it's | july

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we st a n d in solid arity w ith the B la c k c om m unity. it’s was created to be an inclusive, collaborative space, to educate others on important issues, like racial injustice. For the past month, we have worked to amplify their voices, bring awareness to the racial injustice, and educate our audience on these topics. This issue is dedicated to the movement. We put all of our articles relating to the Black Lives Matter movement in this issue, to serve as a resource for all of you. Read about the accomplishments of the protests so far, discover new people, but most importantly. learn. Use this issue to help start your anti-racism journey, continue to do the work. The fight isn’t over.

- Jen Chavarria Ed i tor- I n - C h i e f | i j e n.c h avarri a

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w h at t h e # BLM Protests have a c c o mplished so f ar After George Floyd’s death on May 25th, 2020, protests erupted all over the country in honor of Black Lives Matter. In states across America, and even countries across the world, Black voices were screaming to be heard and non-POC voices worked to amplify them. Protests, #blackouttuesday, support of Black businesses, and promotion of Black influencers, speakers, and authors have been all over social media and will most likely continue to be for the upcoming months (and maybe even years). From those who remain hesitant or rooted in prejudiced and racist beliefs, the question is raised: are the protests even making a difference?

1. Derek Chauvin’s murder charge was upgraded and fellow officers were arrested.

Originally only third-degree manslaughter, Chauvin’s murder charge was upgraded to second-degree murder.

The fellow police officers who refused to intervene on the day of Floyd’s death were fired initially, but after the protests, they were charged with aiding and abetting murder.

2. There are reforms to how police officers must act when dealing with individuals.

Minneapolis, the city where George Floyd was murdered, has since banned the use of the choke hold when it comes to officers interacting with citizens. Similarly, Dallas has required a “duty to intervene” rule that requires officers to stop other police from inappropriate or aggressive use of force.

3. Breonna Taylor Law in Kentucky ban no-knock warrants.

Breonna Taylor was murdered on May 13th after being shot eight times by a police officer using a no-knock warrant. The officer entered her home looking for someone who was already in custody. The new law bans noknock warrants and requires officers to use body cameras when serving warrants. The body cameras also must be turned on five minutes prior to serving the warrant.

4. There are discussions of police departments being disbanded and defunded.

The Los Angeles police department is getting their budget cut, according to Mayor Eric Garcetti; he is looking at cutting as much as $150 million from their budget. The mayor of Buffalo, NY has stated a special unit of their police force will be replaced with a “Public Protection Unit” after a violent incident with a 75 year old protestor. Minneapolis has also vowed to disband its police department as of June 4th, and aims to put money towards community safety and initiatives.

5. Confederate monuments and flags are being taken down all over the country.

Cities across the country are taking down confederate statues and flags. Protestors in Richmond, VA (the capital of the confederacy) toppled a confederate statue; a statue in Alexandria, VA commemorating confederate soldiers is being targeted for removal; Jacksonville, FL has vowed to remove all confederate monuments, as well as renaming a local high school; and Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the removal of the remaining 11 confederate statues in the Capitol. Nascar has banned the flying of confederate flags at their races as well, most of which are in the South.

6. Ideology is changing.

Although the U.S. is based in systemic racism and many are holding onto the idea of “All Lives Matter,” there is a clear shift in thinking and clear sign of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. According to an article from New York Times, “Over the last two weeks, support for Black Lives Matter increased by nearly as much as it had over the previous two years...a majority of Americans support the BLM movement.”

Written by: Nicole Coppage | Find her article at welcometoits.com for a full list of sources.

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C OVID -1 9 , mass inc arce ration, and c r imin a l justice re f orm The widespread eruption of COVID-19 serves as both an expository lens into the inhumane conditions of American prisons and costs of mass incarceration, and an opportunity for reform. Following the initial outbreak in the United States in April, the American Civil Liberties Union worked with statisticians, epidemiologists, and public-health experts to demonstrate that public health risks of prisons and jails, and the lack of protective equipment against viruses, could threaten the lives of an additional hundred thousand people; a collective push for mass release of those imprisoned for nonviolent offenses ensued.

Large scale protests around the country led to decarceration efforts in states such as California and New Jersey, with the federal prison population reaching its lowest level in twenty years this past May. A long op-ed published in May in the New Yorker discusses the actions taken in many states to combat practices that have helped lead to American mass incarceration, such as ordering police to make fewer arrests, district attorneys dropping low-level charges, and judges vacating bench warrants for minor infractions.

Co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Patrisse Cullors, states to the New Yorker, “At the local, state, and national level, this is a moment when we can collectively transform how our country relates to the most vulnerable”.

Incarceration and police brutality have long targeted and disproportionately affected people of color and poor communities. The American criminal justice system has created, enabled, and exacerbated policies that prey on the vulnerable and further, America’s racial divides. 2018’s Report to the United Nations on Racial Disparities in the U.S. Criminal Justice System cites data showing that Black adults are nearly 6 times as likely to be incarcerated as white people, while Hispanic individuals are 3 times as likely. Additionally, as of 2001, “one of every three Black boys born that year could expect to go to prison in his lifetime, as could one of every six Latinos - compared to one of every seventeen white boys; racial and ethnic disparities among women are less substantial than among men but remain ever prevalent.”

The report goes on to discount the claim that disproportionate mass incarceration is due to connections between race and crime, and further calls out the implicit bias of our justice system, the creation of urban ‘ghettos’ due to segregation, and the disproportionate levels of police in non-white communities.

America’s other pervasive pandemic, the coronavirus, disproportionately affects poor people of color, as well. Systemic social and healthcare inequalities are putting racial minority groups at an increased risk of contracting the virus. NPR discusses how “these racial ethnic disparities in COVID-19 are the result of pre-pandemic realities and a legacy of structural discrimination.”

