Black Lives Matter

PaperDemon stands with Black people everywhere: Black Lives Matter, and we condemn police brutality, systemic racism, and bigotry.

Many people come to the PaperDemon community to express their passions and escape into worlds of fantasy; this is wonderful, and we are happy to encourage and support this. While we celebrate the fantastic, we cannot ignore the plight of people who live in our world. George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Tayler are just a few of the immense list of namesof Black victims of police brutality and/or systematic racism that allowed their killers to walk free until serious social upheaval happened.

Many here are LGBTQ+ and allies, or mental health advocates and allies. We also need to do more to be allies for our Black members, as well as other marginalized people. And it starts with us actively supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, making our spaces welcoming and inclusive of Black and other minority and marginalized voices, and combating racial injustice whenever we encounter it via the following resources.

Second, a monetary contribution. As owner and operator or PaperDemon, I believe in setting a firm example for others to follow, so I have personally donated $550 to support the Southern Poverty Law Center and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Below are many charities and organizations to choose from below, or you can choose one that, through your own research, you find to be helping the fight for safety, equality, and justice. While I encourage those that can to donate to these organizations and others like them, I understand that not everyone is able to. If you are unable to support the cause financially, that's ok; there are many more ideas here of ways to support racial justice.

Third, our basic human morality as well as PaperDemons’ values around acceptance and inclusivity compel us to do more to include, support, and uplift Black creators on an ongoing basis. I'm forming a creative inclusion volunteer team to help brainstorm and execute various ways that we can make space for and support the Black creative community over the long term. If you're interested in helping, please read our Volunteers Wanted announcement. Please mention you're interested in the Creative Inclusion Volunteer team in your application.

Thank you, good humans, for showing support and compassion for your fellow community members, many of which are hurting and still finding ways to process. I'm sure many of you have done so already, but if not, I ask that you take some time to learn more about racism, the systematic and systemic way that it has been a part of US history, and the impact that it continues to have. As well as finding ways to be actively anti-racist and calling out racism where ever you may encounter it. Listen to Black voices and to the experiences they can share; this can help all of us have more empathy for one another and build a more welcoming community for all.

Resources

Many of these are US centric. If you know of additional resources that are relevant for your country, please add a comment with the link and we'll get this updated.

• Mapping Police Violence

• Naming the victims of racial violence

• [Video] How can I be anti-racist?

• Creativity Against Hate: Important Anti-Racism Resources from Patreon Creators

• White women join me in the fight against racial injustice

• For our white friends desiring to be allies

• What is white privilege really?

• 75 things white people can do for racial justice

• Spend 8 minutes and 46 seconds

Where you can donate

• NAACP The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

• Southern Poverty Law Center monitors and exposes hate groups and seeks justice for marginalized groups and victims of discrimination and hate.

• Equal Justice Initiative

• The Innocence Project

• Center for Policing Equity

• Al-Maa'uun is a local, Black-led, grass-roots organization that serves thousands of households each year, with a focus on north Minneapolis.

• Official George Floyd Memorial Fund

• Public Functionary team is working in collaboration with independent artists and muralists who are organizing in response to the Minneapolis uprisings and the murder of George Floyd. They are mobilizing resources to directly support a BIPOC-led effort of artists and allies using mural making as a form of narrative messaging, healing, rebuilding and remembrance.

Much love and please continue being kind to one another.

🖤🖤🖤

Special thank you to our editors and sensitivity readers, Cami Adams and The Maya/Nyatara.