activism

Grassroots campaigns have proven instrumental in bringing about political, social or environmental change; you've got to start somewhere-might as well start here.

It's just human rights.. Top Story - June 2020.
Our most important focus right now is to dismantle the racism underlying our society, within our authorities and fight for the Black Lives Matter movement.
By Yas6 years ago in The Swamp
Staying Safe During a Protest
With protests happening across the country and even around the world, it's important to stay informed and make sure you are prepared and staying safe. Most of the protests have remained peaceful, however, the police has used rubber bullets, tear gas, and taken other actions against protesters not involved in looting or violent incidents. Some protesters were seriously injured, one man in Buffalo, NY is now suffering from a TBI after being pushed to the ground by police officers. Other protesters who say were there in peace, have now filed lawsuits against cities like Dallas, and Portland, because they suffered serious injuries and say did not take part in aggressive behavior.
By Stephanie Murguia6 years ago in The Swamp
Falling Behind
That is especially when we live in a world as crazy as this one. Racist systems and corrupt politicians manage to continuously and successfully blind millions into going about their days being ignorant to the blatant racism that occurs every single day.
By Andrew Hartley6 years ago in The Swamp
Is your allyship with BLM performative?. Top Story - June 2020.
The truth is, BLM has always needed allies. Black people have always needed allies. Sure, posting an empty black square on Instagram may prove that you're not racist, but does it prove that your anti-racist?
By Hexe News 6 years ago in The Swamp
Racial Injustice Ends Now
Racial Injustice has always been a problem. It will always be a problem as long as everyone who sees it as a problem, sees it that way. I do not know too much of any other colored races histories besides African Americans. But I want to take the time to say that we know blacks are not the only people of color that are being treated so horribly. It should not be this way at all. When we were created by (whatever or whomever you believe created you), we were never meant to see the color of our skins as a problem. Humans did not all live in the same part of the world. And everyone knows that the sun is hotter in some places. While it barely shine in others. Therefore some humans were bound to be darker than others. Our bodies adapt to its environment. For those who believe in God, Adam was created from "the dust of the ground".The Bible does not say whether it was white, black, yellow, grey, brown, or green dust. It says "DUST of the ground", so someone please explain to me why people that claim to be followers and believers are judging others for being a different skin tone. For those who do not believe in religious believes, whether you believe in a scientific explanation or not. We are the way we are because that is how we were meant to be. And when I say that I mean skin tone wise. Anything else bad in our lives well that is mostly based on the paths we chose. We do not have the right to judge and discriminate people for only God or whatever higher power you believe in has the right to do that. Now lets get away from religion. Hundreds of thousands of years past and we arrive at the time of slavery. Africans, "Black", ”Negros" and what ever names they want to call blacks are living peacefully. Then BAM here comes people of non-color coming in and forcing other HUMANS to become their slaves. Why because of their skin tones and because simply non-color people (the ones that are okay with slavery) to me are just straight-up lazy and feel privileged. And if that was not bad enough, they beat, killed, raped and sold colored people off as if they were not HUMANS with feelings. Everything happening now started then. So I guess you can say that slave owners and their supporters are responsible for Human Trafficking, Rape, abuse of any type and for killing people just for the fun of it. But now it is a problem when African Americans or anyone of color do it, right? If it is a non-colored person it is fine, right? Because they are following in the footsteps of their ancestors. But let's point out that if colored folks were LEFT ALONE where they were these problems would not have started. Maybe it would have but at least not in such a horrible way, there would have been a more civil approach. Yet that is not the way history took place. The blood, tears, and sweat of our colored and non racist ancestors built America. Therefore colored people should be treated with respect and not like garbage. For without them America would never have been America. Now this ”Make America Great Again” phrase makes me laugh because when was America ever ”Great”? America has been nothing but chaos from the very beginning. How can you kick people off their land and force others from their homes to be slaves, then have the audacity to call America ”Great”. It is just an honestly big joke. Look around, the whole racism thing is mainly with ONE race, every other race has come to overcome their differences and move on. And it is only about half of that race that has the racism mindset. The time is now to stop all of this, get over yourselves, and get on the right side of history. Every day the world is evolving but since we are not all on the same page it also gravitates towards it's ending. Look around and make a change. But if we all continue to hate, use violence then the world will come to its destruction. The way the world is I would never bring a child into it, would you? For those who have, how do you feel? You want change? Be that change. Start with you and work from there. Just something to think about.
