Over this past week, I have been sharing sadness, and outrage on social media regarding the senseless killing of George Floyd and the ongoing racial injustice in our country. In reflecting, I am embarrassed that my newsletter for the blog went out on Sunday, along with a fashion blog post without any mention of the trauma we are currently facing.

I may not understand or be able to relate, but I stand with the black community during these troubling times. In my days as an educator, I did a better job of serving as a white ally for my students of color – actively fighting racism daily. Life has taken me a different direction with my career and I while I no longer serve as a teacher, I do still see myself as an educator.

I want to make it clear that today and everyday, I am committed to being an ally and speaking out against discrimination of any kind based on the color of someone’s skin. While this may not have been expressed on my blog before, and I may not know the right words to express my empathy and pain, I am committed to listening, learning and creating change in my family and community.

I plan to sit in the discomfort I am feeling knowing that black Americans have sat with this discomfort and pain for hundreds of years. I am focusing my energy on educating myself , learning how to be a better ally and initiating the difficult race dialogue needed to move us forward. I hope to use my privilege to stand up for justice and the amplify marginalized voices around me.

I know this is a dark time and I am sending love to each and every one of you. I hope you will join me in listening and learning so we can all do better together. Today I will start by sharing some of the resources and accounts that have helped me listen and learn more about racism in our country and what we can do to fight against it.

Thought Provoking Articles about Racism

• The American Nightmare: To be black and conscious of anti-black racism is to stare into the mirror of your own extinction.
• 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
• Amplifying Melanated Voices In A Power Sharing Way
• Racism is a Public Health Emergency
• Don’t understand the protests? What you’re seeing is people pushed to the edge
• Maintaining Professionalism in the Age of Black Death is a Lot
• 11 Things You Can Do Besides Say “‘This Has To Stop’ In The Wake Of Police Brutality

Anti-Racism Resources : How to Help

• How to Be An Ally
• Anti-Racism Resource List
• Black Lives Matter : How to Help (petitions, donations & more)
• NAACP: We Are Done Dying
• The Innocence Project

Podcasts/Books/Movies About Anti-Racism

• Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist
• Professor Ibram X. Kendi on why it’s not enough to admit when you’re being racist: “Challenge those racist ideas”
• Anti-Racist Book List from Ibram Kendi

Children’s Resources on Anti-Racism

• 31 Children’s books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance
• A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice
• Children Are Not Colorblind: How Young Children Learn About Race

Instagram Accounts I am learning From:

• @theconsciouskid : Parenting and Education Resources through a Critical Race Lens
• @privtoprog From Privilege to Progress
• @rachel.cargle Building an intellectual legacy through teaching, storytelling & critical discourse.
• @shiftingtheculture Racial Justice and Gender Justice consulting firm run by three Women of Color.

Black Owned Businesses to Support

• Small Owned Black Businesses You Can Support From Anywhere
• Black Makers and Owners
• Vegan Online Bakery
• 51 Black-Owned Brands to Support Today and Every Day

I will continue to add to this post and I highly suggest you check out my friend Shiquita’s blog for even more resource.