Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is often co-opted and remembered as a pacifist, but he was a fighter for black liberation above almost all else. That’s the legacy that Autostraddle is remembering. On this holiday, we’re honoring his work by asking ourselves: What’s in your Black Justice Toolkit, right now?
What are the intellectual, emotional, physical “tools” that you’re using to fight for justice in black communities? What are the tools that you think we need to be building? Simply put, what does black liberation look like for you, and what are you prepared to do to get there?
We invite you to join our conversation in the comment section.
Comments
It was an honor to put this together, and I’m definitely meditating on our words today. ❤️
Thank you for this post!
Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for sharing this.
I think I read it here or in one of the link roundups. It was an article on how to be an accomplice instead of an ally.
I think that was in Be The Change!
Yes, I think it was that one. Thank you!
these were really moving and interesting responses with so many good ideas and resources, seriously, you all have outdone yourselves. thank you for giving this to the world today. <3
there’s such a wealth of perspective and concrete knowledge here – thank you all so much for sharing with us, I know i’ll be revisiting this throughout the year <3
Thank you for your wisdom and anger and joy.
Y’all asked: “Simply put, what does black liberation look like for you, and what are you prepared to do to get there?”
For me, one of the biggest tools I have learned and that I must regularly commit to using more often is holding together two things: 1) I cannot let fear of messing up stop me from acting; Black people are dying and suffering because of white people like me and our inaction, so I don’t have the privilege of waiting until I have every piece right before I act. ANNNNNND 2) when I mess up, I don’t get to use the urgency of acting as an excuse for the harm I have caused.
It’s listening, then diving into action with enthusiasm, then humbly listening and repairing when I have harmed people, and then not letting my sensitivity about being reprimanded and desire to not cause harm stop me from diving back into action again.
I am grateful for y’all.
Y’all sustain me. Thank you so much for sharing, fam.
Thank you all. I am so held and moved by your words. <3
I’m so grateful for everyone’s generosity in sharing all this.