hey thanks!!! i understand that feeling, since most of my family (including myself) are at risk. this is definitely not everything, but here are some tips i’ve utilized that i heavily recommend:
• dress in all black / nondescript clothing – NO LABELS! nothing that’s gonna make u stand out. clothes baggy enough to conceal ur figure, tight enough to be able to run in without tripping u up. COVER UR FACE, HAIR, TATTOOS, ETC. black bloc is the move.
• wear shoes u can run in, seriously. and the plainest shoes u can find
• FOR TEAR GAS: goggles strapped tightly to ur face, glasses > contacts (trust me), bring multiple disposable rubber gloves u can use to clean ur face without spreading the powder, bring water to flush ur eyes and then flush (and clean ur face!!) with a baking soda and water solution (soak a bandana or cloth in this solution beforehand too)
• r*bber b*llets really hurt, wear layers / padding / a shield or something
• bring snacks (like energy bars) and a generous amount of water. idk abt y’all but here, there have been plenty of ppl with water and snacks for ppl that don’t have them, but it doesn’t hurt to have some on u. DRINK WATER!!!! you might think you’ll be good but you do NOT want to be dehydrated while you get gassed, it’ll almost definitely make you throw up
• i suggest bringing a first aid kit (we had a medical tent but the cops destroyed it), a knife/scissors, money (bills) in a plastic bag, sanitizer, extra masks, a change of clothes, any medication u might need (especially if u have asthma or anything like that), and again: WATER!!! CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH
• IF YOU ARE WHITE: when the police show up STAND IN FRONT OF UR BLACK COMRADES. they will be less violent with you, and this is something that’s helped us a lot. DO NOT SPEAK OVER THEM, but shield them.
• always go with a group and have an exit plan (and each others contact info / multiple meet up places); if u get separated (ESPC IF UR BLACK), link up with another group immediately (they’ll be more than welcoming). we’re all in this together and need to protect each other
• LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS! if you’re white DO NOT stray off and do random harmful shit that black people will be blamed for. if ur black, do what u see fit but be smart. be safe.
• NO PICTURES OR VIDEOS THAT COULD BE USED TO DISCLOSE ANYONES IDENTITY AT ALL. no faces shown on camera at all. no facebook lives or insta posts. police and alt right assholes can and will use this information to find and kill or arrest us, especially those of us that are black. don’t be an idiot and risk ur or someone else’s life. also @ nonblacks: u don’t need to be taking pictures to flex at all, it’s weird and remember that this is about antiblackness, not ur uwu ~revolution~
• if u can, leave ur phone at home. for some of us that simply isn’t possible while remaining safe, so if u can’t, turn off cellular data and disable icloud. no pics that could put u at risk. no compromising text messages. location services off. don’t brag abt stuff u’ve done online, and don’t guess about who did what. keep us all safe!
• these are our cities!!! get free, and do it as safely as u can!!!
i know everyone doesn’t have the funds to support causes like this and that’s okay. but if you do have the funds, please don’t just reblog it. actually give some money. it can be really easy to just reblog what you see (which is great!) and then forget to actually support the causes. it doesn’t have to be any crazy amount either. if you only have the means to give $5, that’s great.
and because some people in the notes have been mentioning: yes, the cash bail system that we have in the united states should absolutely be abolished, and many of these funds that you see linked above participate in sustained activism and political outreach in order to advocate for that abolition. but these funds are still important towards helping individuals in the immediate term. just because the cash bail system is corrupt doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do all we can to help bail out individuals from largely low-income communities of color who are constantly victims of a corrupt criminal justice system.
in the wake of yet another black person being murdered by police, here’s a list of relevant fundraisers and organizations that could use your support right now.
this is specifically a call to action for fellow white people. if you’re white and you’re in any way able to, donate.
Minnesota Freedom Fund: “We value a society that values its people, their freedom and recognizes their contribution to the greater good. A society that does not condition pretrial freedom on class or identity, that has ended mass incarceration, and that invests in restorative and transformative justice.”
Black Visions Collective, an org that strives to “shape a political home for Black people across Minnesota. We aim to center our work in healing and transformative justice principles, intentionally develop our organizations core DNA to ensure sustainability, and develop Minnesota’s emerging Black leadership to lead powerful campaigns.”
Reclaim the Block, which “organizes Minneapolis community and city council members to move money from the police department into other areas of the city’s budget that truly promote community health and safety. We believe health, safety and resiliency exist without police of any kind. We organize around policies that strengthen community-led safety initiatives and reduce reliance on police departments.”
So, I went ahead and made a gofundme! I am still working on this page.
I guess I can copy the story from there to explain again why it’s come to this… :
I have four classes left to finish my degree. I am paying for one of them out of pocket this summer and could use any and all help I can get to finish the last three that would be during fall/winter 2021.
I know there’s a lot going on right now. This may be the worst time to put my pride aside and ask for help with so many people in need during this pandemic. I promise I am not asking for help and not helping myself. I am working a few days right now but I’m no longer full-time. Due to covid-19, my hours have been reduced and I am on underemployment. Saving money for school will not be easy, especially not in the time I have left before fall semester starts.
The goal amount it is to cover tuition and fees for three classes. To give you an idea of how much that could possibly be, the class I am paying for this summer, out of my own pocket, is $2,500.
I decided I’d reblog this every other day. PLEASE don’t feel obligated to reblog every single time I reblog this, it’d be nice of you. Getting it around to as much people as possible, as much as possible, is of course the goal but I just don’t expect the same people to reblog every time.
A few people have already donated! Thank you guys so so so much, I was discouraged in making this because I am so out of my element but to already see people so willing to help was very touching and sweet. Thank you for every cent. Thank you for every positive and encouraging thought.
In light of recent news the fear that alot of youth will be homeless and go hungry is very real. A buck for luck goes a long way
Update: any donation over $20 will be eligible to win an array of prizes donated by the west loop community. Including Nintendo switch, dinner for two, $100 visa pre paid card and an arrangement of flowers delivered to most parts of the world.
Thank you for all your support but we are still far from our goal. Every reblog and donation opens our doors to more of the community youth
With the extension of the quarantine comes the extension of financial need. As of right now we are housing 12 students ages from 18-22. Most of which are first generation to go to college. The end goal is to get those who have a home to go back to on a plane as soon as financially possible. Thank you for all those who have donated and those who will donate. We are not saving the whole wide world here but we are saving individual worlds and that mean everything to some
This guy is the brother-in-law of Chris Cantwell, creator and showrunner of Halt and Catch Fire. There are a lot of deserving people out there right now, but I think everyone in fandom should consider helping this particular one. What does it have to do with fandom? Chris is actually offering FAN FICTION as an incentive–if the campaign hits $10,000, he’ll write an original Halt short story. If it hits $20,000, he’ll produce a new Halt script. Even if you’re not a fan of Halt, imagine what it would be like to get NEW MATERIAL for a TINY FANDOM from the actual Powers-That-Be. Intoxicating, no? Even if you can’t contribute right now, please reblog.
You need to sign up for an account, just have to give an email address and I guess it doesn’t even require you to verify it? That address is effectively your username. And then you get 100 votes a day. Kat is currently second.