Decarceration efforts to avoid massive COVID-19 death tolls for the incarcerated demonstrate that it is possible for the current American justice system (in which people can currently serve life sentences for personal marijuana charges and minor criminal offenses) can be effectively and quickly reformed. The release of those serving time for minor crimes during the coronavirus pandemic serves as an opportunity for more sustainable and continuous reform. However, a complete overhaul of the injustices in our justice system, which are deeply rooted back hundreds of years, requires large amounts of policy change, from the defunding and demilitarization of the police to the de-privatization of prisons.

Written by: Georgia Fish | Find her article at welcometoits.com for a full list of sources.

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the c o n str u c t ion of racism and law e n fo rc e m e nt in the am e ric as I confess it is hard to take a deep breath and talk about topics that are so sensitive to me, yet I feel like something needs to be said. The gravity of recent events is extremely painful, but it raises the attention of the population and the media to watch what has been going on between law enforcement and the black community for way too long. On May 25, 2020, an unarmed black man, George Floyd, was asphyxiated by a police officer. The video was all over the internet showing Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for over 8 minutes while Floyd said, “I can’t breathe,” repeatedly. Floyd’s murder triggered many protests around the globe where people ask for justice and awareness.

I wasn’t sure whether or not to come here and talk about this crime since I am not American, but I am a woman of color and I come from a country (Brazil) that shares a somewhat similar history and faces similar problems with police brutality. The Brazilian police killed 177 people in April this year during their raids in the favelas of Rio. One of their victims was a 14 year old boy who was home. The house where he was playing with his friends was left with 70 bullet holes. The police grabbed the boy after the shooting, who was only found by his family the day after.

Brazil and the United States form the largest multiracial societies in the Americas. Due to our histories, racism is deeply rooted in both societies. Both our countries were developed on African blood, not to mention the native population that almost disappeared. Not that long ago, there were states in America that still had laws that enforced racial segregation, like the Jim Crow laws, which is a good example of institutionalized racism.

Brazil was used for economic exploitation by the Portuguese; the commodities were wood, red dye, gold, sugar, diamond and, later on, coffee. The native population died after being exposed to the diseases brought by the Europeans, and African slaves were then used for labour. The explorers were mostly sailors and had their focus on trading these goods. Through the years, there was miscegenation of African, Europeans, and Native Americans. Their exploitation wouldn’t allow their colonies to develop economically. In America, the circumstances favoured the settlement of English colonists. Each colony in the US was formed due to different reasons, but through the years, new industries were developed as the country grew. In Brazil, the use of slavery took place earlier, lasted longer, and had numbers estimated as 3.6 million African slaves. In America, whole families were settled, and eventually the ideas of slave liberation appeared, but segregation became the norm.

It’s extremely important to look back and understand that the systemic racism that exists in our history gives birth to law enforcement. We must understand that racism is beyond the layers of interpersonal relations; it is also structural and institutional. The police system, at its genesis, was simply designed to control and capture slaves. The system has evolved and adapted, but it is still designed to protect the wealthy. So, if we ask ourselves, “Why is the police killing black people?” we just need to take a look at the social class pyramid (in the whole western world even) and we will note that some ethnicities seem to be disposable and the law enforcement ends up expressing that. Now, imagine raising your kids scared of those who should be protecting them? Now that we can understand better how our histories lead to the racial inequality we live today, you may be curious to know how you can help to change it.

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SHOW UP TO A PROTEST • You can head to Facebook, Twitter, or Google to search for a protest near you.

• Make sure to prepare beforehand. Have a check-in time with a friend that isn’t going, and give them an emergency contact number for them to call in case they don’t hear from you.

• Have your phone set up without Face ID, turn your location off, and make sure it’s fully charged.

• Know your rights. If you are arrested, don’t say anything except “can I speak to an attorney?”

• Here is another post full of helpful information, including tips if you are tear gassed.

DONATE TO THE CAUSES • Official George Floyd Memorial Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd • The Bail Project: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/the-bail-project • The Movement for Black Lives: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/movement-4-black-lives-1 • Reclaim the Block: https://secure.everyaction.com/zae4prEeKESHBy0MKXTIcQ2 SIGN A PETITION • Justice for Breonna Taylor: https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor • Justice for Floyd: https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/justiceforfloyd_george_floyd_minneapolis/ • Make racially motivated crime an act of terror and declare hate groups terrorist: https://www.change. org/p/make-racially-motivated-crime-an-act-of-terror-and-declare-hate-groups-terrorist-organizationsgeorge-s-law?source_location=topic_page • Mandate the Police Force academies to take racial bias training test: https://www.change.org/p/ mandate-the-police-force-academies-to-take-racial-bias-training-test-ibt?source_location=topic_page • National action against police brutality: https://www.change.org/p/national-action-against-policebrutality-and-murder • Justice for Ahmaud Arbery https://www.change.org/p/district-attorney-tom-durden-justice-forahmaud-arbery-i-run-with-maud?signed=true BOOKS • Women, Race and Class Angela Davis • White Fragility - Robin DiAngelo • White Like Me: Reflections on rafe from a privileged son Tim Wise • How I Shed My Skin - Jim Grimsley • Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race Reni Eddo Lodge • What Does It Mean to Be White? - Robin DiAngelo • What White Children Need to Know About Race - Ali Michael • So You Want to Talk About Race - Ijeoma Oluo

TV • When They See Us (Netflix 2019) • Dear White People (Netflix 2017) • 16 Shots (Showtime - 2019) • The 13th (Netflix - 2016) • The Hate U Give (Cinemax 2018) • I Am Not Your Negro (Amazon - 2016) SUPPORT BLACK CREATORS AND BUSINESS CREATORS @lisa.onuoha @itsjustjhordan @abetweene @kiannanaomi @marrissabreann @thepatriciabright

@jessica.harumi @kristline_ @wastefreemarie @greengirlleah MUSIC @imaliltcup @liannelahavas @janice.this @fahamupecou PHOTOGRAPHY @sirsargent @temi.cooker @thatphotokid DIGITAL ARTS @sheisthisdesigns @_stormae @solacilike POETRY (youtube) Crystal Valentine Kyla Lacey

