Our world is not safe until black lives are
Out of respect for the recent death of George Floyd, and the many others who have been killed in racist attacks before him, we are pausing our most recent update from XR Oxford to give space for all of us to reckon, to listen, to learn, and to act. We are in a moment that highlights the very toxic system that our unsustainable world is built on.
It’s understandable to think that saving the planet is so urgent that we cannot take our focus off emissions, biodiversity loss, or other strictly ‘green’ issues. But if we look at the whole picture, the whole planet, it is clear that the same worldview of domination and extraction that has led us to the climate crisis is also at the root of racism and all other forms of inequality. One cannot be dismantled without the other. As Robert D. Bullard says: “Climate change is more than parts per million and greenhouse gases. The people who are feeling the worst impacts of climate, their voices have got to be heard.”
Entwining these issues in our rebellion may be uncomfortable, as it may expose the ways in which some of us thrive (and crucially, survive) in the system as it currently stands. It may bring up past mistakes or current blindspots. But as a community of rebels, we can also take this as a bittersweet opportunity: a time to listen attentively, to accept the discomfort, to learn, to support, and to amplify black voices. Further than just in this moment, in ongoing solidarity.
Black lives matter.
Please note that the following resources are not comprehensive. They have been sourced from lists of resources kindly shared by many in the black community and others (including Oxford Climate Justice Campaign) – we thank them for their time and emotional effort.
To further educate and act…
Sign and share
- Justice for #GeorgeFloyd: petition
- Justice for #AhmaudArbery: petition
- Justice for #BreonnaTaylor: petition
- Justice for #BellyMujinga: petition
- Defund the Police (BLM): petition
Follow
Read
- Baratunde’s World Saving Books from Baratunde Thurston
- Undoing Racism Resources from Mary Pender Greene
- A History of Race and Racism in America, in 24 Chapters a book list by decade compiled by Ibram X. Kendi
- The Politics of Empathy and Race from Psychology Today
- An Open Letter to Extinction Rebellion by Wretched of the Earth
- Dear Extinction Rebellion the Police Are Not Your Friends by Shabbir Lakha
- ‘Racism dictates who gets dumped on’: how environmental injustice divides the world by Mustafa Ali, Jamie Margolin, Dr Robert Bullard, LeeAnne Walters, Kandi Mossett-White
Watch
- Get comfortable with being uncomfortable by Luvvie Ajay
- How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- A debate between James Baldwin and William Buckley
- George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper by Trevor Noah
- We need to talk about an injustice by Bryan Stevenson
- How to deconstruct racism, one headline at a time by Baratunde Thurston
Listen
- The 1619 Project Podcast
- Revolution Playlist of speeches and lectures compiled by Rachel Cargle
- A Weekend of Pain and Protest from The Daily
- The Mind of the Village from The Hidden Brain
Organizations to donate to if you have the means
- Black Lives Matter UK: support
- Black Lives Matter: support
- Split a donation between 70+ bail funds
- Reclaim The Block: support
- Campaign Zero: support
- The Bail Project: support
- I Run with Maud: support
- No money? You can watch this video on repeat without skipping ads (revenue from the ads will be used to help the protests and people affected by police brutality in the USA)
Thanks for reading and supporting.