It’s dangerous to be Black in America. The killing of Breonna Taylor, who was shot by police in her own home, the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery by white men while he was out for a jog, and the police killing of George Floyd inspired protests across the nation.
As a white woman, I’ve been struggling to respond in a way that feels adequate. Every time I begin to draft my thoughts, I can’t help but feel like my words fall flat and hollow against the gravity of the situation. So many people of color have addressed Floyd’s murder and the subsequent protests with an insight I could never match.
But I’m learning that my words don’t have to be eloquent, only earnest. It’s my responsibility to speak out. And one of the loudest statements we can make is by choosing where to put our money.
If you want to support the Black community in the struggle against police brutality and discrimination, here are a few ways you can financially contribute.
1. Help out a victim’s family.
To make an immediate impact in the lives of Black Americans affected by police brutality, consider donating to victims’ families so they’re able to afford the costs associated with the funeral, court proceedings, grief counseling and more.
The Official George Floyd Memorial Fund on GoFundMe has already raised a whopping $9.5 million for Floyd’s family. In addition to covering expenses like those outlined above, a portion will also go to the Estate of George Floyd for the benefit and care of his children and their educational fund.
But remember, Floyd is one in a long list of Black Americans to have recently been killed by police. And the sad reality is that he is not the last. In a recent post on supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, Daniella Flores of the blog I Like To Dabble suggested searching victim’s names on GoFundMe to find funds set up by their families. She noted that the site has guidelines for determining whether it’s safe to donate to a particular campaign.
“Also, look on Instagram and Twitter to see if there are any family members or friends of victims sharing links to their GoFundMe campaigns. You can search hashtags like #blacklivesmatter #georgefloyd #justiceforgeorgefloyd or any of the victim’s hashtags,” she wrote.
You can also search for protesters who are injured in clashes with police and may need help with medical bills.
2. Contribute to organizations that promote equality and social justice.
It’s also important to shift your philanthropy practices and invest in Black organizations and causes ― “not just organizations for black people, but organizations led by black people,” said Dasha Kennedy, a financial activist for Black women and the creator of The Broke Black Girl.
In addition to your money, you can also invest your time, skills, labor and connections, she added.
Below are a few options you can consider (HuffPost’s parent company, Verizon, recently committed $10 million in aid to these organizations):
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The National Urban League: A civil rights and urban advocacy organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality and social justice. The group provides direct services to more than 2 million people across the country.
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The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People: Founded in 1909, the mission of the 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.”
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National Action Network: This civil rights organization was founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton and “works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda.”
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Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights: This is the nation’s oldest, largest and most diverse civil rights coalition, which includes more than 200 national organizations whose mission is to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all people.
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Rainbow Push Coalition: This organization was formed in 1996 by Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. when he merged his two existing organizations: People United