Written by: Rayanne Rafael Silva 6

why vo t in g m atte rs to the social ju st ice m ove m ent “I voted” -- those are the words shown on stickers you may see people around you wearing on election day, but what exactly does voting mean and why does it matter? A general definition of voting is an expression of opinion or choice, either positive or negative, made by an individual or body of individuals. However, recent history has made it clear that it’s so much more than that. Voting is a way to make a difference and create a community that reflects our values. In order to stress the importance of voting, imagine what it would look like if a group of individuals, like those aged 18-25, decided not to vote. The issues that affect this group of people would not be appropriately addressed because no individuals of this group showed up to tell elected officials through their vote that it matters to them. Voting is a platform to communicate to elected officials what we want to see them do and what issues we need them to address. It’s also a way to remove the people who fail to address the issues that we think should be acted upon, and elect people who we think will. However, if no one shows up, life will continue to be the same and politicians will just work to please those that do vote in order to be reelected, which is often non-Hispanic white individuals that are over 60 years old and have had a college education. How can we make a true change towards social justice if only one group votes? In order to make sure issues like environmental action, college loan debt, gender equality, access to affordable healthcare, addressing systemic racism, etc., are addressed, we have to show up to the polls, especially if you identify as a person of color, are part of the younger generation, and are part of any group that has been historically underrepresented. For our voices to be heard we need to make it impossible for elected officials to turn the other way.

Voting out incumbents in order to have elected officials who will listen to the people’s needs is not a new concept.

Back in 2018, during the midterm elections, there was the widely known congressional race between Joseph Crowley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), in which AOC was the victor. Crowley had been in office for 20 years but didn’t take the action the residents of New York’s 14th district had wanted. Meanwhile, AOC’s platform included Medicare for all, mobilizing against climate change, immigration reform, gun control, etc. She was a true champion for social justice and has appropriately served her community since her election. The people of this district wanted change and voted for someone who would work toward that. Like AOC, there are several more examples of communities coming together to vote for someone who fights for social justice, someone who really fights to defend their needs. Of course, there is still work to be done and that will continue to be the case until social justice is fought for in all levels of society: in governments, in workplaces, schools, communities, and even the relationships we have with others. For many social justice issues, like climate change and racial justice, time is running out. We can’t risk wasting time or losing more lives and we need our elected officials to take action now.

In addition to our elected officials acting on social justice issues like racial justice, climate justice, gender equality, and more, we ourselves need to act. One way to do so is by voting for candidates who will prioritize these issues and holding them accountable for it. Other ways to help, that even those that are ineligible to vote (either by age or a lack of citizenship status), inlcude signing petitions oriented towards social justice issues, participating in phone banking or volunteering for a candidate that has similar values as you, donating to social justice organizations, and even emailing, calling or sending letters to elected officials. Let’s show up at the polls and create the change we want to see!

VOTE

Written by: Regina Loayza | Find her article at welcometoits.com for a full list of sources.

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h ow b ra n d s are e ngaging in p e r f o r m ative activism Since the death of George Floyd and the protests which have taken place all over the world, the BLM movement has received lots of attention and social media coverage.

Many fashion brands are seemingly joining this movement and creating social media posts to to appear diverse and inclusive and portray themselves as though they are fighting for social justice when their whole business model is often based on the exploitation of POC in the global south, mostly women, who make their clothes.

This practice of using social issues as an advertising tactic which directs consumer’s attention away from any unsustainable and unethical business practices is called woke washing. Many fast fashion brands have made vague statements on instagram like ‘let’s change’ or ‘we stand for equality’, with no mention of a concrete and tangible way in which they’re going to actively fight racism. Many of these brands are also not acknowledging their mistakes or admitting to having failed in improperly representing and including POC in their business, both in fashion shows and advertising campaigns and in not giving them higher positions within the industry.

Many brands are also tokenizing black people meaning that they are ‘making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to be inclusive to members of minority groups, especially by recruiting a small number of people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of racial or sexual equality within a workforce.’

Some of these brands have received huge backlash for their performative posts, but in particular In The style, which tried to capitalise on the BLM movement by creating a t-shirt with a stolen design. These t-shirts were meant to raise funds to donate to the movement, but when made by exploited garment workers in the global south, it’s clear how problematic that becomes.

Reformation also received a lot of negative comments from former black employees who exposed the toxic work culture created by the systemic racism present in the company, which reached its peak when it was revealed that they had a code word for black customers. Reformation’s former CEO resigned and apologised soon after.

L’oreal had to apologize as well, soon after posting in solidarity for BLM because former employee Munroe Bergdorf spoke up for being sacked by the brand in 2017 for posting about “the racial violence of white people”.

These examples indicate how brands can appear well intentioned and anti racist from what they show on social media, but the reality is often very different.

Not all fashion brands are racist, but fast fashion in itself, when offshoring production, more often than not exploits workers and doesn’t pay them a living wage in order to keep their cost low. If you can, try shopping secondhand or from a sustainable brand, here is a list of where you can find sustainable brands!

Written by: Gaia Rattazzi | Find her article at welcometoits.com for a full list of sources.

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di s c ove r B lack - ow ned f ashion b ra n d s to support Now is a crucial time to support the Black community, and while there is no “right” or “wrong” way to show support, there are many options to do so. Protesting, signing petitions, and donating are all great ways to advocate change. Another way to have you voice heard while supporting Black artists is to shop from Black-owned fashion brands. By making a purchase from a Black-owned fashion brand instead of a major retailer, you are showing that you stand with Black creatives rather than businesses that may exploit them, a problem we’ve seen in the fashion industry for far too long.

For the fashion industry to make a lasting change, it must not only employ more people from diverse backgrounds, but also amplify the voices of those who are creating and allow their work to be seen. That’s where you can help.

You can do your part by purchasing from Black-owned fashion labels and clothing stores the next time your closet needs a ‘refresh’. Here is a list to support now and going forward, keeping in mind that change won’t happen based off of an action done only once.