By Kacey6 years ago in The Swamp
The future of policing?
BLM protests across the world -50 states and 18 countries- must result in meaningful policy change. Education is key to allyship. I wrote this to help myself - and hopefully others - make sense of ongoing policy reform discussions.
By Dayna Latham6 years ago in The Swamp
Sweeping Police Reforms, San Jose, CA
Right now, people all over the United States are fed up with police. They refuse to put up with things as they are, but Mayor Sam Liccardo took a different approach by not giving in to the people's demands to defund the police department, while also making sure they stop using tear gas or rubber bullets. Liccardo, according to the Mercury News, decided to provide a budget that will impact police reform more than focusing on defunding them entirely. The 2020-21 fiscal year starts July 1st, but the mayor feels that San Jose is not staffed as well as it could be. Communities of color ask for more police, but sometimes face being victimized by crime more often than other communities.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez6 years ago in The Swamp
The Problem With All Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter. Say it again and again. Black Lives Matter. That's the movement. That's the movement founded on July 13th 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi. But here ypu are saying 'All Lives Matter'.
By Teguan Harris6 years ago in The Swamp
My Views on Racism in the USA
On my social media accounts, I usually make a post bringing awareness to sexual assault/harassment every now and then because it’s something I really hate as I’ve seen how it can affect people with my own eyes. I also pretty much always make a post when someone famous/inspirational dies. But I’ve never made a post about racism. And I think that’s because I know that none my ‘followers’, aka. my friends, are (to my knowledge) racist and they already know that racism is wrong. But I do believe that if you say/do nothing at a time like this then that is turning a blind eye to what’s going on which is almost as bad as participating in the racism itself. So I wrote the following and posted it on my socials, to just give people another person's opinion if anything. And that's what the following is; my opinion. It is based on what I’ve learned through my life as an Asian male growing up in a white, British, conservative society in Buckinghamshire, UK.
By Josh Lian6 years ago in The Swamp
The Silent Majority: There’s No Time For Apathy in 2020. #BlackLivesMatter
Ping! A message popped up the group chat with a video of a police man kneeling his knee on the neck of an African-American man
By Jenny Hu6 years ago in The Swamp
WHEN IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO PROTEST? AND WHEN IT'S NOT?
The act of protest is by definition an action taken as a last resort. It is taken into consideration when society has concluded that your voice is useless and the conventional system of support fails. When the legal system does not render justice and does not give heed to your concerns. When the political process disregards your necessitates, and may not even cognizant of them as existing. This is the exact time when we need to stand up and protest. Throughout history, the protests are opposed and deteriorated, but it is our fundamental right that can never be denied. We can practice it anytime, anywhere and without any restriction because when someone opts to protest, it is obvious that several issues are needed to be addressed. However, in the contemporary world, we can set the limits and find out ways how to make protests more effective without violence. On the other hand, authorities should have an intellectual and unbiased mindset to understand the concerns and solve the issues of the people on real grounds.
By Longpunch6 years ago in The Swamp
No Justice, No Peace
As I sat down to write this, I searched on Unsplash for BLM, specifically looking for Black Lives Matters Signs wielded by Black protesters. It was important to me that none of the images contained the full faces of protesters and that the sign in question was in the hands of a Black person. As you can see the image I found contains no sign, but it does center a Black person and features no full faces. Why is this? Because through the thousands of images that I went through there was not a single image of a person holding a sign that wasn't white. Now don't get me wrong, I am not trying to diminish the importance of Non-Black POC or white folks in this fight, because it is a fight that we are here to offer aid to, not to center ourselves in. It is vitally important that we remember that for the duration.
By Paige Graffunder6 years ago in The Swamp