#BlackLivesMatter
GigSafe stands in solidarity to the protestors and the Black Lives Matter Movement. You can help make a difference from your living room or bedroom, we urge you to put your privilege to good use.
We have gathered helpful resources that you can use to make a difference.
Many of the sources are from https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co however we will list here for easier access, and list which country you will be helping.
“Scotland has a higher rate of race murders than the rest of the UK” STV News, 2018
PETITIONS TO SIGN
US
Italy
Working Conditions for Black People in Italy
https://www.change.org/p/giuseppe-conte-diritti-e-dignità-per-i-braccianti-invisibili
France
Censorship of Police Brutality In France
Worldwide
Mandatory Racial Bias Test
Get Schools to Speak Up
https://www.change.org/p/school-administrators-schools-must-speak-up-now
Police De-Escelation Training
Classify White Supremacists as Terrorists
UK
Belly Mujinga
More Protection of Black Trans Women in the UK
Battle Racism by Updating Reading Lists at GCSE
Illegal Export of Riot Equipment
Rename Glasgow Streets That Are Named After Slave Owners
Amend the British School Curriculum to Teach About Racism and British History
Justice for Shukri Abdi
DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE
UK
UK Charities that are anti-racist and support Black people
Black Minds Matter: Supporting Black people’s mental health.
https://southallblacksisters.org.uk/about/
US
US Protestor Funds Page
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#bail
US Black Owned Business Page
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#business
Useful Organisations
DONATE WITHOUT CASH
You can help donate without money. Watch the videos linked below and all of the ad revenue goes towards the BLM movement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Xe8N0FNTs&feature=youtu.behttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ-HRJvabR4&feature=youtu.be
MESSAGE FOR MP/MSP
TIPS
- Include full name and postcode
- Mention that you are a residency in their constituency
- Ask for them to make a statement and to put pressure on the
- government to condemn the facist behaviour in the United States
- Call your MP/MSP and leave a voicemail about these following issues.
- Use formal letter formatting.
THINGS TO TALK ABOUT INCLUDE
- Reforming the education system to include the history of the British Empire and colonialism.
- Hold institutions responsible for unequal, racist treatment of BAME students and workers.
- Stop sending tear gas, rubber bullets, and other weapons to the United States.
- The reformation and eventual abolition of the police force and thecurrent jail system.
- Justice for Belly Mujinga, a railway worker who died of COVID-19 because she was spat on in a racist attack.
- The prosecution of police officers who have killed BAME people in the UK.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
POLICE POWERS OF STOP AND SEARCH
Police powers of stop and search are used when a police officer reasonably suspects you to be in possession of:
- illegal drugs
- a weapon
- stolen property
In Scotland, the Code of Practice on the use of stop and search governs all situations when officers stop and search a person. Officers must have a specific reason to conduct a search and must carry out that search using a specific statutory power. An officer cannot search you without a specific reason even with your consent.
An officer can search:
- You and your clothes
- anything you are carrying, such as a bag or wallet
- the vehicle you are travelling in (where applicable)
YOUR RIGHTS
- Officers will act with integrity at all times and treat you with fairness and respect.
- You will not be stopped and searched because of your age, sex, ethnic background or religion.
- Officers should explain why they have stopped you and before any search, explain what they are looking for. Being stopped by the police does not mean that you are under arrest but you will need to stay with the officer until they have completed the search.
- After the search officers should provide you a receipt for the search, which contains information about your rights and how you can access a copy of your stop and search record.
- You will not get a criminal record unless you are convicted of an offence. Any personal information collected will be kept for police purposes and then destroyed after three years.
All information from:
BLACK BUSINESSES/ORGANISATIONS YOU CAN SUPPORT
UK
This website will give you many black owned businesses to support.
http://www.ukblackowned.co.uk/listings/?search_keywords=&search_location=scotland&search_cat
BOOKS ON RACE/RACISM
Knowledge is Power. Please read about racism, please educate yourself and please get talking and educating others.