1.

Pyer Moss 2.

Brother Vellies 3.

Telfar 4.

Aliya Wanek 5.

Bianca Saunders 6.

Thrilling 7.

Golf Wang 8.

X of Pentacles 9.

BLK MKT Vintage 10. Waffles N Cream 11. Michel Men 12. Mowalola 13. Grass-Fields 14. Christopher John Rogers 15. Carlton Yaito 16. Daily Paper 17. Diop 18. Geo 19. Fenty 20. Hope for Flowers 21. House of Aama 22. Label By Three 23. Lemlem 24. Lionne 25. Martine Rose 26. Phlemuns 27. Remuse 28. Romeo Hunte 29. Stuzo Clothing 30. Wales Bonner Written by: Veronica LeMaster | Find her article at welcometoits.com for a full list of sources.

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Bl a c k wo me n f itne ss and yoga in st a g ram acc ounts While the wellness and fitness space on Instagram can be a wonderful place, it has its flaws as well. One of its biggest flaws? A lack of diversity. Due to the Instagram algorithm, the pages that appear on your explore page or the accounts you see your friends tag don’t tend to be super diverse. Because of this algorithm bias, it often appears that the most popular fitness and wellness accounts are run by White women. However, there are SO many wonderful accounts run by amazing Black women!

It’s so important to support Black creators. Continue to amplify Black voices on social media, especially Black women in the wellness space. Here are some amazing accounts to follow to diversify your feed and get killer workouts, yoga practice tips, recipes, and more!

• @camillia.fitsta: Camillia is a former Division I soccer player with fun and killer workout ideas!

• @danyelewilson: If you need a super sweaty HIIT workout, check out Danyele’s page!

• @abeneveloentsoul: Elsa shares creative workouts that are mostly equipment-free and incorporate unique movements to keep your muscles challenged!

• @triyofitness: The triplets offer fitness advice and very challenging workouts (and sometimes free IG live classes)!

• @therecoveryrunner: Nora shares a combination of fitness, food, and the outdoors!

• @mackenzieeleee: Mackenzie constantly shares fun new workouts!

• @ejrunzonfood: EJ is a vegan teen athlete, and her page is super relatable!

• @asia.health: Asia is a teen athlete sharing her lacrosse and cross country stories!

• @lifewithayooo: Ayodele is a Certified Personal Trainer sharing food and fitness ideas!

• @adrianaadele: Adriana is an absolutely radiant yogi sharing good vibes and yoga tips!

• @briiibriii__: Brianna is a nursing student and Solidcore coach who shares real life stories!

• @sinaemetry: Check out Atiya’s page for yoga, meditation, and all around positive vibes!

Written by: Veronica LeMaster | Find her article at welcometoits.com for a full list of sources.

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b e i ng a n a c c o m plic e in the B la ck L ive s Matter m ove m ent There is a reason this article is titled “being an accomplice” rather than “being an ally.” An ally is someone who is doing something for someone or something else for a mutual benefit. An accomplice is someone who works alongside another and who knowingly, voluntarily or intentionally assists in the journey. It’s more important than ever to be an accomplice rather than just an ally during the Black Lives Matter movement. So how can you act as an accomplice during the movement and beyond?

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION It’s important to educate others but it’s even more important to educate yourself. If you want to learn how to be an accomplice, you should take the time to learn about how black people have been treated throughout history, understand the movement and their position, learn what defunding the police really means, and how to dismantle white supremacy and become anti-racist. You can do this by saving and sharing links to resources you come across, sharing graphics and research from black curators, and looking into the policies and politics in your area.

LISTEN TO BLACK VOICES As black people are taking the lead on the movement, you should listen to what they have to say, feel and understand the words they’re saying, and take action. If you’re not sure where to start, there are thousands of tools readily available online for you to research and educate yourself and others around you. Once you’ve found a groove of taking action, share this with your allies so they can do better and to help spread the word.

DONATE If you have the means and funds to donate, there are hundreds of programs both national and local that you can give to such as victim memorial funds, bail funds, community restoration organizations, community enrichment organizations and much more. If you can donate once, that’s great but if you can donate on a monthly basis, even better. This helps provide long-term funding and continues to spread the word about what the current movement is doing today.

SUPPORT BLACK CURATORS AND BUSINESSES While you’re listening and educating yourself on this matter, there is no better source to get this information from than black voices. Purchase anti-racist books from black authors at black-owned book stores, share social graphics from black artists, and listen to black podcasts and audiobooks. If you don’t have the funds to donate to organizations, use your money to support black-owned restaurants and shops in your area.

BE ANTI-RACIST EVERY DAY It’s easy to re-share graphics on social media and it’s easy to double tap on a post about BLM. It’s even more important to be an accomplice by being anti-racist in your everyday life, too. Being anti-racist means being actively conscious about what you say and what you do. It’s about recognizing that you aren’t perfect and admitting to that fault. It’s about calling people or friends out for racist remarks, for uplifting black voices, and for acknowledging white privilege. No one person can end racism but instead working together as accomplices can help change the nation and the world for the better.

Written by: Brittany Westveer 11

i n st a g ra m cre atives sharing a nt i-ra c i sm inf orm ation Social media has become a helpful tool in staying up to date with information regarding the Black Lives Matter Movement. We have been able to follow live protests, get notified of new petitions needing signatures, receive updates on police officers conviction status, and more. Instagram specifically has been a great resource for people to learn more about topics important to the Black community. Here are a few accounts that have been consistently providing free information: • @alliesdoingwork: This account is a “community driven space for intersectionality, radical accountability & active allyship.” It shares helpful posts from accounts all over Instagram to give people one place to get started on their anti-racism journey.

• @climatelockdown: This account examines the relationship between climate change and racism through different posts that feature different people who specialize in these fields.

