Addressing Racism: a Resource Guide for the Ohio Chapter Sierra Club
Our hearts are heavy with the deep grief, pain, violence, and death our Black and Brown family, friends, neighbors, partners, and communities continue to experience as a result of systemic racism, inequity, and police brutality in this country. This guide is intended to provide resources and information to help everyone in the Sierra Club family stay informed and take action.
“Enacting racial justice change requires every person outraged by the recent attacks against black people to practice active anti-racism, and become an ally for racial justice in the outdoors and beyond.” - Michael Brune
Sierra Club has signed onto the climate letter of solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) demands and week of action. The final letter has more than 230 groups signed on. The aim of this solidarity letter is not to center ourselves as environmental organizations, but to add our voices in a helpful way and push for real solutions.
- Final Solidarity Letter at https://bit.ly/EnviroEndorseM4BL
Environmental Justice
Why the environmental justice field has a responsibility to participate in change and stopping racism.
- Racism is Killing the Planet by Hop Hopkins, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Sierra Club
- I’m a Black Climate Expert. Racism Derails Our Effort to Save the Planet
- The Energy 202: Green Groups Back Protesters But They’re Grappling With How to Address Race and Inequality
- Black Americans 2.6 Times More Likely to Die From COVID-19 by Hop Hopkins
- From Outrage to Justice by Michael Brune
- Want to Make the Outdoors Better and More Inclusive?
Resources To Do Your Own Anti-Racism Work
This is not the time you seek advice from people of color on how you can be an ally or take action. There are plenty of resources you can access and suggest you have these conversations with white allies. Remember this is a lifelong journey.
- A Guide on How To Unlearn Your Racism and Be Actively Anti-Racists
- Anti-Racism Resources For White People
- 5 Ways White People Can Take Action in Response to White and State-Sanctioned Violence
- Why You Should Stop Saying “All Lives Matter,” Explained in 9 Different Ways
- Resources to Help You Along the Anti-Racism Journey
- Video: Systematic Racism Explained
- Me And White Supremacy Workbook by Layla F Saad
- White Privilege: Unpacking The Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
Protesting In The Streets
People coming together to raise their voices and demand change within the structures and culture that define our society is how this country was formed and how we the people have chosen to govern ourselves. Hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. and the world have engaged in peaceful protest since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis MN by a police officer while other officers stood by. Protestors and many who watch from their homes and send money, talk with friends or say prayers are wielding their rights and shouldering their responsibilities to stop the ongoing violence against Black people. This is a moment for real change.
Please be mindful, if you express your feeling of sadness around property damage you are deflecting conversations about the root of the issue: racism and the murder of George Floyd. Instead you are focusing the conversation about property and your personal feelings rather than ongoing harm to people and systematic racism that has persisted and caused us to be here.
- ACLU: Know Your Protest Rights
- There Isn’t A Simple Story About Looting
- SURJ: Calling People In About “Violence”
- Stop Focusing on Looting and Start Focusing on Police Accountability
- Race Class Narrative Guide on Messaging Around Policing, Protest, and Racial Injustice
- How Today’s Protest Compare to 1968, Explained by a Historian
- 26 Ways to be in the Struggle Beyond the Street: This list is designed to celebrate all the ways our communities can engage in liberation
Ways to Support Locally
Show your support for People of Color with your dollar! It is an easy way to express a thriving community is best when represented by all of those who live in it.
Columbus:
- 15 Black-Owned Restaurants and Cafes to Support in Central-Ohio
- 70+ Black-Owned Businesses to Support in Columbus
- Donate to the Columbus Freedom Fund- paypal link and a brief explanation of CFF: The Columbus Freedom Fund is a community bail fund centered on Black liberation and freedom started in 2019. Fiscal sponsor is Women Have Option - Ohio, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax deductible.
Cincinnati:
- Cincinnati Has A Lot of Black-Owned Restaurants. Here Are 25 That You Should Try
- Cincinnati Black-Owned Businesses
- Donate to the Cincinnati Bail Fund
Dayton: If You’re Looking to Shop Black-Owned Businesses in Dayton
Cleveland:
- 98 Black-Owned Cleveland Restaurants, Cafes and Bakeries You Should Support
- Black Owned Businesses in Cleveland
Showing Up For Racial Justice will link you to events going on in Ohio
- Greater Dayton- Dayton, OH
Email: alovingspoolful@gmail.com Facebook
- Northeast Ohio- Cleveland, OH
Email: connect@surjneo.org Facebook
- Columbus
Email: surjcolumbusoh@gmail.com Facebook
- SouthEasternOhio (SEO)
Email: surjseo@gmail.com Facebook
- Ohio State University Campus, Columbus
Email: osusurj@gmail.com Facebook
- Cincinnati
Email: SURJcincinnati@gmail.com Facebook
Lots of Petitions to Support
- Register to Vote and Vote!
- Fight For Breonna
- Change.org: Justice for George Floyd
- Black Lives Matter
- Student organized petition asking Columbus City Schools to end its partnership with Columbus Police Department
What’s Happening in Ohio?
- Out of Control Police: 17 Instances of Police vs. Protestor Violence
- Columbus City Council Urges Action, Not Just in Words, in Declaring Racism is a Health Crisis
- Shannon Hardin: Ending Racism Through Systematic Change Must Begin Now
- The Congresswoman Pepper-Sprayed By Police
- Ohio Legislative Black Caucus Members Introduce Resolutions to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis
- Police are hurting protesters with little accountability
Self Care Resources
Please take care of yourself and each other!
- How Black Americans Can Practice Self-Care During These Trying Times. And How Everyone Else Can Help Them
- Self-Care Tips for Black People Who Are Struggling With This Very Painful Week
- Healing Justice Podcast: 12 Practice: Somatic Centering with Sumitra Rajkumar
Actions for Columbus:
Tell Mayor Ginther and City Attorney Zach Klein to “release arrested protestors and drop their charges”
- Ginther: Call 614-645-7671, Tweet @MayorGinther, Email 311@columbus.gov
- Klein: Call 614-645-7385, Tweet @CityAttyKlein, Email zmklein.columbus.gov
If you know someone arrested:
- Call the National Lawyers Guild 614-654-6477
- Fill out this form for support from Columbus Freedom Fund: tinyurl.com/CFFsupport