Resources & Ways to Take Action In the Wake of George Floyd's Death

On May 25, George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis. His death is a continuation of the weeks of devastating news. In the past month, we’ve heard about the unjust and tragic deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Nina Pop, Sean Reed, and Tony McDade.

While we are all struggling with the current COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that the pervasive, institutionalized disease of racism is far more relentless—now stretching into centuries of its merciless, calamitous actions.

Hashtags and performative gestures are obsolete in their combative effects against this disease. We need meaningful action. This means we have to petition, speak up, donate, and educate ourselves on anti-racism. There is no room for complacency or passivity when we are looking at a matter of life and death, of fundamental humanity and inhumanity.

We need to look within ourselves for change and we need to start now. This article is a collection of various resources to help us take action, please feel free to leave a comment with any additional resources and information.

Contact Officials

Click here for email template to Minnesota local and state officials

Get in contact with the District Attorney and Minneapolis Mayor. Leave a message for them DEMANDING that officers Derek Chauvin (Badge #1087) and Tou Thao (Badge #7162) be arrested for Murder.

Hennepin County Attorney, Michael O. Freeman
- Email- citizeninfo@hennepin.us
- Phone- 612-348-5550
Minneapolis Police Department
- Email 1- police@minneapolismn.gov
- Email 2- minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov
- Email 3- policereview@minneapolismn.gov
- Phone- 612-673-2345
Mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey
- Phone- 612-673-2100

Sign a Petition

Justice for George Floyd on change.org or Text “FLOYD” to 551-56

Justice For George Floyd White House Petition

The Minneapolis Police Officers to be charged for murder after killing innocent black man on change.org

Justice for Breonna Taylor on change.org or Text “JUSTICE” to 551-56

Justice for Tony McDade on change.org

Justice for Ahmaud Arbery on The Action Pac

Donate

Official George Floyd Memorial Fund on Go Fund Me

Fund set up by George’s sister to pay for the funeral and legal costs that have come with his death.

The Minnesota Freedom Fund

This organization helps pay jail bonds for those who cannot afford to fight discriminatory and coercive jailing.

We Love Lake Street

This organization “will donate 100% of donations directly to small businesses and nonprofits in the Lake Street community [Minneapolis, MN] to help them rebuild their storefronts and serve our neighborhoods.”

Reclaim the Block

A community led-initiative calling for the Minneapolis and city council members “to move money from the police department” and into communities that need it.

Black Lives Matter

“An international activist movement, originating in the African-American community, that campaigns against violence and systemic racism towards black people.”

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund

An American legal organization fighting for racial justice. Donations go towards helping “win landmark legal battles, protect voters across the nation, and advance the cause of racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.

Know Your Rights Camp

Campaign and camp founded by Colin Kaepernick whose “mission is to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders.” The organization has a Legal Defense Initiative that will use donations to help provide legal defense to arrested protestors.

I Run With Maud for Ahmaud Arbery on Go Fund Me

This fundraiser assists “Ahmaud’s mother; Ms. Wanda Cooper-Jones and her immediate family with financial support during this extreme difficult time and in their struggle for justice for the murder of Ahmaud Marquez Arbery,” who was fatally shot on February 23, 2020 after being pursued by two white men.

Black Visions Collective

This organization is “a Black-led, Queer and Trans centering organization whose mission is to organize powerful, connected Black communities and dismantle systems of violence.” The money goes towards “building strategic campaigns, investing in Black leadership, and engaging in cultural and narrative organizing.”

The Bail Project

The Bail Project is an organization that “provides free bail assistance and pretrial support to thousands of low-income people every year…to combat mass incarceration ‒ one person at a time ‒ and transform pretrial justice in America.” All donations go directly toward paying bail for their clients.

The Loveland Foundation

This organization makes it possible for “Black women and girls nationally to receive therapy support” through “fellowships, residency programs, listening tours, and more.”

Black Girls Smile

Black Girls Smile “focuses on ensuring all young African American females receive the resources and support necessary to lead mentally healthy lives.” The organization hosts workshops to “promote mental health education and awareness.”

Campaign Zero

Campaign Zero is a police reform campaign. “Funds donated to Campaign Zero support the analysis of policing practices across the country, research to identify effective solutions to end police violence, technical assistance to organizers leading police accountability campaigns and the development of model legislation and advocacy to end police violence nationwide.”

Color of Change

Color of Change is “the nation’s largest online racial justice organization.” The mission of the organization is to “challenge injustice, hold corporate and political leaders accountable, commission game-changing research on systems of inequality, and advance solutions for racial justice that can transform our world.”

Click here to split your donation across multiple organizations fighting against racism and police brutality.

Click here to split your donation across 70+ community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizers.

Read Books

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

Free e-book, Author’s journal article, Reading guide

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

Audiobook chapter, Book excerpt, Author’s TEDTalk , Study guide

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Free PDF, Study guide, Analysis in The New Yorker

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Free PDF, Audio excerpt, Study guide, Teacher’s guide

This Bridge Called My Back by Rosario Morales