Last August, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences released a paper and results from a study which concluded that Black men are about 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police over the course of their lives than white men. Black women are about 1.4 times more likely to be killed by police than white women. The current protests around the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Freddy Grey and more have sparked a new movement and energy to change the system that we have.
Dr. Martin Luther King said “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Many of my white friends have asked what they can do to combat racial injustice, while others have expressed feelings of helplessness or discomfort. Out of many great resources available, I’d like to personally share three actions that any person can take to combat racial injustice on an individual level:
Educate. Educate yourself and others. Learn more about racial injustice.
Speak. Speak up and speak out.
If you see an act of racial bias or hear a discriminatory statement, speak up. This is one of the most impactful actions you can take as it addresses bias at the source.
Act. Talk to your black friends and colleagues about the systemic injustices that they face.
Then make small steps in your daily life, at your job, at your children’s school or in your community, donate to a local organization, engage in local politics to address police brutality and racial injustice around you.