Black Lives Matter: 25+ Resources for Your Conversations on Police Violence

Side profile of a person with long braids, staring into the distance with a serious expression.

How do you handle conversations on police violence and racism?

It can be difficult to know where to start with such a traumatic issue. There’s a lot to unpack here, and the emotions that come up during these conversations can get overwhelming.

But it’s crucial that we keep talking about police brutality – and figure out how to care for and sustain ourselves along the way.

So here’s a list that can help you do just that. These are some of our top articles with information on structural racism, white allyship, self-care for Black folks, and more.

We hope this resource can help you find the words for your conversations on police violence, fill in the information you don’t understand, and respond to people who just don’t get what’s going on and why the movement for Black lives needs our full support.

Keep it handy, pass it on to the other folks in your life who could use this, and let’s all build on our collective power to take down the systems responsible for racist police brutality.

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism

Unpacking Police Brutality

• 5 Facts That Will Absolutely Infuriate You About Police and Racist Violence
• 4 Reasons Why the US Police Force Is an Extension of Slavery and White Supremacy
• 20 Examples That Prove White Privilege Protects White People From the Police
• 5 Ways People Excuse Police Violence Against Black Youth – And What They’re Missing
• 4 Myths About Police Brutality We Need To Stop Spreading Right Now

Understanding Structural Racism

• Why White America Demonizes #BlackLivesMatter – And Why That Must Change
• 30+ Resources to Help White Americans Learn About Race and Racism
• 10 Insidious Ways White Supremacy Shows Up in Our Everyday Lives
• Here Are the Real Reasons Why White People Struggle to Admit That Racism Still Exists
• 8 Things White People Really Need to Understand About Race

Self-Care and Self-Protection for Black Folks

• 4 Reasons Black People Can Feel Responsible for White Feelings (And Why We’re Not)
• 3 Ways to Prioritize Self-Care While Resisting Dehumanization – Because #BlackWellnessMatters, Too
• 5 Self Care Tips for Activists — ‘Cause Being Woke Shouldn’t Mean Your Spirit’s Broke
• 5 Reasons We Need Black-Only Spaces (And No, Reverse Racism Isn’t One of Them)
• 14 Simple (But Super Helpful) Ways to Take Care of Yourself as a Feminist

Understanding White Privilege

• 11 Common Ways White Folks Avoid Taking Responsibility for Racism in the US
• White Privilege, Explained in One Simple Comic
• 6 Ways Well-Intentioned People Whitesplain Racism (And Why They Need to Stop)
• 4 Ways White People Can Process Their Emotions Without Bringing the White Tears
• 10 Examples That Prove White Privilege Protects White People in Every Aspect Imaginable
• How to Talk About Privilege to Someone Who Doesn’t Know What That Is

White Allyship in Response to Police Brutality

• “That’s Racist Against White People!” A Discussion on Power and Privilege
• Your Guide On How to Support Black People After Incidents of Police Violence
• 5 Valuable Ways to Use Your White Privilege to Fight Anti-Black Racism
• Know Your (Lack of a) Role: Honoring Healing Spaces as an Ally
• 10 Simple Ways White People Can Step Up to Fight Everyday Racism
• On Ferguson and 4 Ways We Can Choose to Divest from White Supremacy