Here are recommendations on books about race and racism.
DOCUMENTARIES ON RACE/RACISM
The Death & Life of Marsha P. Johnson, 2017 (Access through Netflix membership UK)
I am not you Negro, 2016 (Access through purchase on Prime)
When They See Us, 2019 (Access through Netflix membership UK)
13th, 2016 (Access through Netflix membership UK)
PROTESTERS WITH PLATFORMS
John Boyega
John Boyega joined protestors in London, 03/06/20. He delivered an emotional speech on BLM, and stated this may harm his career but he does not care-he wants justice like many more. He is using his platform for good.
Madison Beer, 2020
Yungblud & Halsey, 2020
Ariana Grande, 2020
Harry Styles, 2020
BLACK MUSICIANS
If you are a musician and are not feeling ‘affected’ by what is happening right now. We urge you to educate yourself in the history on whom the genres you listen to now, originated from.
Ask yourself where R&B, Jazz Music, Soul, Funk, Hip-Hop, Disco, Musicals, Rock n’ Roll and countless other genres and sub-genres came from?
We are Glasgow based, so we are familiar to our scene, and Glasgow thrives off of the punk scene, can you still call yourself a radical leftist if you choose to not hear what is currently ongoing?
Here are images of only a small fraction of black musicians who changed music forever
Billie Holiday
Jazz singers live performance of Strange Fruit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DGY9HvChXk
A song that revolutionised black music and protested against “the lynching of black people” (Vigliar, 2014)
https://www.wordsinthebucket.com/meaning-behind-strange-fruit-billie-holiday
Keith Harris
Reported on Music Week; Keith Harris American Record Producer put forward a message to music industry superiors, after touching on first-hand racism towards himself, that this cannot last for one day. This has to be a fight for justice and a fight for the black youth who should get the opportunities’ to become music industry superiors themselves.
For full letter click the link:
Marvin Gaye
Rosetta Tharpe
Pure Hell
James Brown
Stevie Wonder
Aretha Franklin
GLASGOW PROTESTS
In Glasgow, our protests are not going forward physically-but you can help from home.
- Sign Petitions
- Donate
- Tune in to clydebuiltradio.com for 6th & 7th of June for events.
- Make signs and hang them at your windows in protest
FAST FASHION
When you are online shopping for good deals on clothing or looking in the shops for cheap offers it seems great, like a good deal. It’s not.
Do you ever wonder who makes your clothes? Or do you just push that guilt to the back of your mind so you can get that new fit?
If you are guilty of using fast fashion in the past due to not being educated in the sector, you can change now. If you continue to purchase from places like ‘Oh Polly, Boohoo, Shein, Zaful’ and so many more, knowing the conditions their workers are in, you are part of the problem.
Slavery is still ongoing it is just covered up more effectively to the western world so we can fund these types of businesses.
Workers are exploited doing overtime to just earn enough to live off without actually being paid for overtime. They work every day in awful conditions, afraid to take days off from losing their job.
They are in unsafe working conditions with no fresh air and breathing in toxic fumes. They are treated inappropriately, abused and taken advantage of. This is not just adults, children too. Sound familiar yet?
To contribute to the boycott of Fast Fashion movement, its simple, stop buying into these brands. We understand people rely on the prices of these brands to afford clothing, but we urge you if you can afford to buy from small businesses and support them. Purchase new outfits from Charity shops or use Depop and help freelancers.
To help with the matter, educate your friends, family or anyone you know that uses fast fashion brands that can help make a change not only to the workers but to the environment also. Be public, be outspoken and help others. Small changes make a bigger difference than you think.
For more information read the following articles:
Sustain Your Styles piece on Fast Fashions Workers Working Conditions here: https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/old-working-conditions
Dark Truth on Modern Slavery: https://mindlessmag.com/2020/04/16/modern-slavery-the-dark-truth-of-the-uks-fast-fashion-garment-industry/