5 Things Friday
Here are your weekly antiracism action steps for February 19.
We gotta admit—we're in pretty good spirits today. It feels like there are not enough hours in the day to consume all the powerful, enlightening stories and projects and events happening throughout Black History Month. So, this week we are sharing a handful of our favorites, making your 5 Things are pretty damn fun: see some beautiful movies! Read some inspiring stories! Buy an incredible smelling candle! Enjoy. We know we are.
Here are your 5 Things.
KNOW THIS. You know it's Black History Month, but did you know February 17 is HUEY Day here in the Bay? It is Dr. Huey P. Newton's birthday—he would have been 79 this year—and this week the celebration was major. The co-founder of the Black Panther Party finally got his own street in West Oakland, as 3 blocks of 9th Street, from Mandela to Peralta officially became Dr. Huey P. Newton Way. The monumental Women of The Black Panther mural was also unveiled, and archival footage of the Panthers was projected onto the facade of the Alameda County Courthouse. (Check out @hueypnewtonfoundation for a recap of all the events). This weekend would be a great time to watch Judas and The Black Messiah, which is streaming on HBO Max through March 14.
GO SEE THIS. Speaking of movies, here's another must watch. On Tuesday, February 23, Fort Mason Flix’s drive-in theater and KQED will host the Black History Month film series "A Love Supreme.'' The night will feature 4 different short films, including the main event: When The Waters Get Deep—a heart-wrenching doc about how music and radical vulnerability are helping families deal with grief. The drive-in—a celebration of local Black filmmakers—sold out fast, but KQED is inviting everyone else to sign up for the free live-stream on KQED Arts’ YouTube channel. You can read more about When The Waters Get Deep in REP CO's story about the cast, crew, and process. (It will also run in this Saturday's SF Chronicle, so pick up a copy!)
BUY THIS. We love it when beautiful things lead to other beautiful things. When the folks at Bloom Tuesday, a floral subscription service, learned about Dr. Aisha Mays, founder of Dream Youth Clinic and their new community garden for vulnerable youth through the story we did, they wanted to use their own skill set to help support them further. They created the High Hopes Harris candle (Palo Santo, Bergamot, Blood Orange, and cedar in honor of our first female VP, Kamala Harris) and are giving 50% of all sales directly to the Dream Youth Clinic. According to founder Sharla Flock "I had a dream to create a product that would give back to a vulnerable community in Oakland as a way to honor Ms. Harris, being an Oakland native herself. We will be donating 50% of the proceeds of our candle sales to help support Dr. Mays' dream of allowing this space to blossom and fund her stipend program. Here’s to Dr. Mays, our first female VP, and the youth of Oakland….and giving them HIGH HOPES for their future!"
DIG INTO THIS. Hearing the term “Black History” likely intites a mental sideshow of iconic images: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. orating against the backdrop of the Washington Monument; mounted police attacking peaceful marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge; 6-year-old Ruby Bridges ascending the steps of her elementary school flanked by federal marshalls. And while those moments and movements are incredibly important, a narrow focus on events and individuals from decades ago can obscure the history that is being made in this very moment—the living, breathing Black folks whose experiences can both validate and uplift those of their peers, and inspire and educate allies. It is with this in mind that Change Cadet, Rep Co, and lululemon bring you The Black Truth Project—a deep dive into the lived experiences of a group of very different individuals—from an artist to an Olympian, a physician to an activist—who come from starkly different backgrounds. Made up of a series of short films, still photographs, interviews and artwork, and led by activist and antiracist educator Dr. Akilah Cadet, The Black Truth Project is, according to Cadet, “a call to continued allyship for non-Black people, and a way for Black people to see themselves, and celebrate themselves.” We invite you to dig into this massive multimedia project now, and be sure to share it far and wide!
SEND THIS. Remember that historic voter turnout that resulted in ditching Trump and flipping the Senate? You better believe voting rights are under threat more than ever. Legislators and local election officials in 28 states are exploiting the lack of federal oversight to force through policies that disproportionately limit Black voters’ access to the ballot. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act would not only restore federal oversight when state legislatures try to enact racist voting laws, it would ensure that no state can make any drastic change to the way they conduct elections without considering how those changes would impact Black voters. Because of the filibuster, Senate Republicans have the power to block the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act bill, and every other bill that could strengthen our democracy. Send a message to your Senator that they should get rid of the filibuster and pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act immediately!