Support Black Lives Matter - Donations, Resources and More
On Saturday, June 6, 2020, thousands of people gathered in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in Victoria Park and the weekend’s rally has taught us that we need to continue to take action.
Canada Life Place and Spectra have a responsibility to the diverse communities in which we live and work. To champion social justice, equality and meaningful change. To call out and condemn racism, hatred and violence.
We must redirect the roar of the crowd to now demand real, systemic change.
We stand with our colleagues, partners and neighbours as we make our voices heard and challenge injustice.
We've compiled some resources to help amplify forces for change in our community and within Canada, from donating to educational tools and more.
Charities to support:
If it’s within your means, donate to an anti-racist organization or charity. This is a critical step in funding their efforts and helping them accomplish their goals.
Your donation to the Toronto chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement will go toward initiatives such as Black Liberation Collective and Freedom School, along with supporting its lists of demands for systemic changes that can make life significantly more liveable for Black and Afrikan people of Toronto. Donate here.
A non-profit organization providing a network of solidarity for Black women in the London area.
The Black Business and Professional Association
For 37 years, the BBPA has been offering programs, scholarships, mentorships and more for Black professionals and businesses in Canada.
This not-for-profit legal clinic provides free legal advice for low- and no-income Black residents of Ontario.
This registered charity’s goal is to improve the health of Canada’s Black communities.
Black Youth Helpline
This national helpline (1-833-294-8650) provides support to both teens and their families.
Stream to donate
This video project was created to donate to the Black Lives Matter movement through YouTube ad revenue. One hundred percent of the ad revenue this video makes through AdSense will be donated to associations that offer protester bail funds, help pay for family funerals, and advocacy for the Black community. Stream away and be sure not to skip the ads. YouTuber Zoe Amira uploaded the first of these, an hour-long video highlighting music, poetry, and art from black artists, with 100% of the ad revenue going directly to organizations offering bail funds, financial support for victims’ families, and advocacy (all listed at the beginning of the video). CLICK HERE to watch
Books to read:
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- They Can’t Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Your Silence Will Not Protect You by Audre Lorde
- How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
- White Fragility by Robin J. Diangelo
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race by Beverley Daniel Tatum
Films to watch:
- When They See Us
- 13th
- I Am Not Your Negro
- Selma
- The Hate U Give
- If Beale Street Could Talk
- Just Mercy
- Fruitvale Station
- Mississippi Masala
- Malcolm X
- 12 Years A Slave
Podcasts:
The Colour Code
A podcast discussing race in Canada. The latest episode features questions, comments and critiques from our listeners. It's a look back at the series while considering how we can all move forward with the conversation — how to approach and cope with discussions of race and identity at home, at school and with friends and family.
The Nod
Although this show just ended its run, you should go back and listen to old episodes to hear its nuanced exploration of Black life. As much as hosts Brittany Luce and Eric Eddings talk about the struggles of the Black experience, they also celebrate the joys.
The Stakes
From the team behind the United States of Anxiety, this limited-run series asks a simple question: How do we create a society that works for more people?
Scene on Radio: “Seeing White” series
This Peabody-nominated series is academic in its scope of exploring the roots and meaning of white supremacy.
The Heart: “Race Traitor” series
This series asks, even after you’ve intellectually rejected white supremacy, how does it show up in a room? Phoebe Unter, who is white, goes on a journey to disrupt the white value system she has inherited.
Reveal
Reveal is an investigative journalism show that digs deep into stories of injustice and holds the powerful accountable. While not every episode is about race, structural racism is certainly an enduring theme.
Come Through with Rebecca Carroll
Host Rebecca Carroll wants us to acknowledge that race is at the center of every issue in America and that it’s finally time to have a conversation about it.
Afropunk Solution Sessions
There is an urgency to Afropunk’s conversations about Black “culture, activism, and politics” — it seeks to find immediate solutions to historic problems.
Pod Save the People
Hosted by the organizer and activist DeRay Mckesson, Pod Save the People offers a salient analysis of the day’s headlines and their deeper impact on race, society, and culture.
1619
In August of 1619, a ship carrying more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia. On the 400th anniversary of this fateful moment, 1619 looks at how slavery would be woven into the very threads of America’s democracy.