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How the Engage Community is Supporting the Black Lives Matter Movement- and How You Can Help

• By Declan McManus
•  Jun 11, 2020

The past few weeks have been a time for self-reflection, tough conversations, and collective mobilization against systems of oppression and institutionalized racism. In the wake of the tragic murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, people across America and the world are coming to terms with the reality of police brutality and systematic racism in the United States. 

While there have been inspiring demonstrations of powerful protests and unity, we have also seen cruel acts of violence and excessive force by police forces as well as government officials. As people outside of the black community look for ways to be effective allies, many are looking for resources and opportunities to educate themselves on the history of racial injustice and systematic racism in the U.S.

At Engage, we strive to uphold the highest levels of diversity and compassion in our talent portfolio as well as the clients and organizations we work with. We know that silence during a time of injustice chooses the side of the oppressor, so we are committed to being actively anti-racist and making real contributions to the fight against racial injustice. 

To see how the Engage community is supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, below are some examples of how our community is activating for the cause:

Protesting

Over the past few weeks, millions of people across the country and the world have shown up to protest police brutality, sparked by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Talyor, and countless others.  From athletes to celebrities to regular citizens, Americans have stood in solidarity against police brutality and institutionalized racism. From Los Angeles to Minneapolis to NYC, protests around the country have drawn tens of thousands of demonstrators.

Spreading Awareness

As many talent have large platforms across social media and other digital channels, many Engage talent have chosen to use their platforms to spread awareness about police brutality and racial injustice. As athletes and celebrities have large fan bases and digital followings, many have used their platforms for good to help educate people about racism in America.

From Patrick Schwarzenegger to Dwyane Wade to Aaron Rogers, talent with huge followings are using their platforms to share resources, educate people, and provide ways to contribute to the cause.

Donating

Donations are another key way to support organizations that are fighting against police brutality and racial injustice in America. From the NAACP to Black Lives Matter to the Bail Project, there are countless organizations that are working tirelessly to protect the lives and livelihoods of black people in America. 

The movement will not be successful without the help of effective allies and supporters, so this New York Mag article has a great list of organizations you can donate to. 

Sharing Resources

With all of the activity on the news and social media, it can be difficult to unpack the information overload to find meaningful resources to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Below are some books, films, podcasts, and organizations to follow for information and updates about the history of institutionalized racism and the progress of the movement:

Books:

• Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum
• Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
• A Terrible Thing To Waste: Environmental Racism And Its Assault On The American Mind by Harriet A. Washington
• The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale
• Blackballed: The Black Vote and U.S. Democracy by Darryl Pinckney
• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

Films:

• 13th
• I Am Not Your Negro
• Whose Streets?
• Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise
• The Hate U Give
• Just Mercy
• Fruitvale Station
• Selma 

Podcasts:

• Floodlines from The Atlantic
• 1619 from The New York Times
• Intersectionality Matters! from The African American Policy Forum
• Code Switch by NPR

Organizations/Funds:

• Black Lives Matter
• NAACP
• The Bail Project
• National Bail Out
• George Floyd Memorial Fund
• I Run With Maud
• James Scurlock Memorial Fund
• Tony Mcdade Memorial Fund
• David McAtee Memorial Fund
• Gianna Floyd Fund
• Justice for Breonna Taylor

To check out Engage’s virtual events and to browse our talent, please visit the Engage website at https://www.letsengage.com/.