Everyone I have spoken to over the last few days has said the same thing: News about the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade by police—and the resulting national and international protests—have them zig-zagging wildly between devastation/despair and excitement/hope.

I feel the exact same way; I’ve used the term “emotional rollercoaster” before, but I didn’t know what I was talking about. This shit is beyond anything I’ve experienced in my 45 years. But this isn’t about my feelings. It’s about harnessing this energy and seizing the moment that people finally seem to be opening their eyes to the lived reality of being Black in a white supremacist culture.

I have seen so many posts and comments from white people asking what they should do, and so many posts and comments from people of color begging white people to educate themselves. In the spirit of sparing our Black friends and colleagues their emotional energy (in low reserves right now) I put together a list of actions white people can take today, tomorrow, and every day forever.

White people, I repeat: Please respect that Black people are in mourning right now and do NOT ask them to tell you what to do. If you have questions about how to take action and how to begin addressing your internalized white supremacy (step 1 - acknowledge that you hold white supremacist ideas because we all do) you can ask me. I don’t have all the answers and I can’t speak for Black people, but I can share my experiences and perspectives with you and point you to some resources that really helped me.

This list summarizes some of these resources and other immediate actions you can take.

If you can protest, protest. There is nothing more powerful a white person can do than put your body between Black people and the police. But be prepared and don’t expect the folks on the ground to supply or train you. Google “preparing to protest.” The first few articles have the info you need.

If you can’t protest, donate to a bailout fund. I just donated to Atlanta Solidarity Fund. There are similar funds in Minneapolis, Louisville, Brooklyn, etc. You can find a list of funds here.

Order these books by Layla F. Saad, Ibram X. Kendi, and Robin DiAngelo. I will also add The End Of Policing by Alex Vitel, which is currently available for free. There are many many other great books out there, but these are four every white person must read immediately if you have not already, IMO.

By all means, follow Black folks who do anti-racism work, but stay out of their DMs and DO NOT ask them to educate you personally. Most of them have resource lists on their websites ore in their stories. Look there or, again, ask me or another white anti-racist.

Get your talking points down so you know what to say if another white person in your life starts spewing nonsense about Black protesters having no credibility because they damaged property, blah blah blah.

No explanation needed. This is a turning point and an opportunity. We CAN NOT let this fire die!

This week, I am participating in Podcast Blackout and have chosen to read a passage from Mikki Kendall’s book Hood Feminism rather than broadcast a regular episode. But if you need talking points, listen to Thursday’s episode (June 11) in which I dive into the basics of the protest politics, the history of policing, why insisting on nonviolence is white supremacy, and an overview of arguments for policing and prison abolition.

Finally, commit to being uncomfortable for a long time and remind yourself EVERY DAY that Black people have no choice when it comes to facing racial injustice. White supremacy will persist until white people refuse it. Racism flourishes when we allow ourselves to ignore it.

That’s a wrap on the listicle. I love you and I welcome your questions. Black lives matter.