In order to make any helpful impact towards racial justice, we know that first we must dive into learning, listening, reading and talking. Below we’re sharing some resources that we are currently finding helpful within our own families, as well as some tangible ways that you can take action — supporting Black-owned businesses, volunteering, and donating to worthy organizations.

If you have additional helpful resources to share with the Austin community, we invite you to email [email protected].

Ways to Help:

Support Local Black-Owned Businesses: Our friends at Do512 have compiled a helpful guide to Black-Owned Businesses in Austin. This list includes shops, artists, services and restaurants. If you’re looking to make a simple step towards equality, consider supporting these Austin-based businesses.

Where to Donate:

— Austin Justice Coalition | Austin Justice Coalition is a Racial Justice Group that educates and builds community power for people of color who live in Austin, Texas that need support, community, and liberation during a time of systemic injustice in America. Donate here.

—NAACP Austin | The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. Donate here.

— African American Youth Harvest Foundation | The African American Youth Harvest Foundation effectually addresses disparities and ensures low-barrier access to vital educational, economic, and enrichment resources to underserved, at-risk youth and their families on their path to self-sufficiency. Donate here.

— Austin Area Urban League | The Austin Area Urban League Education & Youth Division works earnestly to develop innovative programs to support academic achievement, civic involvement, and the physical and emotional development of children and youth. The signature programs of the Austin Area Urban League Education & Youth Division, which include early childhood education, post-secondary success, and youth leadership are designed to help achieve the NUL empowerment goal of assuring that every child will be ready for college, work, and life by 2025. Donate here.

— Creative Action | Creative Action stands up against injustice, oppression, and hate through their arts’ based programs for youth and families. A core goal of all of their programming is to teach children to be Courageous Allies — expressing empathy, standing up for equality and taking part in community responsibility. Donate here.

— The AFIYA Center | The AFIYA Center serves Black women and girls in Texas by transforming their relationship with their sexual and reproductive health through addressing the consequences of reproduction oppression. Donate here.

— Black Mamas ATX | Black women are 2.3 times more likely to die from childbirth-related causes. Black Mamas ATX fights maternal health disparities to help Black women survive and thrive before, during, and after childbirth. Donate here.

— Mama Sana Vibrant Woman| Mama Sana Vibrant Woman facilitates access to culturally appropriate and quality prenatal and postnatal care in Austin and Travis County. Donate here.

— Texas Civil Rights Project | The Texas Civil Rights Project is boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts. They use tools of litigation and legal advocacy to protect and advance the civil rights of everyone in Texas and they partner with communities across the state to serve the rising movement for social justice. They undertake work with a vision of a Texas in which all communities can thrive with dignity, justice and without fear. Donate here.

— YWCA Greater Austin | YWCA Greater Austin is a nonprofit in the Greater Austin area that works to eliminate racism and empower women through programs that address three key areas; the health and safety of women and girls, economic empowerment and advancement, and racial justice and civil rights. Donate here.

—Black Bodies Project | Black Bodies Project is eradicating racism through creativity, connection, and collective understanding. Your contribution helps them produce quality content and workshops focused on exposing systemic racism. Donate here.

— MEASURE Austin | MEASURE seeks a better quality of life for members of underrepresented communities – especially People of Color through shared research, best practices, and community participatory action. MEASURE empowers underserved communities to become active participants in the process of changing statistics. Donate here.

—Six Square | Six Square is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that celebrates and preserves the great arts, culture and history of Central East Austin. Named for the six square miles of the former “negro” district, Six Square is a visionary leader and powerful partner for major projects that preserve, promote, and sustain black arts, history and culture. They are the only state designated black cultural district in Texas. Donate here.

— DAWA Fund | DAWA provides emergency financial need to people of color, especially Black Austinites, who are givers. DAWA is a safety net for musicians, artists, social workers, teachers, healing practitioners, and service industry workers who are experiencing short-term life crises. Donate here.

— Justice for Mike Ramos | On Friday, April 24, 42-year-old Michael Ramos died after being fired upon by APD officers as he attempted to leave the scene of an encounter at an apartment complex near Oltorf and Pleasant Valley in Southeast Austin. This GoFundMe was setup by his mother.

— Notley Tide | Notley Tide has created a groundswell of support for five racial justice partners here in Austin. They make a commitment to continuous giving, not just when racial justice is trending. The five Austin partners are the Austin Justice Coalition, University of Texas Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, Grassroots Leadership, Texas Civil Rights Project, and MOVE Texas.

Where to Volunteer:

—The AFIYA Center | The Afiya Center works tirelessly to transform the lives of Black women and girls, but they can’t do it alone. Their committed staff relies on the expertise and lived experiences of volunteers in the community to end reproductive oppression among marginalized Black women. Volunteer here.

— MEASURE Austin | MEASURE’s staff is made up predominantly of volunteers like you. They have lawyers, doctors, activists, police officers, students, professors, web designers and technology experts on their team. MEASURE is committed to building a demographically diverse team of people who believe in the power of solid research to solve problems. ​Join in solving challenges and empowering our communities. Volunteer here.

