Thank you for taking the time to begin action towards making our interpersonal relationships, our city, and our world a safer place for the Black community.
Did we miss something that you find valuable? Please inform us - [email protected].
Also see: Black-Owned Businesses in Austin for additional ways to provide tangible support.
Also see: Do512 Family's Resources for Supporting Austin's Black Community for ways to discuss these issues with your kids.
_______________________________
ORGANIZATIONS TO DONATE TO AND VOLUNTEER WITH
Austin Mutual Aid
The mission of mutual aid is simple: to organize on a grassroots level and redistribute supplies and donations to those who need it. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the biggest civil rights movements in history, the fact that change must start on the ground and within communities has never been more apparent.
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.
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.
African American Youth Harvest Association
AAYHA 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.
Six Square
Your donation supports the work of protecting and preserving African American cultural and historical assets. Your support will allow Six Square to produce culturally relevant programming for the world to enjoy the unique contributions of African American artistic expression.
Austin Area Urban League
The National Urban League’s mission is to enable African Americans and other underserved urban residents to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights. Additionally, the Austin Area Urban League’s mission is to provide tools to African Americans and under-served populations to build a foundation for social and economic equality.
Black Mamas ATX
Black Mamas' mission is to help black women survive and thrive before, during, and after childbirth.
Black Bodies Project
The Black Bodies Project is dedicated to providing opportunities for you to make the issue easier to digest. Because then, perhaps you will discover what you can do to eradicate it.
Community Advocacy & Healing Project
Community Advocacy & Healing Project is a 501 c(3) rooted in human centered, culturally appropriate, and trauma informed advocacy and healing experiences.
Greater Austin Black Chamber of Congress
The Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce (GABC) inspires, develops, and promotes Black economic success in the Greater Austin area.
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.
Organizations to donate to on the national level:
_______________________________
BOOKS TO READ
Shadows of a Sunbelt City: The Environment, Racism, and the Knowledge Economy in Austin
Austin, Texas is generally depicted as one of the great urban success stories of the past half century--a place that has grown enormously through 'creative class' strategies that emphasize diversity and environmental consciousness. Eliot Tretter's book reinterprets this familiar story by exploring the racial and environmental underpinnings of the postindustrial knowledge economy.
City in a Garden: Environmental Transformations and Racial Justice in Twentieth-Century Austin, Texas
The natural beauty of Austin, Texas, has always been central to the city's identity. From the beginning, city leaders, residents, planners, and employers consistently imagined Austin as a natural place, highlighting the region's environmental attributes as they marketed the city and planned for its growth. Yet, as Austin modernized and attracted an educated and skilled labor force, the demand to preserve its natural spaces was used to justify economic and racial segregation
Volma-- My Journey: One Man's Impact on the Civil Rights Movement in Austin, Texas
An overview of the life of Volma Overton, former president of the Austin branch of the NAACP. The book delves into detail on Overton's efforts and his impact on the Civil Rights Movement in Austin, Texas.
What Are You Going to Do When They Run You Out
A concise summary of the events occurring within East Austin and other historically minority-populated communities regarding urban renewal and revitalization efforts from the City of Austin and commercial developers from the perspective of the affected residents. This is all represented in a comic-strip style with illustrations to effectively convey the message.
Books to read on the national level:
_______________________________
ONLINE RESOURCES TO READ
Use of Force Deaths in Austin, TX
The deaths in the link above of African-Americans and Latinos by white officers are controversial and reflect what the NAACP considers a racist pattern of behavior by Austin city police.
Fifty Women on What It Means to Be Black in Austin
Austin Woman asked leaders across industries to share their experiences as black women in Austin and how the city can be more supportive of its black community.
Austin’s Weirdly Aggressive Traffic Stops
Police here are more likely to use injury-causing force against drivers they pull over than in any other large Texas jurisdiction.
History of Austin’s Racial Divide
As greater Austin booms, the poisonous legacy of segregation continues to cut off the African-American population from economic opportunities and its own cultural anchors, threatening the whole region's potential.
Online resources to read on the national level:
_______________________________
HEALTH RESOURCES TO UTILIZE
Austin Public Health Creates Free COVID-19 Testing Services
Take advantage of the free and easy testing available in Austin.
Even more health resources to utilize:
_______________________________
PETITIONS AND FORMS TO SIGN
Email All City Council Members at Once
This link lets you write to all of city council in one email.
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.
Ban the Use of Rubber Bullets
In Austin, TX, police shot rubber bullets at a pregnant woman in the stomach, a 20 year old man in the head leading to critical condition, and many more protestors requiring hospitalization. Ban the use of these as a form of crowd control.
NAACP: We Are Done Dying
Demand sweeping police reform–federal legislation mandating a zero-tolerance approach in penalizing and/or prosecuting police officers who kill unarmed, non-violent, and non-resisting individuals in an arrest.
KEEP AUSTIN PARKS SAFE: Tell Austin Parks & Rec to CUT TIES with APD!
Urge the Austin Parks and Recreation Department to follow Minneapolis' lead in severing its ties with the Austin Police Department. Austin's popular outdoor spaces (including Barton Springs, Zilker Park, and the Butler Trail) should be welcoming and inclusive of all.
Fire Austin Police Chief Brian Manley for Instigating Police Violence at ProtestsDemand that Austin Mayor Steve Adler, City Manager Spencer Cronk, and Austin City Council Members fire Austin Police Chief Brian Manley after brutal police violence. Also demand immediate implementation of training reforms about de-escalation.
Petitions to sign on the national level:
_______________________________
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO DONATE TO
#HisNameIsJustinHowell
This GoFundMe will go to the family of Justin Howell, a Texas State student who was critically injured by Austin Police during protests on Sunday, May 31. Justin was hit by a rubber bullet and has a fractured skull as well as brain damage that, according to his brother Joshua, will lead to an extensive recovery effort.
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.
Families and communities to donate to in other cities:
_______________________________
VOTING INFORMATION TO UTILIZE
Am I registered?
Check if you are registered to vote in the upcoming elections at your current address.
City Council District Map
Check your area code to see which district you fall under to begin researching your reps.
Voting Information
Check updated local and national election dates and deadlines as well as any information you need for the polls.
_______________________________
Can you help us learn more?
