We’ve made a promise to fight against systemic racism, and to use our voice to share the stories and work of the BIPOC community. Today, and every day we are committed to our promise.
Over the past week we have been listening while working to educate ourselves on how to better support the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, and specifically entrepreneurs. As part of our pledge to do better, we’ve put together a list of educational resources, accounts to follow, and organizations to support. This list is just the beginning of our work to support the BIPOC community in the fight against racism, educate ourselves, and create an inclusive, diverse company culture. Going forward, we will continue to amplify the voices of BIPOC entrepreneurs and thought leaders wherever possible. For now, here’s what we’re reading, watching and following:
Resources for Our Global Audience
Download apps that offer directories of Black-owned businesses such as the Official Black Wall Street App, EatOkra, Black Nation, and Support Black-Owned.
Watch the documentary 13th by Ava DuVernay, Netflix has made 13th free to stream, even if you aren’t a subscriber. 13th explores the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which to this day enables the prison-industrial complex that disproportionately impacts the Black community.
Follow The Great Unlearn which is an anti-racism syllabus created by Rachel Cargle that includes templates you can use to hold institutions and employers accountable for racial justice.
Educate yourself on how to be an ally and avoid performative allyship by reading Mireille Harper’s Twitter thread on ‘10 Steps to Non-Optical Allyship.’
For people who actively want to be support and be an ally right now, I have written a thread. pic.twitter.com/kTvDgXXO5L
— Mireille Cassandra Harper (@mireillecharper) May 29, 2020
Resources for Canadians
The website afrobiz.ca has a directory of Canadian Black-owned businesses that you can support; it is searchable by city.
Support organizations that support Black businesses and Black entrepreneurs in Canada. The Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce offers mentorship, funding, marketing assistance, and networking opportunities. The Black Business and Professional Association provides student scholarships, classes on business and marketing, and community partnerships.
Books to Read or Listen to on Audible
How to Be an Antiracist
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
https://newjimcrow.com/about-the-author"Our democracy hangs in the balance. This is not an overstatement. If we do not learn the lessons of history and choose a radically different path forward, we may lose our last chance at creating a truly inclusive, egalitarian democracy."https://t.co/yZL1MbWcbT
— The New Jim Crow (@thenewjimcrow) June 8, 2020
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor
So You Want to Talk About Race
by Ijeoma Oluo
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race
If you’re not sure which edition you’re reading, the updated 2017 edition is the one with the black cover. https://t.co/rRXkqeqACj pic.twitter.com/Jv04TWtVBc
— Beverly Daniel Tatum (@BDTSpelman) June 11, 2020
The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table
by Minda Harts
Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out
by Ruth King
In this time, we've been really touched by this quote from Ruth King (mindfulness teacher and author of Mindful of Race). pic.twitter.com/Zs5HHYjcdU
— The Mindfulness Project (@LondonMindful) June 4, 2020
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-Winning Stamped from the Beginning
by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
The Skin We're In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power
by Desmond Cole
Tour!
Torontohttps://t.co/I5x7dO86Cr
Bramptonhttps://t.co/Xz4EiRV6XN
Ottawahttps://t.co/y3bmhLBOX2
Montrealhttps://t.co/696eEhi8V6
Halifaxhttps://t.co/aWpI6FsFVB
Winnipeghttps://t.co/btuqYvpqf4
Vancouverhttps://t.co/KdhVWBfnxd
Calgaryhttps://t.co/vf97tMAvwm pic.twitter.com/qqyKkH8Dkj
— negro frolics (@DesmondCole) January 20, 2020
Who to Follow
@blavityinc, run by CEO @morgandebaun is the powerhouse media company behind @blavity news which runs another four brands that serve Black millennials: @afro.tech, @21ninety, @shadow_act, @travelnoire.
@blackuxcollective is an Instagram account that highlights the work of Black UX designers.
@iamnileharris, a life strategist, consultant, and speaker.
@keyshamilana, a master productivity coach.
And thank you to Later for highlighting:
@erinondemand, run by Erin Winters, who is a brand strategist, video producer, and Youtuber.
@solstudiomarketing, run by Natasha Samuel, who is a social media storyteller, strategist, educator, and podcaster.
@xaylibarclay a video content creator and video coach.
Where to Donate
- Black Legal Action Centre
- Black Lives Matter
- Black Lives Matter Canada
- NAACP
- ACLU
- Nationwide Bail Fund
- Southern Poverty Law Center
- Movement for Black Lives
- Equal Justice Initiative
Thank You to our App Partners
We’d also like to applaud all of our amazing app partners for sharing their resources with us, too. Here are a few we’ve been learning from:
Grammarly is partnering with Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives to support the Remedies Blog Contest which encourages young writers in the United States to share their voices on racial prejudice. Also, Grammarly put together a thread on Twitter Black writers and educators who everyone should read as part of the process of anti-racism education.
We’re taking the time to read, learn from, and listen to Black voices so we can become better equipped to support #BlackLivesMatter in the movement to end systemic racism.
Here are 5 Black writers and educators we’re currently learning from.
(See thread. ?) pic.twitter.com/SjagxxDavF— Grammarly (@Grammarly) June 4, 2020
Airtable has compiled a list of racial equity resources to continue necessary anti-racism education.
Buffer has put together lists of anti-racist books, and of anti-racist courses, workshops, and groups.
Later has highlighted the anti-racism educational resources created by Rachel Ricketts.
To Our Community
We are proud to support the BIPOC community and Black entrepreneurs. If this is you, please reach out to us here for help getting set up with a free Shift Advanced account.
This is just the beginning of our work. Going forward, we will continue to give a voice to Black entrepreneurs, and support the work of social justice organizations, anti-racism non-profits, and the wider BIPOC community. Together, we will create a better world for all.
If you have an idea about how we can do better, please feel free to reach out to us on Twitter and let us know.
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