#BlackLivesMatter

On May 25, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for over eight minutes. The brutality, which was captured on video, led to renewed #BlackLivesMatter protests around the US and world. Demands for justice from a vastly unjust and violent system are again ringing out across large and small cities as millions of people protest.

In support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, we're sharing some of the resources that we've learned from in recent days, initiatives that both PC Gamer and our parent company, Future plc, are taking to promote diversity, a list of charities that are supporting protesters, as well as general information on how you can contribute. 

What we're doing going forward

The PC Gamer team is committed to promoting diversity in our community and our writing, and we're carefully examining our editorial policies to see how we can better support black and minority voices. We'll have more to share on how that will look soon.

At the same time, our parent company is taking action too. Below you'll find a list of several initiatives that, effective immediately, Future is implementing:

• Every Future brand, including PC Gamer, will be given diversity targets for contributor spend, ensuring black writers and creatives have a voice across Future's websites and magazines.
• Future is giving $1 million of advertising space across its brands to organisations supporting Black Lives Matter.
• Every six months Future will commission an independent diversity audit of language used across its sites.
• Future will launch a new initiative designed to improve all colleagues’ awareness of systemic racism.
• As part of its wider ongoing commitment to inclusion and diversity, Future will expand its committee and ensure that in the US our black colleagues have a greater voice.
• Future will invest more in training on inclusion and diversity. 
• Future will be dedicating recruitment marketing spend to sites and working with agencies that focus on the black communities.
• For our 2020 US internship programme, Future will exclusively partner with Dream Yard, a New York-based community program that nurtures and provides opportunities to minorities through the arts.

Where to donate 

These funds are set up to help protesters, the families of victims, and black businesses and charities around the United States and internationally. If you're able, consider setting up a recurring donation to one of the organizations below, to help provide sustained support beyond this moment. 

Reclaim the Block - Founded in 2015, this group organizes the local Minneapolis community and city council to redirect funding away from the police department and into other initiatives that promote health and safety.

Black Lives Matter resources - The Black Lives Matter website linked here includes a comprehensive list of places to donate: To victims, protesters, black businesses, legal defense funds, and small and large fundraisers supporting black communities and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Marshall Project - Nonprofit journalism "that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system."

NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund - This is one of America's biggest legal organizations fighting for racial justice. Much of their efforts are focused on litigation, education, and advocacy.

Bail funds - An organized list of places to donate if you wish to contribute to bail funds going to arrested protesters in Minneapolis, Atlanta, New York, and many other cities. ActBlue will allow you to easily split a donation to many funds, but keep in mind the organization takes its own transaction fee.

Writings and resources

Coming to terms with the events of this past week isn't easy. The violence and anger is, at times, almost incomprehensible. As we all struggle to cope and understand how we can make a difference, we've found some videos, books, and articles to be helpful. We've sought to include a mix of educational materials that provide context and expand understanding.

Above, author and activist Cornel West provides perspective on the significance of the current protests, and how they're a response to a "perfect storm of multiple failures at different levels of the American empire."

7 Virtual Mental Health Resources Supporting Black People Right Now -  For readers who need emotional support, writer Jesse Sparks has compiled a list of virtual mental health resources serving the black community. Also see Black Girls Smile's list of resources.

Bad Form Review's reading list - Books on systemic racism in America, the Black Lives Matter movement, social justice, and more, with links to independent bookstores. 

If you're overwhelmed and don't know where to begin, So You Want to Talk About Race is a widely praised book meant to serve as a primer for discussions about racism, prejudice, and privilege. As author Ijeoma Oluo says, it's a starting point.

The New Jim Crow, published in 2010, has become a central book on the subject of criminal justice reform, and it takes a deep look at America's history of mass incarceration and the disproportionate impact of the War on Drugs on black Americans.

For our white friends desiring to be allies - Courtney Ariel's article is a great outline for white people who want to help lift up others without inadvertently making the conversation about them.

Anti-Racism Resources for White People - An exhaustive list of anti-racism media including movies to watch, essays to read, and people to follow to further educate yourself. 

The Case for Reparations - A deeply reported article by Ta-Nehisi Coates that uses personal stories to explain the damage caused by centuries of racist government policy.

What does the demand to "defund police" mean? What about "prison abolition?" You probably won't hear mainstream politicians discussing these ideas, but you may see them on protest signs. If these demands are new to you, abolitionist @jaybeware briefly explains them in a Twitter thread which provides links to books and essays that expand on the topics. Also see the book 'Are Prisons Obsolete?' by Angela Davis.

Protests 

If you plan to join a physical protest, here are some useful links to make sure you have everything you need to stay safe.

What to bring to a peaceful protest - Vice's guide on what to take with you to a protest.

Protect your protest - An in-depth plan for keeping yourself and others safe during a protest.

How to Cop-Proof Your Phone Before Heading to a Protest - Gizmodo's how-to on protecting your phone data.

ACLU Know your rights - Everything you need to know about your rights as a protestor and what to do if you're detained by the police.

This article is being updated as the protests in the United States and across the world continue to evolve. If you have a suggestion for something that should be included here, please reach out to editors@pcgamer.com.