• @rachel.cargle: She challenges you to think deeper about yourself and your hidden biases. She pushes you to do the work, and provides many free educational resources; her Instagram posts being one of them.

• @sandatlas: An account created by non-Black folx to educate non-Black communities. They provide guides and help breakdown terms and answer any questions you may have.

• @domrobxrts: Many posts you have likely already seen around Instagram have come from this account; they provide quick information and get straight to the point.

Now is the time to diversify your feed and really commit yourself to doing the anti-racism work.

Remember: this isn’t a moment, but a movement. So, once our feeds start going back to normal, you have to hold yourself accountable and work to create the change that our Black communities are deserving of.

Written by: Jen Chavarria 12

l e ar n in g a b out the B lac k Lives Matt e r m ove m ent w ith pod c ast s Since the death of George Floyd, many people have turned to bookstores to learn about racial injustice and what they can do better to fix systemic racism. Stores have sold out of books like How to Be an Antiracist and Me and White Supremacy and libraries have the same titles on hold for months. As you wait for your copies to come in, podcasts are the perfect way to continue to learn about anti-racism, offering options for those interested in the history of Black lives in America all the way to those craving some comedic levity by Black artists.

FOR THE HISTORY BUFFS: • 1619: Released on the 400th anniversary of the first slaving ship arriving in the American colonies, 1619 provides a stunning retelling of the American history that many of us know from high school but never realized was incomplete.

• About Race: Created by the author of Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, Renni Eddo-Lodge, About Race dives into the modern history of race in Britain, starting in the 90’s.

It investigates racism in pop culture, politics, and other everyday occurrences that Eddo-Lodge began to notice as the idea of multiculturalism became popular in Europe.

FOR THE STORY-LOVERS: • Intersectionality Matters: The episode, “Under the Blacklight: Telling the Stories of State Violence and Public Silence” brings forward stories of Black women killed by police, told by heartbroken voices of their mothers and sisters.

• The Stoop: The episode, “For Ima,” was made for 14 year old Ima. Through a stark contrast between joy and the terror of brutality that both inhabit everyday life for a person of color, this episode focuses on the beauty of Blackness and gives hope for all the young people involved in the BLM movement.

FOR THE POLICE PROTESTORS: • Code Switch: Is capturing instances of police brutality on camera actually beneficial? The episode, “A Decade of Watching Black People Die” paints a haunting image of repeated police brutality against Black people, while highlighting the issues and questionable effectiveness of capturing police attacks on tape. “Our bodies have been treated like souvenirs, and our deaths being treated as something to be celebrated or even traded amongst people as postcards, and pictures of our lynchings being traded amongst the spectators, parts of our bodies being flayed and burned, traded and sent to people and kept by the murderers... they don’t do much else other than traumatize us.”

• Fresh Air: The episode, “Rethinking American Policing” offers a compassionate yet practical analysis of police unions and possible solutions for systemic racism in the entire legal system. It also ends on an awesome piece of music created by Jamiles Lartey, the journalist being interviewed.

• Pod Save the People: In the episode, “What Science Says About Police,” science and policing meet to examine the causes of police misconduct and dive into the effect that police unions have on police behavior.

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FOR THE COMEDIANS AND ARTISTS: • Yo, Is This Racist?: Looking for a lighter take on racism? Tawny Newsome and Andrew Ti address questions submitted by fans by answering, “Yo, is this racist?” In recent episodes, the hosts call for people of color to protect each other and examine what it means to be Black in America.

FOR THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS: • Short Wave: In the episode, “The Inseparable Link Between Climate Change and Racial Justice,” marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson flips the idea of social justice being a necessary aspect of addressing climate change on its head because people of color actually care more about the environment than the typically portrayed white, outdoorsy man. If humans are going to solve the climate crisis, they should all be involved in fixing it. “We have so many Americans who can’t follow their dreams because they know that their first responsibility is protecting their communities.”

Each of these podcasts are widely accessible across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else podcasts are available.

Find one that works for you and keep educating yourself. Good luck learning.

Written by: Meaghan Thompson 14

tra n s f orm ing your re a d ing sele ction A pandemic is the perfect time to pick up a good book. Reading helps keep your mind active, so you’ll be more prepared to hop back into the swing of everyday life after being quarantined for four months. A revolution is a great time to read intentionally. The books you choose to read shape your thoughts and your views. It is likely that what you’ve read in the past were all written by authors of a similar background. Making a purposeful choice to diversify the authors of the books you are reading can contribute to an expansion of your perspective. . Diverse representation of authors on your reading list creates a rich and open experience that can lend another voice to the conversation that you have with yourself about the world, especially in light of recent events.

Not only do black authors have the challenge of competing with their white peers, they have to battle to get past the innate racism of many readers by writing in popular white styles. It is expected for these authors to write about slavery and issues strictly pertaining to those of color. There is also a lack of POC editors and publishers in the field, making it harder for POC authors to be published. By making a conscious decision to expand your book choice, you can support everyone. Select your favorite genre or one you have yet to explore and expand your horizons one read at a time. Here is a round-up: FEMINISM, MEMOIRS, AND SELF-HELP: • Becoming by Michelle Obama • The 48 Laws of Black Empowerment by Dante Fortson • Life Lessons for My Sisters by Natasha Munson • Reclaim Your Power! by Terrance Dean and Tavis Smiley RACE RELATIONS AND GENDER: • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas • Cry Like A Man by Jason Wilson and Eshon Burgundy • Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Tatum • Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie THRILLER AND MYSTERY: • My Sister, the Serial Killer: A Novel by Oyinkan Braithwaite • Down the River unto the Sea by Walter Mosley • Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke • Blanche on the Lam by Barbara Neely FICTION: • It’s Not All Downhill From Here: A Novel by Terry McMillan • On Beauty: A Novel by Zadie Smith • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid • Slay by Brittney Morris ROMANCE: • Iola Leroy by Frances E. W. Harper • A Delicate Affair by Lindsay Evans • The Bittersweet Bride by Vanessa Riley If you are financially able to support these authors by purchasing these books from them directly, do it! If not, opt for a local bookstore, used bookstore (although it is likely they will not have the newer books in stock), or your local library! After you’ve read their work, leave them a review or, if you enjoyed it, pick another title by them!

