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Demand Justice for Ahmaud Arbery

Artwork by Nikkolas Smith
As the full story continues to be revealed, the murder of Ahmaud Arbery underscores how white supremacist violence is bolstered by people in positions of power and closely tied to police and the justice system. One of the assailants, Gregory McMichael, is a former Glynn County police officer and a former investigator with the local district attorney’s office.

We collectively grieve yet another unnecessary and tragic shooting of an unarmed Black man, and it's only natural that we seek ways to alleviate suffering and pain by doing something, taking action. In the age of social media, hashtags have made it so convenient and easy to commit performative allyship. In the last week, many people took videos/selfies during their 2.23-mile walk/run/jogs to #runwithmaud. Sure, we must raise our collective consciousness about how #antiblack racism and #whitesupremacy continue to claim the lives of unarmed black men. But centering oneself in the struggle is self-serving and self-congratulatory. Ultimately, it is part of the problem, because hashtag support doesn't go far enough to confront the insidiousness of white supremacy in our daily lives

On LinkedIn, I shared a list by Alexis Braly James offering meaningful and actionable steps for individuals and organizations that go beyond optics and superficial displays of “#wokeness.” A couple of impactful actions challenges allies to put something on the line in the name of social justice:

1. Put your money to work by donating to support Ahmaud Arbery’s family in their fight for justice.

2. Put your race and skin color privilege to work by putting your own physical or social safety on the line. Interrupt violence and disregard for black lives in all its forms, including everyday #microaggressions.

The national organization SURJ -- Showing Up for Racial Justice -- has been working to dismantle systems of white supremacy and other oppression by calling out the silence and active opposition of white people and communities against racial justice. SURJ activists are multiracial organizers who are committed to bringing more white people into movements for racial justice and against white supremacy. SURJ chapters around the country have consistently shown up in solidarity with communities most targeted by white supremacy and do the work of organizing in majority white communities to end racist structures and policies.

SURJ made a list of three actions to support racial justice act boldly against white supremacy in all its forms.

3. Push for the resignation of District Attorneys George Barnhill and Jackie Johnson: sign this Color of Change petition, which highlights their gross negligence or call Jackie Johnson’s office at 912-554-7200 to make your voice heard.

4. Support Black-led and multiracial work led by people of color on the ground in Georgia to stop this legacy of violence and racism: Just Georgia, Georgia NAACP, Women on the Rise, Black Voters Matter, New Georgia Project, Southerners on New Ground, and the Southern Center for Human Rights.

5. Sign up to participate in SURJ’s outreach calls with white voters in Georgia next Thursday, May 21, 6pm Eastern. White voters voted Trump in, and we need to do our part to get him out.

6. Sign up to Collect Your Cousins. Get updates with tools on how to engage in local and national elections as an anti-racist activist, as well as tools about how to "call in your cousins" and engage with other white folks around anti-racism.

#racialequity #racialjustice #blacklivesmatter

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