A+E Networks

A+E Networks stands united with the African American community, and all communities of color, as we work toward a world free of brutality, racism and injustice. The killing of George Floyd, and so many others before him, has shown that the need for change in our society is ever more urgent.

Everyone can play a role in making change: Read about racism and the history of inequality. Have conversations about the issues. If you can, support organizations that are contributing to solutions.

Below are three leading organizations in the fight for racial justice in America. A+E Networks is making donations to support their critical work.

NAACP

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race. Learn more about the NAACP and its We Are Done Dying campaign.

NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund uses litigation, advocacy, and public education to work towards racial justice and equality for all Americans.

EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE

The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.

CENTER FOR POLICING EQUITY

Center for Policing Equity serves as a bridge between police departments and communities and helps law enforcement agencies identify ways to improve their relationship with the communities they serve. Learn more by reading The Science of Justice: Race, Justice, and Police Use of Force Report.

ADVANCEMENT PROJECT

Advancement Project is a next generation, multi-racial civil rights organization. Rooted in the great human rights struggles for equality and justice, their mission is to fulfill America’s promise of a caring, inclusive and just democracy.

THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States of America.

THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. Through scholarships, capacity building, strategic partnerships and more, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12, higher education and talent acquisition spaces.

OBAMA FOUNDATION/MY BROTHER’S KEEPER ALLIANCE

MBK Alliance leads a cross-sector, national call to action focused on building safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color where they feel valued and have clear pathways to opportunity.

OBAMA FOUNDATION/GIRLS OPPORTUNITY ALLIANCE

The Girls Opportunity Alliance seeks to empower adolescent girls around the world through education, allowing them to achieve their full potential and transform their families, communities and countries.

TASK FORCE ON 21st CENTURY POLICING: REPORT

The President’s Task Force on 21^st Century Policing was created by President Barack Obama in response to the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer there. This final report, released in May 2015, led to the announcement of the White House Police Data Initiative.

INNOCENCE PROJECT

The Innocence Project works to exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reform the criminal justice system to prevent future injustices.

NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

The National Urban League works to provide economic empowerment, educational opportunities and the guarantee of civil rights for African Americans and other underserved urban residents in America.

Santa Monica College Foundation

Named in honor of George Perry Floyd, Jr. and with the contributions of supporters who stand for equality and justice for all people of color, this scholarship will provide a limited number of two-year endowed scholarship awards of $2,500 to selected African American students attending Santa Monica College.

SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE: TALKING ABOUT RACE

An online portal to help families, individuals and communities talk about racism and what it means to be an antiracist.

ADL

Race Talk: Engaging Young People in Conversations about Race and Racism

Articles to Read

The New Yorker: Bryan Stevenson on the Frustration Behind the George Floyd Protests
Los Angeles Times: Op-Ed: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Don’t Understand the Protests? What You’re Seeing is People Pushed to the Edge
Ms.: Eight Recommended Books by Women to Understand the Uprisings
The New York Times: An Antiracist Reading List
HISTORY.com: Civil Rights Movement Timeline
HISTORY.com: Black History

Books to Read

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo: In this New York Times bestseller, Ijeoma Oluo offers a hard-hitting but user-friendly examination of race in America.
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners: Books for Children and Young Adults
31 Children’s Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism and Resistance

Having Conversations about Race and Racism: Facilitation Guidelines

Acknowledgment and understanding are key to beginning conversations on racism and bias. These guidelines are focused on acknowledging and understanding these issues, to help all of us start talking and explore efforts that help make progress.

These conversations can be formal or informal, but the important part is that everyone finds a supportive environment to talk.
Parents, educators and facilitators can start conversations by presenting some guidelines formally or informally that move the dialogue forward.
Don’t just call people out; call them in. Try to build bridges for future conversations, relationships and actions. Try to leave the conversation with everyone feeling more connected than when they started.
Starting the conversation is the first step. Everyone, especially young people, should feel safe to share their experiences in an open and constructive dialogue.
Listen first, speak second. Everyone has valuable opinions; let’s listen carefully before we speak.
Empathy is key. Race-based bias has left a lasting legacy of pain with many individuals and communities. While we may not fully understand it, we should know it exists and extend empathy toward others.
Don’t expect perfection. None of us has the perfect words to describe how we feel. Encourage everyone in the discussion to be sensitive to multiple perspectives.
For young people, it can be helpful to talk about emotions, experiences and their personal connections to issues.
Go deeper. Explore the history of these issues in your library and online. Learn more about where America has been on issues of race and bigotry, and what solutions are being proposed.