Written by: Lauren Klein 15

Ma r s h a P. Johnson and the i nt e rs e c t io n a lity of the gay rig ht s movem e nt The morning of June 28th, 1969, police officers raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village, on a liquor-license charge. Additionally, at the time, the local liquor laws in New York were written in such a way that deemed serving alcohol to gay men and women disorderly and lewd, which made the Stonewall Inn a clear target for police raids. As the cops hauled customers and workers into their squad cars, arresting 13 people, onlookers began cheering on the people who had been grabbed. The Harvard Gazette reports that multiple sources claim a woman who was fighting off attempts to be thrown in the back of a squad car cried out “why don’t you guys do something!,” prompting chants, bottles, and bricks. As the police barricaded themselves in the bar and waited for backup, protests and rebellions continued over the next few days throughout New York City.

Though there had been riots in the United States surrounding gay rights, the rebellion in Greenwich Village, which took place amid Vietnam war and racial civil rights protests, was described as the “hairpin drop heard round the world” and a “shocking change of consciousness” that veered away from passive politics and toward direct resistance. Later that year, a young activist called for nationwide, and later worldwide, demonstrations every June in honor of Stonewall. One year later, in 1970, the first parade marked an era of ally-ship, pride, and political expression. Intersectional Black voices and activists were heavily involved in Stonewall and were at the forefront of the gay liberation movement.

Transgender, Black activist Marsha P. Johnson, born Malcom Michels in 1945, was one person on the front lines of the 1969 rebellion. Though she has long been credited for throwing the first brick, Johnson has said she did not arrive at the bar until the rebellion had begun. However, she did shatter a police window, and her continuous role in the gay liberation movement was fundamental.

The following year, Marsha Johnson and Sylvia Rivera founded STAR, Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries, a youth organization that housed and fed homeless LGBT+ youth. Additionally, Johnson was involved in ACT UP, a charity benefiting those with AIDS. In addition to the concrete steps she took to protect and defend LGBT+ rights, following her death, she was regarded as an intersectional icon. Though her death in 1992 was ruled a suicide, the investigation was reopened in 2012 and remains unsolved.

Donald Bell, an LGBT+ historian from Chicago, says “Marsha’s visibility and advocacy remain important… She and a number of others who lived at the intersection between racism and homophobia were political agitators that helped advance the mindset of society”.

Black and intersectional voices in America have long been at the forefront of resistance and change through activism and art. World-renowned author James Baldwin, for example, used his art and writing as a form of not only personal expression, but political activism surrounding civil and gay rights, long before intersectionality was valued or praised. Throughout his life, his work focused on intersectionality of his identity as a Black, gay American. His status as an outsider gave him an interesting and poignant view of what it meant to be African American. James Baldwin’s writing has been described as both apocalyptic and redemptive, and often contained imagery of digging through rubble to start again, reflecting his view of the Black experience in America.

In reflecting on this past pride month and its intersection with the nation-wide protests surrounding police brutality and crucial criminal justice system reform, it is easy to see that Marsha P. Johnson’s fight is ongoing and the fight for Black rights in America is continuous. It is ever-so important to educate ourselves on gross American injustices and to learn from queer and Black activists, both past and present.

Written by: Georgia Fish 16

e nv iro n me ntal justic e is soc ia l ju st ic e is anti- racism You might have seen some information about Black environmentalists (or intersectional environmentalism) lately, but you still might be unaware of how the Black movement and the fight for climate are closely linked. Well, to be honest, it was kind of obscure for me too. But with good resources and great ambassadors, it’s becoming very clear now that the fight for climate is de facto anti-racist. Let’s explain why.

First thing to understand is that environmental justice is not only about the environment. Racial, social and economic inequities are making sustainability barely possible within the world, especially in the United States. I decided to focus my attention on this specific country today due to the current protests following the murder of George Floyd by policemen and many other non-incriminated police violence against people of color.

While climate change is undoubtedly affecting every one of us, it is not affecting us equally. To give a bit of context, environmentalism in the United States started in the 20th century with “conservationists like Madison Grant, Henry Fairfield Osborn and John Muir” who founded many national parks and museums out of lands promised for former Black slaves and Native Americans. Then, in the 1960’s, when Black people were “already protesting about pollution in their neighbourhoods, white environmentalists failed to see these issues as related to their beliefs about conservation and the climate.” As I am writing, it is sad to say that not a lot has changed. Studies show that people of color have been unevenly impacted by climate change, natural hazards, industrial pollution, toxic soil, extreme heat and so on. Waste sites, refineries, and other polluting industries are more likely to be found in Black neighborhoods leading to poor air and water quality. Being more exposed to these unacceptable risks might explain, in part, why people of color also feel more concerned about climate change nowadays in the US (70% of LatinAmerican people, 57% of Black people vs. 49% of White people).

But even though they feel more concerned, how are people of color supposed to raise awareness and find climate solutions in their communities if they don’t have any money, support, or resources to do so? How can we all save the planet if part of the population is to busy justifying its existence, getting murdered, and protesting for the right to breathe? We must understand that this system of oppression that we are fighting today (with the Black movement) IS THE SAME that environmentalists are fighting for try to save our planet. This system is based on one thing: exploitation. The exploitation of the planet’s resources and the exploitation of a certain demographic. Changing this system by caring for both people AND the planet is called intersectional environmentalism, and it is where anti-racism and the fight for climate are merging for good.

That being said, it seems pretty fair that people who are suffering the most should also be the one we hear the most. And that’s why we made a (very) non-exhaustive list of people of color that you can follow to stay updated about this specific topic (and many others):

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LEAH THOMAS, Founder of Intersectional Environmentalist (USA) As I just talked about intersectional racism, I might also introduce you Leah Thomas, activist, eco-communicator and founder of this inclusive movement.

