Being Black in America is tough, but if there’s one thing this year has shown us it’s powerful Black activists pushing boundaries and shaping the future. Meet the change-makers.

By Meagan Sargent @identify_la

With the modern-day lynching of George Floyd, the senseless killing of Breonna Taylor, the tragic killing of Ahmaud Arbery and (sadly many many more) the increase of police brutality on the Black community is on the rise. Protecting our Black brothers and sisters are of the utmost importance.

As a Black woman in America this struggle is all too real. I have experienced racism and prejudices daily and let me tell you, the weight of this struggle is hard to bear. That’s why the Black community needs the help of its allies now more than ever.

Being an activist is more than a “title.” It’s putting YOUR life on the line. It’s using YOUR voice and platform to speak up for social injustice. It’s holding people accountable and presenting blatant FACTS, which is exactly what the following Black activists are doing. Being an activist starts with YOU and until systemic change is brought forth, we will continue the fight for justice.

Here are five incredible Black activists to know.

Patrisse Cullors-Brignac:

Patrisse Cullors-Brignac is the co-founder and organizer of the Black Lives Matter organization. Founded in 2013, after George Zimmerman was acquitted for killing Trayvon Martin, Black Lives Matter has been a force since its inception. To date, Cullors-Brignac has put forth many hours to organize, educate, and fight for change by combating racial injustice while eradicating white supremacy. The global movement is vital in creating a channel for change in all cities. For additional information: www.blacklivesmatter.com

Brittany Packnett Cunningham:

Cunningham lives and breathes social justice. She was involved in the Ferguson Commission and President Obama’s Task Force on the 21st Century Policing amongst many others. Currently she is one of the leading voices of Campaign Zero, an online platform and organization that utilizes research-based policy solutions to end police brutality in America. With the dehumanizing death of George Floyd, it comes without saying that police brutality is the common denominator. Campaign Zero is a great resource for providing tangible updates for individuals wanting to get involved. For additional information: https://www.joincampaignzero.org/

RELATED: I am a Black woman living in America and I hate being called African American

Rashad Robinson:

Robinson is the president of  Color of Change. Robinson leads campaigns on civic engagement, voting rights, criminal justice, and corporate and media accountability. The campaigns are powerful to end unfair practices while creating movements that demand change. Following Robinson on social media is a great start as he is also a spokesperson for Voting While Black and Tell Black Stories podcast. For additional information: https://colorofchange.org/

Tamika D. Mallory:

Co-founder of Until Freedom, Mallory has over two decades of social justice and reform under her belt. Until Freedom has a proven track record of focusing on immigrant rights, violence prevention, building grassroots support, media advocacy, and police reform. Mallory is a seasoned community organizer and activist that has served as a co-chair for the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. A natural born leader, she was even listed on Fortune’s 2017 list of World’s Greatest Leaders. For additional information: https://www.untilfreedom.com/

Charlene Carruthers:

Carruthers is the founding national director of BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100). She has worked alongside hundreds of young Black activists to build a national base of activist member-led organizations for Black individuals age 18-35. BYP100 is dedicated to creating justice and freedom for all Black people. Carruthers is a community organizer and writer with over 15 years of experience in racial justice, feminist and youth leadership development movement work. She is  empowering young leaders for a bright future, which is the true way for systemic racism to come to an end. For additional information: https://www.charlenecarruthers.com/

Additional Resources:

Myisha T. Hill:

Hill is a mental wellness and justice author, speaker, and coach. More importantly, she is the face behind Check Your Privilege and founder of Brown Sisters Speak. Hill is a great resource for asking the questions and delivering messages to empower you to “do better.” For additional information: https://myishat.com/

Shaun King:

King is one of the leaders behind one of the largest and most effective grassroots civil rights organizations in the country, Grassroots Law Project. The organization uses its legal expertise to transform policing and justices in America by organizing millions of people together to address the many egregious failures in the system. Providing facts and a clear plan of action is what makes GLP so successful. For additional information: www.grassrootslaw.org

Kimberlyn Foster:

Foster is the creator of For Harriet. The site is a multiplatform digital community for Black women that reaches over 2 million visitors a month. Her storytelling encourages listeners of all backgrounds to further educate themselves on the social and racially driven injustices in the world. I’d suggest taking a look at her YouTube channel as that is where many of her videos are uploaded. There isn’t a direct “flow” to her videos, as they are designated to start the conversation which I find empowering and unique. For additional information: https://www.youtube.com/user/ForHarrietdotcom/videos

Our system is corrupt and sadly the fight for equality is not new. It’s a constant battle that the Black community has fought for centuries. The main difference is now the Black community is relying on its allies to speak up for social injustice. Until we, as a people, unite and dismantle the system, change will not occur. Black Lives Matter is more than a hashtag. It’s a call for human decency. It’s a call to hold everyone accountable and use your voice to speak up for social injustices in the world.

Once #BlackLivesMatter is no longer trending, ask yourself will YOU still do the work? Will YOU continue to educate and hold individuals accountable? Because THIS is a long journey and WE are just getting started. WE simply can’t keep talking about change – BE about change!

About:

Meagan Sargent is founder and creator of lifestyle and entertainment site IdentifyLA. Founded in 2013 IdentifyLA strives to bridge the gap between underground and mainstream. In her free time, you can expect her to be gallivanting around the world with her passport in hand expanding her mind and discovering the world one country at a time.