How do we move forward? Do the work.

I was going to take the day off from work today, turn off my computer, and relax but I can’t. I can’t ignore the continued racist police brutality. So today I worked. My work today, as it is everyday as white-identified person, is to continue to navigate how I can dismantle systems of power and oppression. Days like today it’s easy to feel lost and overwhelmed about what to do, but it’s these days that the work is the most important.

I spend the morning reading about police brutality, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Some of the articles are aimed right at me, as a white person. Other articles I read to bear witness to the pain I do not experience. Other sites and articles share how different communities are moving forward. Despite the vast amount of information in all of these articles and sites, none of them gives me the exact answer of how to move forward — and that’s fine. That’s not anyone’s job but mine. It is my responsibility to not only continue to learn about what is happening, but also for me to figure out how I can dismantle systems of power and privilege based on my identities and experiences.

So I’m sharing all of what I’ve read today not because it is a holistic guide on how to end racist police brutality or to be self-congratulatory; rather I’m sharing it as a window into one way that I do my work, in hopes that it provides some guidance for others. And if my method of moving forward doesn’t work for you – I understand. But please, do something.

A reminder for white folks about the cost of our silence

And the big difference between non-racism and anti-racism

Advice for white folks who want to actively engage with Black Lives Matter

How you can engage more with racial justice and police brutality work based on your experiences and expertise.

Learn more and engage in policy change around police brutality

Understanding the weight of Diamond Lavish Reynold’s experience

Learn about the everyday actions that have provoked lethal violence from police.

Remember that Alton Sterling and Philando Castile are not the only ones, and what that means for the black community

A reminder about the importance of self-care

Outdoor Afro implements Black Lives Matter into their organization by providing healing hikes

Financial contributions can be powerful – see this list of possible black led orgs to contribute to

For anyone who needs good data to convinced a person that police brutality is intimately linked with racism

And how does this all connect back to environmentalism, outdoor recreation, and conservation?