On the website, she explains it as “an inclusive version of environmentalism that advocates for both the protection of people and the planet. It identifies the ways in which injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected. It brings injustices done to the most vulnerable communities, and the earth, to the forefront and does not minimize or silence social inequality. Intersectional environmentalism advocates for justice for people + the planet.”

Intersectional environmentalist website.

Leah’s Instagram.

SANKOFA, the family farm (USA) Sankofa farms aims to serve sustainable food to food desert communities in North Carolina. You can find a lot of information, videos and resources on sustainable agriculture on their website.

Website.

Their bee’s on Instagram.

MIKAELA LOACH, Host of The Yikes Podcast (UK) As a climate justice and anti-racism activist, Mikaela is hosting The Yikes Podcast to share experience and discuss activism. You can find many resources on how to take affirmative action and make a change on her Instagram.

Mikaela’s Instagram.

Mikaela’s Linktree.

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KEVIN J PATEL, Indian-American climate activist (USA) Kevin is the Executive Director of One Up Action, a global platform helping young people to take action and fight for climate and racial justice. The platform gathered a lot of resources on racism and climate.

Their linktree.

Kevin’s Instagram.

ANITA VANDYKE, Rocket Scientist (AUS) Anita is a Chinese and Australian influencer and best-seller author of A Zero Waste Life, a practical guide for a thirty-day sustainable change in your life.

Anita’s book.

Anita’s Instagram.

AYANA ELIZABETH JOHNSON, Marine biologist (USA) Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a marine biologist and Founder of Ocean Collectiv, creating solutions for a healthier ocean by focusing on people. She also runs Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank for the future of coastal cities. As a TEDx speaker, she is a strong voice for Black environmentalists.

Ayana’s Instagram.

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MELANIN BASE CAMP, blogging platform for racial and gender equality (USA) Founded by Danielle Williams, former soldier in the US Army, Melanin Base Camp stands for diversity in the outdoors.

Website.

BRIANNA FRUEAN, the Pacific climate warrior (AUS) The island girl is a Samoan Climate Activist leading projects around its community to raise awareness on Pacific environment protection. In 2015, she was named Pacific Region Commonwealth Youth Award winner at the Commonwealth Youth Awards.

Instagram.

So, to all of you lovely people who are reading this and caring for our beautiful planet, I hope you now understand this can’t be done without being actively anti-racist. Whether you are Black, White, Yellow, Blue or Purple, we have to do this together. AND WE WILL! Let’s continue the discussion together: https://www.instagram.com/marionpecou/

Written by: Marion Pécou 20

t h e e nv iro nm ental justice m ove m ent Since the beginning of the Trump administration, they have worked to reverse or suspend 66 environmental rules.

Trump himself had a goal to rollback 100 rules, and is well on his way there. With the upcoming election, the administration is working fast to push back as many rules as possible, in case Trump does not get re-elected for a second term.

All of these rollbacks will affect marginalized communities the most, because the system has designed it that way.

For example, on June 4th Trump signed an executive order that directs agencies to expedite projects and skip reviews. Under this executive order, these agencies work around NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act), which gives communities the chance to voice their opinions on these projects. The Trump administration justified it as jumpstarting things after COVID-19, but many think otherwise. Since a lot of these projects are created in Black and Brown communities, and since they now do not have the chance to give their opinion, more Black and Brown people will be at risk.

The New York Times put together a list of all the environmental rules Trump is hoping to rollback, along with their status. The majority of these have poor justifications and organizations have fought back. Fortunately, we were able to reinstate 10 rules that the administration had previously reversed or suspended. However, why exactly are Black and Brown communities most at risk for environmental issues? The answer goes back to the issue of systemic racism;the environmental justice movement has been fighting this for decades.

The environmental justice movement goes back to around the same time of the Civil Rights movement.

Many leaders of the environmental justice movement actually come from the Civil Rights movement. It was largely based in the South, and in these communities, environmental discrimination is most prominent. Black communities have consistently been targets of dumping sites for toxic pollution. In 1982, a landfill in Warren County, North Carolina was a proposed site for dumping toxic soil. As a result, Black communities staged a sit-in.

They were unsuccessful, but it gained national recognition and was seen as the start of the movement.

Reverend Benjamin Chavis, a civil rights leader, coined the term “environmental racism� defined as: racial discrimination in environmental policy making, the enforcement of regulations and laws, the deliberate targeting of communities of color for toxic waste facilities, the official sanctioning of the life-threatening presence of poisons and pollutants in our communities, and the history of excluding people of color from leadership of the ecology movements. He also led the United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice to publish a report, where it was revealed that race was the most significant factor in the location of hazardous waste sites.

Robert Bullard, considered to be the Father of the environmental justice movement, helped bring more focus to environmental racism. He worked as an environmental sociologist in Houston in the late 1970s. His wife filed a lawsuit in 1978 to sue a company that wanted to put a landfill in a black middle-class community. Bullard collected information for the case and found that all five landfills in Houston were in black neighborhoods, and six out of the eight incinerators were also in black neighborhoods. The case went to trial and this was the first lawsuit using civil rights law to challenge environmental discrimination. His work identified systemic patterns of injustice, which he later started to study in other cities across the U.S. He wrote a book about his work called Dumping in Dixie, which is known to be the first to give a comprehensive understanding of the concept of environmental justice. He would become one of the leading voices of the movement. Later, he would help the Clinton administration, along with Rev. Benjamin Chavis, make environmental justice an important part of his environmental policy.

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Rev. Benjamin Chavis and Dr. Robert Bullard were appointed to Clinton’s Natural Resources transition team.

They helped make sure that environmental justice was addressed in Clinton’s environmental policy. Environmental justice became federal government policy under the Clinton administration. He signed Executive Order 12898 that directed federal agencies to identify and address disproportionately high adverse health or environmental effects of their policies or programs on low-income people and POC. It also directed these agencies to seek ways to prevent discrimination by race, color, or national origin in any federal funded programs dealing with health or the environment. This brought legitimacy and attention to the movement, and other states responded by creating their own policy actions for agencies to consider environmental justice in their practices.

