Must Watch
Living Room Protests with Staceyann & Zuri Chin
Category Archives: FRN Blog
On Baltimore, Judgement & Compassion
I have heard many MANY people on various social media platforms, blogs & posts from their living room couches & office desks castigate & pass judgement on those who “resorted to violence” during the protests in Baltimore this week and different post variations of the following:
-
These protests don’t do anything
-
The violence we have seen in these protests “muddles the issues”
-
Why don’t the issues also effecting the Baltimore community get addresses as much as police violence.
I’m sick of arguing with people – so I thought I would just write out my thoughts & point people here when they decide to come at me or make some ignorant post on these issues.
FRN Must List – March 22, 2015
This is a little late as I attended the Amnesty International General Assembly this weekend… lots of stuff going on – see below for our musts for this past week.
Must Watch
The policing of black bodies: Racial profiling for profit and the killing of Ferguson’s Mike Brown
FRN Must List – March 14, 2015
With so much going on this past week it wasn’t hard to locate a lot of MUSTS – this week we feature a keynote address from Selma addressing white allies, a Celebrate Black Women storify, #RapSongsThatStartedSlavery and more
MUST WATCH
Marching in the Arc of Justice Conference – Friday Keynote: The Rev Mark Morrison-Reed
Take a look at the numbers regarding Ferguson policing for profit
FRN Must List – March 7, 2015
While the DOJ report on the Ferguson Police Department took center stage this week – the observation of the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma was also a source a much discussion, #BlackOutDay and more.
MUST WATCH VIDEOS:
DemocracyNow! Michelle Alexander on DOJ report on Ferguson:
President Barack Obama’s Speech in Selma: Continue reading FRN Must List – March 7, 2015
Women’s History Month Reflection Series – This is About Black Women by Julian Long
This is the first is the FRN Women’s History Month Reflection Series which will highlight pieces and perspectives that speak to the Women’s History Month through the lens of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement.
First up is an amazing piece of prose written by Julian Long that was shared via Facebook:
This is about Black Women – Julian Long
This ain’t about to be an all women moment. Because all women ain’t had it like you. All women ain’t got it like you. All women can’t get this. Just you. I want to take this moment to talk you Black woman.
I didn’t say anything when I heard her talking slick. It is as it ever was. New day, same shit.
You glide by and she, Small and Petty; just can’t. Just can’t stand and the stink of your magnificence. It offends her sensibilities and so small petty words flew aimlessly, recklessly. But not harmlessly– and before I knew what happened you and your hair were cut.
Knowing you as I do I thought those words ( like the others. God, SO many others) would just roll right off your magnificent curves and silken skin- but sometimes I guess the words just sink in. And that’s when it sunk in- it’s been too long since we, maybe just me, I–celebrated you and the skin you’re in. So let me begin.
Continue reading Women’s History Month Reflection Series – This is About Black Women by Julian Long
Musts this Week – Mar 1, 2015
This week had a lot of activity surrounding the 3rd anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s murder, feminism and women of color and the end of Black History Month. Below are our MUSTS for this week:
Must Watch Videos:
Sen Cory Booker & “The New Jim Crow”
Senator Cory Booker discusses Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow” & criminal justrice refore on Huffpost Live
Musts This Week – Feb 22, 2015 – Ferguson Response Network
This week saw a wide range of actions honoring Malcolm X, protesting recent killings by law enforcement and marking the 3 months since Tamir Rice was killed in Cleveland. Below are some of the must see videos, hashtags & articles the Ferguson Response Network came across this week:
Must Watch Videos:
American Policing: Lessons on Resistance with:
@MychalSmith @brownblaze @PhilofDreams_ @dantebarry & @Awkward_Duck
Ta-Nehisi Coates at Washington University
Must Read Articles:
Continue reading Musts This Week – Feb 22, 2015 – Ferguson Response Network
Exposure Trolling – Catching Fire & Pissing Me Off
This post concerns a phenomenon I have dubbed exposure trolling. Exposure trolling is the use of blatant & deliberate acts to antagonize, offend & infuriate black people for the sole purpose of gaining clicks, views, trending & monetary gain via social media. Some would, instead of indulging in trolling, would look to make use of socialfollow services. I hear socialfollow helps you grow your instagram followers to improve your following without offending people.
Some businesses that have YouTube channels would use a more legitimate route, such as tools from somewhere like Get Fans in order to reach and grow their audience. They can use this service to buy youtube subscribers and use YouTube’s SEO to expose their business to potential audiences without resorting to offensive behavior.
It’s also important to note if you’re looking to increase your Instagram followers in an ethical way, you must make sure you’re protected and that your passwords are secure and not simply, ‘Password123!’. Trust me, you wouldn’t believe the number of people who have that as a password. While you’re changing your password, you could also install some decent Antivirus software to stop hackers getting any confidential data. To learn more, you may want to take a look at websafetyadvice.com.
I think it’s important to note where I believe exposure trolling reached it’s the official start because while there were previous social media hashtags and tweets that pissed black people off, prior to December 16th, these were for the most part accidental in nature and the result of poor social media & marketing planning. If you don’t want to be associated with these trends, but you’re looking to reach out to new people to increase your followers, then, you may need to look into one of the instagram managers like UpLeap for some help getting your followers from 100 to 10000.
That all changed a few months ago when CNN hosted an on-air forum with law enforcement officers entitled “Police Under Fire” and invited the public to submit questions via twitter using the hashtag #AskACop.
Continue reading Exposure Trolling – Catching Fire & Pissing Me Off
Research Woes – What does Yuvette Henderson’s smile look like?
This is an expanded version of a post I made on Facebook regarding the research I do curating http://blackfemalelivesmatter.tumblr.com/ – a commemorative tumblr dedicated to documenting the lives of black women lost at the hands of law enforcement.
I am not a researcher by trade and don’t particular enjoy the work. But I’ve found that a large part of ensuring that #BlackLivesMatter is in documenting what is happening to black people and that requires research. So below I walk you through the general process and the frustrating & infuriating obstacles associated with this documentation. I truly PRAY for a day when we won’t have to do this anymore – but until that day….
Continue reading Research Woes – What does Yuvette Henderson’s smile look like?