#BlackLivesMatter: A Longform Reading List
Fifty years of words I liked reading and you will too! Authors include James Baldwin, bell hooks, Kiese Laymon, Roxane Gay, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Toni Morrison, Bayard Rustin and Dr. Brittany Cooper.
ferguson
Daily Fix: A Year After Mike Brown’s Death, It’s Still Not Safe to be Black in Ferguson (or Elsewhere) and More News
Violence in Ferguson, several deaths at the hands of police, what’s happening with the lesbian fired from a Catholic elementary school, judges in Ohio dealing with same-sex marriage, and more.
What’s the Deal With Bernie Sanders? 7 Things You Want to Know
I hear he’s a socialist. That’s cool. But also he’s an old straight white man, like the vast majority of American politicians, so what would his alleged socialism mean for people who aren’t old straight white men?
Daily Fix: Indiana’s Governor Doesn’t Know What the Fuss is About and More News Stories
Gov. Mike Pence can’t give us a straight answer, good news for Ferguson protestors, Ellen Pao’s gender discrimination lawsuit and more news for you!
Hurray For The Riff Raff Interview and Ticket Giveaway!
Alynda Lee Segarra and Yosi Perlstein chat with us about their new album and new tour — and oh, by the way, you can win tickets to see them!
Black Lives Matter Releases Inaugural State Of The Black Union Address, Hosts Twitter Town Hall
“We recognize that not even a Black President will pronounce our truths. We must continue the task of making America uncomfortable about institutional racism. Together, we will re-imagine what is possible and build a system that is designed for Blackness to thrive.”
Victories for Justice on Civil Asset Forfeiture, NY Solitary Confinement and Police Transparency
Statements and changes on a number of important fronts came from the Attorney General and from Rikers Island this week.
Bombing Of Colorado Springs NAACP Office Results In No Injuries, One Person of Interest
The bombing happened shortly before 11 a.m. with three employees in the building, back for their first day of regular work following the holidays. The building that houses the NAACP office is also home to an income tax center and Mr. G’s Hair Design Studio, a salon with predominantly Black customers.
Broken Windows is On Hiatus: Community Interventions We Can Enact Now for Real Justice
In addition to fighting for reforms within the prison system, we can keep people out of prison in the first place.
25 Women Who Shook Things Up in 2014
From mounting revolutions to redefining realness, these are 25 women who made waves in the world this year.
Are We There Yet? An Interracial Family Visits a Southern Plantation
One of the first things my mother’s boyfriend noticed upon waking up Thanksgiving Day was that all of the rooms were named after prominent confederate soldiers.
3 Things to Know About Protecting Your Tech While Protesting
While data is technically — partially — protected from search by the Fourth Amendment, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that our right to privacy is not always honored by law enforcement.
Rebel Girls: Police Violence Happens to Black Women, Too
This is a women’s issue because our sisters are being impacted directly, and because they’ve been harassed, beaten, raped, and killed by cops for centuries.
Notes From A Queer Engineer: Tear Gas, Tool Of The Police State
“While I in no way want to distract from the important conversations going on about anti-Black racism in America, I think it’s also pertinent for us to deconstruct some of the tools and techniques being used by the police to maintain control. So today we’re going to talk about tear gas.”
The QTPOC Speakeasy Reports Back from Ferguson Protests Around the World
When a grand jury failed to indict Michael Brown’s killer, protests broke out across the globe. Members of the Speakeasy, with heavy hearts and revolutionary intentions, were on the front lines.
BLACKOUT: 11 Queer Black-Owned Business/Organizations You Can Support Today
Plus a list of queer authors and artists of color, and information about hundreds of ways to support BLACKOUT.
The Myth of Plausible Deniability for Anti-Black Violence & How Ferguson Birthed a Movement
What do you do when you’ve done everything “right” and you are still mistreated? You take it to the streets. You take your rage and pain and power you make people listen. You burn and you scream and you keep screaming until someone else shows up and offers you a hand.
How You Can Show Up For Ferguson
You can do more than helplessly watch the news. You can use your voice, your money and your time to help spread the message that Black Lives Matter.
BREAKING: No Grand Jury Indictment of Darren Wilson for Mike Brown’s Death; Protests in Ferguson & Nationwide
Tonight, the announcement came that the grand jury did not indict Darren Wilson for his shooting of Michael Brown.
Holigay Gift Guide 2014: Support These Queer and Feminist Causes In The Name of Someone Rad
Making donations in people’s names can connect your family or other important people in your life with issues that you care about.
MO Governor Jay Nixon Enacts Preemptive State of Emergency, Activates National Guard as Response to Ferguson Activism
While the indictment of Wilson is a powder keg issue that could incite riots, it’s not the only end goal of these massive protests. With that said, one way to ensure that the protests will remain peaceful is to put away the military-grade weaponry and indict Darren Wilson: “No Justice, No Peace.”