The Black community has advanced the movement. As the movement began to gain recognition, many Black-led organizations were created early on, like WE ACT for Environmental Justice which was formed in 1988 to spark community driven solutions to environmental racism in West Harlem. While these organizations have many great accomplishments, there is still more work to be done.

“Communities of color are the most threatened by pollution and by COVID-19. And current events have brought into stark relief the lived reality of black people in particular, whose lives are endangered by police and whitesupremacist violence,” Adrien Salazar: Senior campaign strategist for climate equity at Dēmos, New York.

Police brutality, mass incarceration, coronavirus, and climate change — what do they have in common? They all target BIPOC, specifically the black community. As the environmental justice movement progresses, we must continue to fight systemic racism. We need to address white supremacy if we want to create a just climate movement.

“The justification is always an economic one, that it makes sense to build chemical plants on so-called cheap lands where poor people and people of color live, but which are only cheap because all the wealth and economic opportunities have been stripped out,” Mustafa Ali, former head of the EPA environmental justice program said.

The system relies on exploiting nature and people. Black communities are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.

“This conversation is a police brutality conversation on top of a Covid-19 conversation, and it all adds up to a devaluation of black life. That’s what climate change is as well, because of environmental racism. We’ve got to divest from systems that are killing us and costing us, and invest in our people and our planet.” Heather McGhee, senior fellow at Demos, a nonpartisan research and advocacy group said.

The environmental justice movement was shaped by the black community. Climate justice is racial justice; their suffering is by design.

Written by: Jen Chavarria | Find her article at welcometoits.com for a full list of sources.

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why yo u c a n’ t have sustainability w it h o u t rac ial justice “It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.” These were the words spoken by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during his last Christmas sermon in Atlanta.

Words that say that all of life is connected - no yin without yang and especially no sustainable world without racial equality.

How do we provide a sustainable world for our future generations? It’s not an easy question to answer but it does involve all of us coming together. We won’t be able to solve the impending doom of climate change or create a sustainable future as only one community or one nation but as one world. The way our current environments are set up - separation of income, separation of skill, politics, and more is not gearing us towards a more sustainable society but is instead attempting to separate us further.

One major factor that brings sustainability and racial justice together is environmental racism, where low-income people or communities of color are forced to live in heavily polluted, environmentally hazardous or degrading areas. It is no surprise to see major factories, test sites, and incinerators located in predominantly low-income communities and communities of color around the world. These communities are often seen as the path of least resistance and have fewer resources and political power to represent themselves. With these leeways, major corporations and factories know it can be swept under the rug, butthis discrimination is becoming more apparent by the day. For example, many predominantly black neighborhoods in Michigan face challenges of pollutants in their Great Lakes which stream to small rivers and creeks. Recently, two dams broke in Midland, Michigan, flooding much of the area including a DOW Chemical Plant housing a small nuclear reactor core and sending harmful chemicals into the bodies of water. The community of Flint, to this day, still does not have clean water. The small city of Warsaw, North Carolina can’t venture outside their homes because of the horrible stench from pig factory farms and “lagoons” of pig remnants seeping into their yards.

If society is gearing towards being more sustainable, it’s important that everyone’s voice is heard through their fifth amendment right - voting. On June 9, 2020, the state of Georgia displayed one of the most egregious acts of voter suppression in primarily black communities - with broken polling machines, 3+ hour waits, and limited poll workers during its primary elections. This isn’t the first time this has happened in the state. Back in 2018 during the governor elections, it was a similar scene, except this time one of the candidates running was also in charge of the state’s voting. That candidate, Brian Kemp, won the election. With voter suppression still occurring, it’s almost near impossible to elect the candidates who will address issues related to sustainability and racial justice.

Sustainability itself can’t actually be implemented without intersectionality. To solve environmental issues, our world needs leaders and representatives from every community, who can speak up on urgent issues, whether they be climate change, racial justice, inequality, etc. A sustainable world can’t just be for some - it has to be for all and it won’t come to fruition without racial justice for those who currently don’t have a voice or whose voices are being suppressed. Fixing our planet is impossible on one’s own but with justice for all - it becomes possible.

Written by: Brittany Westveer 23

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the it’s team EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jen Chavarria COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Hannah Schewtschenko COPY EDITORS Mathilda Nassar Maggie Schroeder Natalie Robyn GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Rayanne Silva Ally Petris

EDITORS Alexis Krcelic Georgia Fish Nadine Nassar Brittany Westveer CONTENT CREATOR Tam Hoang

Lillian Kraus Lauren Klein Regina Loayza Aayesha Poudel Esme Park Gaia Rattazzi Meaghan Thompson

WRITERS Hannah Achtert Nicole Coppage Taylor Deitrick Kayla Disibio Maddi Grossman Gabby Guzdek 24

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Keep reading to find out more about the positions opened!

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career & money editor: We are looking for individuals to help lead our team of new section, Career & Money. You’ll have brainstorm sessions with your team, assist your team in writing, make sure articles are turned in on time, and overall ensure high quality work.

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contributing writers: We are looking for individuals in the following sections to help write articles for it’s: - Beauty - Fashion - Career & Money - News You’ll work closely with our editors to write high quality articles.

No past experience required, but we would love to see examples of your writing, even if it’s just a school paper. Since this is a volunteer position, we can adjust duties to better realistically fit your schedule.

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communications manager: We are looking for an individual to assist in conveying internal and external messages for it’s. Internally, you’ll stay in constant communication with the team, keep them updated, and help conduct meetings.

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outreach coordinators: We are looking for individuals to assist in finding unique features for the magazine, website, and social media accounts. You’ll reach out to potential features and work with the EIC and editors to reach out to those that fit with our values.

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