Thoughts by Hannah Michelle

Personally, it is necessary for me to confront my background as a white woman as I work to learn more about how I can be an ally and work to end these injustices. While in many ways it is important for me to step back and have the voices of people of color be in the forefront of this, it is also important for me to remind my white friends and family of what it means to be white and anti-racist, not just “not racist.” As I continue to learn how to best do this, I will continue to share in the ways I see appropriate.   For now, here is a list of resources I have personally learned from. If you have others to suggest, please contact me and I will definitely add to this list!   This section will be added to and organized, this is just the start of this section of resources.  Articles 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice: https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234   Anti-Racism Resources for White People: ...

This will be the section I put injustices that do not necessarily fit into specific cases or policies.  WHITE WOMEN As a white woman, it is very necessary for me to confront what being a white woman means. From the Scottsboro Boys to the Central Park Five, white women have caused Black men to be seen as “criminals” in this country, even when they are completely innocent. It is important for me to realize this and stand against this, pointing it out when it happens and denouncing it.   Video: https://www.instagram.com/p/CAqW_NaBXqY/     THE N-WORD Recently, a person from the “Bachelor” world used the n-word in a song on an Instagram live and made a pretty half-hearted apology about it. The only black Bachelorette to date, Rachel Lindsay, spoke about it on Nick Viall’s podcast this week, and it is worth listening to the first 35 minutes or so of this episode, found here (even if you don’t watch the Bachelor, this is important information that really has nothing to do w...

I will be adding to this section as I can; there is a lot more I want to put here. This is just a start to this section.    FAMILY SEPARATION IN IMMIGRATION DETENTION Raices Texas: Family Separation 2.0: https://www.raicestexas.org/2020/05/22/video-family-separation-2-0/     DACA SCOTUS CASE DACA Litigation Timeline (expected no later than June 2020) https://www.nilc.org/issues/daca/daca-litigation-timeline/   SCOTUS CASE ON LGBTQ EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS https://www.npr.org/2019/10/08/766386729/showdown-over-lgbtq-employment-rights-hits-supreme-court

I plan to update these cases as I can, but where possible, I have also included where you can find updates as they are released by attorneys.   I’ve separated cases so far into “Black Lives Matter Cases” and “Death Penalty Cases.” Of course, these overlap in some circumstances, but if it is a death penalty case, it will be put in the latter category. I will add categories when necessary.   #BLACKLIVESMATTER CASES GEORGE FLOYD   Minneapolis, Minnesota; May 25, 2020 George Floyd was killed by police officers after allegedly being arrested for forgery, gasping “I can’t breathe” before he died.   For updates, find the family of George Floyd’s lawyer on Twitter @AttorneyCrump   Take Action: Sign petition #JusticeforFloyd: Demand the officers who killed George Floyd are charged with murder.  https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/justiceforfloyd_george_floyd_minneapolis Numbers to call Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman: 612-348-5550  Internal Affairs Di...

INTRODUCTION I am enraged at the injustices that have been happening. I firmly believe I should be doing more than just tweeting #BlackLivesMatter and signing petitions, but I have been struggling to figure out what I can do. As a white woman, it is certainly not my place to speak for people of color in this country. But as a white woman, it is my responsibility to recognize my white privilege and try to use that privilege to help those who do not have it.   While it isn’t my place to speak for people of color, it is still important that I speak about these injustices. It is important for me to educate myself and white people around me on these injustices, so the burden of education does not fall so heavily on people of color.   So, what can I do? I can start by sharing this information.   This is going to be a series of posts that will continue to be edited and updated. It will focus on injustices I see in the world. I will continue to add to them and eventually I may mo...