black-lives-matter-sign
(Image: Unsplash/Vince Fleming)

Are you wondering how you can make a difference to fight racism? 

Racism, xenophobia and intolerance are problems prevalent in all societies, but the small decisions you make on a daily basis can make a difference in the fight against racism. 

The actions you take don’t always need to cost money either.

  1. Sign petitions 
  2. Follow a variety of cultures on social media
  3. Speak up
  4. Engage with diverse characters
  5. Keep the conversation going on and offline
  6. Support black-owned businesses
  7. Donate 

Sign petitions

There is an infinite number of petitions you can sign to pledge your support towards anti-racism. Here are a selection of active petitions that you can sign:

Follow a variety of cultures on social media

If you only follow white people, you only follow a white narrative. If you only engage with white people, it will be very hard for you to hear anything outside of that narrative. Make your follower list diverse. Follow people of colour, whether they’re influencers or businesses; try to engage with a variety of stories each day. 

To get started, here are some accounts that are worth following on Instagram:

Speak up

If someone makes an inappropriate comment or joke regarding people of colour, it might feel uncomfortable to confront that person. You might want to stay quiet and brush it off, but by being passive, you are contributing to white supremacy.

Speak up! Tell that person the comment or joke they made was uncalled for, and that you will not tolerate them speaking this way. It is clearly not enough to simply say, “I’m not racist”, and block out everything that has been happening. It’s time to be anti-racist and not afraid of being assertive when you need to be. 

Engage with diverse characters

We’ve compiled a non-exhaustive list of anti-racist books you should read, both fictional and non-fictional. It’s also useful to engage with diverse characters on screen, whether it’s via a fictional narrative or an in-depth documentary

Here are some options on Netflix:

  • Who Killed Malcolm X?
  • What Happened Miss Simone?
  • 13th
  • The Help
  • Dear White People
  • When They See Us
  • All Day And A Night 
  • Atlanta
  • To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before 
  • On My Block 
  • Jane The Virgin 
  • Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife
  • Insecure 

Keep the conversation going on and offline 

After the black squares, hashtags and widespread outrage, it’s important to keep the conversation going, both on and offline. Channel the motivation you may be feeling right now into the future. Don’t let the current movement be a fleeting trend. Keep conversations going with your friends, family and colleagues. 

Support black-owned businesses

There has been a growing trend to support smaller businesses. Maybe you’re going to a small local coffee shop instead of a convenience store for your coffee; maybe you’re buying your gym gear from a company that makes their apparel from recycled materials.

So why not support black-owned businesses as a way of pledging ongoing support, and helping to close the wealth gap between white people and people of colour? Forbes has put together tis list of 75 businesses that you may consider supporting. 

Donate 

Here are some Indigenous charities you may consider donating to. Charities and organisations that support the Black Lives Matters movement in Australia and the United States include:

Read: Nine anti-racist books you need to read