alive and well in the US, with COVID-19 presenting new challenges. The organizations below fight for the right to vote.

 

Fair Fight
Founded by Stacey Abrams, Fair Fight brings awareness to the public on election reform, advocates for election reform at all levels, and engages in other voter education programs and communications.
When We All Vote
When We All Vote is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy, and through strategic partnerships to reach every American.
Brennan Center
The Brennan Center works to make voting free, fair, and easy.The Brennan Center’s reforms are modernizing American elections, starting with automatic voter registration and measures to ensure election security. And they fight restrictive voting policies that make it harder to vote.
Check your voter registration status, register to vote, adopt a state and more at
Vote, Save America