Black History Month 2021

Hi everyone! We’re closing out February with our annual Black History Month list, featuring the below piece by Tirzah Thomas (fourth year in a row!).

We also want to take a moment to point everyone to some already-existing resources we have on racial justice:

• Black Lives Matter Emergency Action List #2 (May 2020) includes a bunch of links to resources related to the Black Lives Matter movement, further reading on antiracism, and organizations to donate to
• Black Lives Matter Acton List #3 (June 2020) has an extensive list of organizations related to multiple causes including police violence & mass incarceration, Black trans justice and safety, economic and housing stability, immigration, sex work, intimate partner violence, healthcare, and voting.
• Voter Suppression History & Policy
• Black History Month Action 2020
• Black History Month 2019 (includes lengthy feature on mass incarceration)

There are plenty more on our Index by the Issues page as well!

How Younger Generations of Allies can be Active in the Black Lives Matter MovemenT
BY Tirzah Thomas

Black Lives Matter isn’t a political issue to be debated, nor is it a trend. It is a response to a humanitarian crisis. In every generation, there is always a community that pushes for change and true progress. If you believe that you are a part of that group, hence why you may be reading this article and supporting Teens Resist, you understand that passively supporting a movement is ineffective. Posting infographics once in a while, placing “BLM” in your social media bio does not do enough, and believing that it does can hinder the work of actual activists. 
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Performative activism often comes from a well-intended place, but that does not mean actions are exempt from criticism. As a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, you need to embrace the idea of constantly adapting and educating yourself. Listening to those who are directly affected by the movement are telling you. Learning more about Black history and understanding “radical” ideas. It is not shying away from statements such as “Defund the police'' or “Abolish the police,” and instead trying to truly understand where these ideas stem from and what they really mean. There are decades of work from Black thinkers on these topics to learn from.

Just as you should understand that you are not exempt from criticism, your friends and peers are also not exempt from criticism. Checking your friends is just as important as checking yourself. Sharing resources with your friends and allowing a space to talk about what it means to be an ally gives you a chance to take up rightful spaces. 

As a supporter of a movement that does not directly affect you, it is vital to acknowledge this fact and act accordingly. Your support does not mean taking up space in the diverse spaces where these movements are discussed, but instead amplifying Black voices, and listening to Black voices instead of talking over them. When doing this, you can learn more about Black experiences across the diaspora which will better assist you as an ally. You can involve yourself in these spaces by joining your school’s Black Student Union, if the space is open to you.
Another thing to recognize is that Black people are not a monolith. Some of your Black peers may believe in the Black Lives Matter movement but will have different opinions about the specific changes they’d like to see made. Your job as an ally is to respect that. 

This movement is not something you can use for the advancement of your social image. This affects your friends and your peers. Every year as we lose members of the Black community and are often left without any justice, the pain we experience reminds us that Black lives do in fact matter to this world and to each other. We will not stand for any more injustices. The pain and continuous trauma that the Black community have endured highlights our resilience but this does not mean that your allyship is not valued. We just need it to be as effective as it can be. The last few days of the month I hope you realize that a celebration of our history is not limited to just a month but instead should be celebrated everyday. ​