No words could ever express how POC [people of colour] felt witnessing the death of George Floyd and several other black individuals before him. Not only were they affected as a single race, George Floyd’s death had an impact on the world. Now other countries, ethnicities and races are beginning to try and understand their pain. People are seeing the mistreatment and the unfairness of the justice system, irrational attacks and small-minded attitudes some individuals have towards POC in America.

Since June last year [2020] I have been witnessing followers of mine attending protests to seek justice, reading books about racial microaggressions and watching documentaries on how racism and stereotypes affect us. This is a wonderful step towards changing unpractical behavior towards black people. Anytime you increase your knowledge in an area you don’t know or understand, it produces change by clearing ignorance of the mind to soften and influence the heart.

Where do we go from here? Now that everything has calmed down, how do we keep moving forward? How do we end the patterns of ignorant behavior? One way is through education. Knowledge is power. We need to start educating ourselves about one another. Another way is to kindly immerse yourself in other cultures. Take time to ask genuine questions through soaking up the history of different cultures and lifestyles.

Now, I’m not a POC or apart of the BAME community. But I am a digital content creator. I have been put in a position to obtain a DIVERSE audience through my blogging and social media platforms. It’s time I use my platform to promote my culture more effectively. Not only will I continue to write posts about fashion, I will share content geared towards the black community to help educate my non-black followers. I need to become a link in drawing all types of people together. Let’s make an effort to help transform the way we think through our simple daily activities.

☆Become a Part of Diverse Communities☆

Take a look at your circle of friends. Do they all look the same? If the answer is yes, you need to make more friends that come from different backgrounds. Not befriend someone just to cover yourself in saying you have a black friend or someone of a another race. Do it to FULLY OPEN YOUR MIND TOVARIOUS CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. We learn the most from those who surround us on a daily basis. It’s important to make sure the content and information consumed regularly is filled with multiple types of people so you become more well-rounded.

☆Switch Up Your Feed & Content☆

If you’re a digital content creator, brand or business focus on including different people on a regular basis. Whether it’s through a collaboration, ad or promotion, we need to see various individuals in the same area.

One way to diversify your feed and content is by following people who are the opposite of you. This type of exposure makes you more interested in understanding the way others live and do things differently from your day-to-day routines. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the content they produce. For example, if you’re someone with straight hair and curious about the meaning of natural hair, kindly ask. This type of investment benefits you because you’re educating yourself about a new culture.

☆Donate to Black Charities☆

To help us become more prominent in the world, send money to funds that help raise awareness about black education and entertainment. For example, several charities focus on mental health and wellness of black people. Other nonprofits aim to sharpen computing skills of young black children so they have the same advancement to finding jobs when they graduate high school. Below is a list of some charities to contribute in helping to change our narrative in this world.

☆Invest in Black Owned Businesses Too☆

If you are unaware in how to continuously support the Black Lives Matter Movement to induce change, adjust your buying behaviors. Start investing your money into black owned businesses. We have so many black men and women who are not only scientifically creative but business savvy too. Think about it, some of the most historical genius creations come from people of colour, such as the straightening comb invented by Madam C.J. Walker or the traffic light developed by Garrett Morgan. Just think of more to come if we give people the chance to be great.

☆How to Support Black Owned Businesses without Spending Money☆

You don’t necessarily have to spend your money to provide some type of support. Even if you can’t afford the products today, give time and effort to help promote interest in the brands. Word-of-mouth is a gift in itself and the encouragement to try something new. Leave a comment on their Instagram page. Send the owner on Etsy a message to show interest and learn more about his or her products. Let these Entrepreneurs know they’re doing a good job too. If you see a photo you like simply based off the aesthetic or packaging, share it on your Pinterest board and Insta stories. Screenshot a product from the website and Tweet it to your followers. This type of promotion increases awareness and makes a huge difference for us.

Hopefully this post gives you an idea on how to integrate your support of the Black Lives Movement in your daily life for a sustainable change. To avoid previous deaths like George Floyd or Breonna Taylor, old patterns need to break. Let’s make everlasting modifications to how we see one another even in the smallest ways.

What lifestyle changes are you planning to make to support Black Lives Matter and change the way we see one another?