It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.
Audre Lorde
Here at Indiegogo, we take pride in and believe so much in the platform we’ve built with our diverse global community of inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs, and all the backers that support them. We share a common goal of elevating new ideas and innovations that bring a positive change in the world. But recent events around the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others have made it clear that our society — and its many social safety nets — is broken. We share the anger and grief at the racially motivated violence and police brutality, and condemn the systematic racial injustice and historic oppression of the Black community. Moreover, we ask ourselves if what we are doing day-to-day is enough. Could we have done more to support Indiegogo’s Black community of entrepreneurs and backers, and beyond? We recognize that we all need to do a better job, not just in listening, but in supporting our Black community members, colleagues, partners, and vendors.
Over the coming weeks and months, we will do our part as a team to highlight the work and stories from Black-founded projects and campaigns in our community. To start, we will be donating 100% of the revenue raised from our June 4, 2020 newsletter to the following organizations: NAACP Legal Defense Fund, The Bail Project, and Black Lives Matter — organizations that work day and night to bring justice to and raise awareness of the many issues facing the Black community.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a valued backer, we hope you will join us and stand with us to understand and fight for social equality. Below is a list of resources we’ve collected, if you’re looking to get involved and take immediate action.
Show your love and support the projects and small businesses of Black creators and entrepreneurs who are currently fundraising on Indiegogo.
Organizations to Support and Donate
“The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. LDF also defends the gains and protections won over the past 75 years of civil rights struggle and works to improve the quality and diversity of judicial and executive appointments.”
“The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Minnesota are jointly calling for a fair, independent, and transparent investigation following the death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police on Monday May 25th. We need you with us to build national pressure and ensure public outrage leads to action. Please join us in calling on Minnesota leadership to hand the case over to an independent prosecutor under the Attorney General’s authority.”
“The Bail Project™ National Revolving Bail Fund is on a mission to combat mass incarceration and reshape the pretrial system in the United States. 100% of online donations are used to bring people home. Since bail money comes back to us when cases close, we’re able to recycle every dollar donated at least twice per year.”
“The National Bail Fund Network is made up of over sixty community bail and bond funds across the country. We regularly update this listing of community bail funds that are freeing people by paying bail/bond and are also fighting to abolish the money bail system and pretrial detention.”
HRC (Human Rights Campaign) Petition
“The Human Rights Campaign, joined by prominent LGBTQ and civil rights organizations, released a letter condemning racial violence and committing to embrace anti-racism as core to our missions. The letter has since been signed by 200+ leaders of the nation’s most prominent LGBTQ and civil rights organizations.”
“Funds donated to Campaign Zero support the analysis of policing practices across the country, research to identify effective solutions to end police violence, technical assistance to organizers leading police accountability campaigns and the development of model legislation and advocacy to end police violence nationwide.”
“Each day, tens of thousands of LGBTQ people are held in jail or immigration detention because they cannot afford bail—for immigration status or charges like sleeping in public. With your help, the Freedom Fund posts bail to secure their release and safety. In tandem, we raise awareness of the epidemic of LGBTQ overincarceration. We strive towards a critical mass against mass detention. Please consider volunteering or supporting us with a donation today.”
“Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.”
Social Media Posts To Reshare
blacklivesmatters.carrd.co – created by Twitter user @dehyedration and shared by i-D/VICE.
@hermodernlife’s Instagram post on alternative ways to get involved if you can’t be on the frontline
@hermodernlife’s Instagram post on How To Be An ALLY
@paktbags’ Instagram post on their solidarity and how to get involved. Pakt is an Indiegogo fan favorite campaign
@ohhappydani’s Twitter post on first changing your heart, then your house, and then you change the world
Articles and Literature We Found Educational
How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change by Barack Obama
75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice
Book Riot’s 35 Must-Read Books About Racism
Buzzfeed’s Essential Reading Guide For Fighting Racism
How To be An Ally Starter Pack by Tatum Dorrell, Matthew Herndon, Jourdan Dorrell
This Is What Black Burnout Feels Like
Here’s Where You Can Donate to Help Protests Against Police Brutality
We will continue adding to this list of resources and links regularly. We will regularly add new campaigns and projects founded by Black entrepreneurs and creators in this collection for you to show your support. We are also putting out a call for submissions for stories and campaigns we can amplify and share on our social media channels and blog. If you have a story or valuable resource you’d like us to share, we hope you’ll leave us a comment on our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or send us a note. We’re in this fight for social equality together. Black Lives Matter.