— Community Advocacy & Healing Project | The Community Advocacy & Healing Project is a 501 c(3) rooted in human centered, culturally appropriate, and trauma informed advocacy and healing experiences rooted in mindfulness. Mindful of the needs communities systemically ostracized and oppressed. Mindful of systemic caused traumas, and the role healing from those traumas can cultivate community. Volunteer here.

— African American Youth Harvest Foundation | Volunteering at the Harvest Foundation is a wonderful way to help support neighbors in need. It will provide opportunities for you to use your invaluable gifts of time and talent to enrich the lives of children and families in need throughout your community, while offering a lasting and uniquely personal impact on your life as well. Volunteer here.

—Mama Sana Vibrant Woman | Volunteer opportunities at MSVWATX consist of assisting with children’s activities, meal preparation, marketing or social media, volunteer coordination, and participation in special events. Email [email protected] if you are interested in volunteer or internship opportunities.

Learning & Talking with Our Kids

Children’s Books About Racism & Social Justice:

— Black Pearl Books is an independent bookstore in Austin that has posted a wonderful Reading List for Helping Children Understand Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion on their website. Plus, you can order your titles directly from this minority-woman-owned bookshop to show your local support.

— BookPeople, a favorite Austin book store, has put together an An Antiracist Reading List for Young Readers that focuses on books recommended for ages 0-12. You can find their suggested reading list for teens here and for adults here.

— The Conscious Kid works with organizations, children’s museums, schools, and families across the country to promote access to children’s books centering on underrepresented and oppressed groups. Check out their list of list of 25 children’s books celebrating Black boys as well as the list they helped curate on the EmbraceRace website of 31 Children’s books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance.

— Common Sense Media offers several helpful reading lists including a full list of Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners, Books with Characters of Color, and Books About Racism and Social Justice.

Websites to Help Guide Race Conversations with Children:

— EmbraceRace: A wealth of helpful resources can be found on this website including a Toolkit for Teaching and Talking to Kids about Race.

— Teaching Tolerance: While this website is intended to assist classroom educators and administrators, it has many resources for parents to such as the downloadable book, Beyond the Golden Rule: Parents Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice.

— Raising Race Conscious Children: This blog serves as a resource to support parents who are trying to talk about race and diversity with young children. The site is made up of a community of guest bloggers of diverse backgrounds.

— APA Resources for Parents: The American Psychological Association has a section of their website dedicated to the RESilience Initiative — resources for parents to assist in promoting strength, health and well-being among youth of color. A helpful webpage within this site is Uplifting Youth Through Healthy Communication About Race.

— Talking About Race: This section of the website of the National Museum of African American History and Culture is a helpful resources for any parent wishing to help children understand what race is, how it operates in society, and why race in America is important.

Webinars:

— Talking With Children About Race Webinar: Austin-based Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Katie Malinski joins Licensed Professional Counselor, Jeffrey Swan, for a conversation about taking with kids about race in a free webinar available online here.

— Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism TV Special: CNN and Sesame Street are presented a Town Hall for Kids and Families that aired on June 6 on CNN  (use the link above to watch the show). The show will talk to kids about racism, the recent nationwide protests, embracing diversity and being more empathetic and understanding.

Austin Cultural Institutions for In-Person Learning Experiences:

— George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center: Of course at the present moment, this local museum is closed due to COVID-19, but you can take part in their virtual programming until they reopen. This local institution works to “create a space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” When they do open back up, this is a great place to take the whole family to learn about local Black culture and history through story times, concerts, workshops and exhibits, mostly offered at no cost to the public. Stay tuned to the Carver Museum website for updates.

— Historical Landmarks: Austin is home to several historical landmarks reflective of African American history. Taking a tour offers a great opportunity for you to research, discuss, and honor the ways in which Black Americans have helped shape Austin. You’ll want to check out Six Square, Austin’s Black Cultural Historic District that comprises six square miles of East Austin, home to numerous sites of significance featuring landmarks of Black architecture and design, historic cemeteries, sites of slavery and emancipation, churches and more. You can check out this list of Austin’s African American Landmarks or this list of Historic Spaces that Shaped Austin African American culture.

More Resources: Visit Do512’s Resource Guide to Creating Change in Austin for more information on petitions, bail funds, mental health guides, and reading lists for grown-up.

Learn about mental health issues facing the Black Community:

  • Sunshine Behavioral Health – According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (HHSOMH), Black Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental illness (SMI) than the general population. This web resource from Sunshine Behavioral Health provides a wide variety of helpful information.
  • Live Another Day – Extensive information on mental health and substance use resources for People of Color. Their mission is equal access to life-saving resources.
  • Detox Local – An excellent resource that features abundant information including mental health and substance use resources specifically for the AAPI (American Asian and Pacific Islander) community.

If you know of helpful resources that would be great additions to this list, please email [email protected].