Friends,
I have been silent. I have been complacent. I have been apathetic. I have been ignorant. I have been racist. I have not done the continuing and hard work of being anti-racist. I am guilty of accepting and willfully living under a system that seeks to destroy the hopes and dreams and lives of people of color.
I pledge to do better. I pledge to do the work and commit to being anti-racist. I pledge to use this press to create space for and elevate voices that need and deserve to be heard. I pledge to learn. I pledge to listen. I pledge to be a better ally.
akinoga press stands in solidarity of the persons and voices resisting racism, fighting to dismantle the system that seeks to destroy them and working to build on that is truly just and equal.
If you can, please donate to these organizations and funds (a huge shoutout to Persephone’s Daughters for this list of resources):
The George Floyd Memorial Fund supports George Floyd’s family with funeral and burial expenses, mental health counseling, lodging and travel for court proceedings, and basic necessities in the days, weeks, and months to come.
Minnesota Freedom Fund, a community-based nonprofit that pays criminal bail and immigration bonds for individuals arrested. Note: MFF has received a significant influx of donations and is requesting that donations be given to orgs such as Black Visions Collective and Reclaim the Block, detailed below.
Black Visions Collective, a Black, transgender, and queer-led organization committed to long-term success and transformation in Minnesota’s Black communities.
Reclaim the Block, a coalition that advocates for and invests in community-led safety initiatives in Minneapolis neighborhoods such as violence prevention, housing, and responses to opioid and mental health crises.
Campaign Zero, an organization that utilizes policy solutions to end police brutality through limiting police interventions, improving community interactions, and ensuring accountability.
Northstar Health Collective, a radical healthcare initiative providing health care services and other resources to marginalized communities; currently, they are on the frontlines, safeguarding the health of protestors.
National Bail Fund Network, a compiled list of bail funds across America. Donate to your local bail fund to support protestors in your area!
Baltimore Racial Justice Action, a Baltimore-based organization that works against racism & other forms of institutional oppression.
And for or those looking to learn more about the racist bedrock of policing, here are some educational resources to get started with:
Transform Harm, a resource hub about ending oppressive violence.
#BecauseWe’veRead, a reading list on policing and police/prison abolition.
A World Without Police, an organization that has compiled a study guide on the police.
@thegreatunlearn on Instagram & Patreon, a series of resources and critical discourse created by Rachel Cargle to aid in unlearning, including self-paced syllabi on racial justice.
And a big thanks to Himanshu Kashyap for passing along this link about the mental health issues facing the Black community. It lays out a thorough breakdown of systemic racism impacts both the mental (and physical) health of Black Americans and provides a list of free or low-cost sources for mental health treatment. Please check it out.
