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This is a very difficult post to write. Not because we aren’t clear on our thoughts and feelings, but because so many of us feel so strongly about it that it’s hard to get words out that sound like the way we’d normally talk, and as a result ends up sounding contrived. But black lives matter. I understand that many of you come here to escape from the real world, but events going on at the moment make silence not an option. And even then, a few words typed into a website don’t add up to much in the real world, which is where the change needs to take place. Personally, I feel a certain frustration looking at Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and so on, seeing so much outpouring of verbal support, with many “hot takes” proclaimed to our own bubbles who already agree, and yet so little that translates into actual change. Mycena Cave has worked hard to be a community that is welcoming and caring, and at which racism has no place, so just posting here to the tune of “well isn’t this awful” to you who would read this would be little more than posturing. To my mind, there are two concrete things we — a community that predominantly already sees itself as allies — can do, in particular if you yourself are not black. First, we can look inward and find and work on bias that we ourselves have. This morning, one of my black acquaintances posted “To my non-black friends, out of genuine curiosity, what is it about the most recent black murders at the hands of police and otherwise that made you want to say something? Rather than any of the hundreds of others?”. More food for thought may be to imagine yourself walking alone down an alley at night, when you notice a large man also in that alley — would your immediate emotional response be any different depending on whether this man was white or black? These and more are questions to reflect on privately, decide what your answers mean to you, but most importantly, to decide how to work on making your answers better. Like any diagnosis, knowing about a problem is meaningless unless you also take measures to work on it. And it’s worth thinking about, since this is not a sudden problem. Of all businesses who have put out a statement, Ben & Jerry’s is one that I feel digs deeper: “What happened to George Floyd was not the result of a bad apple; it was the predictable consequence of a racist and prejudiced system and culture that has treated Black bodies as the enemy from the beginning. What happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis is the fruit borne of toxic seeds planted on the shores of our country in Jamestown in 1619, when the first enslaved men and women arrived on this continent. Floyd is the latest in a long list of names that stretches back to that time and that shore. Some of those names we know — Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Emmett Till, Martin Luther King, Jr. — most we don’t.” Second, we can actively provide support, and to reflect on how to make deeper, more long-lasting changes that go beyond ourselves. You can have an enormous impact being a better ally than you already may be. Victoria Alexander, a black anti-racist researcher, suggests that a good jumping off point in becoming a better ally is to to unlearn and relearn through reading anti-racist literature. Her reading list suggestion is here, and I strongly encourage all non-blacks (myself included) to commit to reading at least one of these books this month. In addition to supporting people emotionally, we can support causes that need it. Below is a list of charities we encourage donating to. We are giving out a thank you item to those who donate, and you can find that information further down in the post: Suggested Charities US:
Black LGBTQIA+
Minnesota:
We encourage giving to Black-led charities, local charities, and charities highly rated by charity watch groups (note that you likely won’t find ratings on smaller and more local charities but please don’t let that prevent you from donating to smaller organizations) that focus on anti-racism and supporting the Black community. We are giving out a thank you item for anyone who donates to a charity with a focus on anti-racism and/or supports the Black community. Here is how to receive the item:
The organization you give to does not need to be one of the ones that we’ve listed, but the group or fund should have a focus on anti-racism and/or support the Black community in a clear way. We’re choosing to do it this way rather than do a Coats for Cause type donation because, as glitch and I are white, we don’t want to dictate to Black community members where to donate, and want to leave opportunities for anyone in the community to promote/highlight the many different organizations out there that are working to make changes. This is about listening and promoting Black voices and organizations, not about promoting a thing we made, and we felt that doing it this way would be a more meaningful way of getting us and our community engaged. We are giving one thank you gift per account that donates, and the donation can be any amount. The donation you made just needs to have happened recently—if you donated before this post was made, proof of that previous donation is fine. If you’d like to donate on behalf of another player, that’s fine! However, there is a $5 minimum for donations made on behalf of another player. If you want to donate on behalf of another player:
Bone Monster will send the item to the player you’ve donated on behalf of so long as they haven’t already received an item from the Bone Monster previously. As a reminder, there is no minimum when donating on your own behalf. The item will be released to the Marketplace for 14,000 nuggets on September 3rd (though you will still be able to get the item through donating). We are not a tax advisor and cannot provide you with tax advice. This information may be incorrect, and we encourage you to double check and ask an actual tax advisor. Since you’re giving to the charity directly and not receiving anything from them in return, we believe that you should be able to claim the donation on your tax forms. We encourage you to verify this for yourselves when you file your taxes. In the US, The CARES Act gives everyone a $300 above the line deduction for giving to charity this year. Most people in the US don’t get a discount for charitable giving because they take the standard deduction and thus charitable giving doesn’t impact their taxes. For the first time ever, with the CARES Act, you still deduct up to $300 in cash charitable giving for tax year 2020 on top of the standard deduction. Thus, not only does the government giving you back 22-25% of your donation next April, it will make your adjusted gross income $300 which may help in e.g. lowering your student loan payment. Have the government subsidize some social justice! (note: there are lots of articles about this out there, here is one) Meta-resource lists These links contain compilations of resources
Community Suggested Do you have relevant good resources or charities you’re passionate about sharing? We’ll list them here! If you make a suggestion, please give some detail about your suggestion. I have seen people on social media urging others to read not just books on black history, movements, and struggles, but also those with a focus on culture, within both fiction and nonfiction. Here’s a list by Afoma Umesi of YA novels by black authors, and a gallery-style list from Oprah Magazine of various books by black authors.Vely I recommend reading The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. It explains how events (like the War on Drugs) changed and shaped new racism after the mid 60s, such as disproportional arrests and racist policies to support segregation. I believe it was the first document I read that helped me formulate a deep understanding of racial injustice. It was a reading assignment in a history elective that allowed discussion on written pieces and I was absolutely shocked some students found it controversial and blown out of proportion. It helped me become passionate about understanding and listening to black people’s thoughts about living in America.Lycan I’m going to speak from experience here as a black person. If someone who is POC tells you (general you) that something you’ve said or done is racist, listen to them. Listen. Learn. Don’t argue with them or try to come up with excuses. Be gracious and learn from the mistake. Yoshi I was lucky to snag an advanced reader copy of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, which is an incredible YA novel. It’s very accessible to readers not used to academic writing, and it’s an incredible story that touches on so many ideas—police violence, racial profiling, gentrification and neighborhoods, class differences, and racism in different communities. I’d highly recommend especially for younger people who might be grappling with these topics for the first time.Chimerical
also wanted to mention that if you are considering donating via your company and your company uses Gusto, consider donating through charity websites directly rather than via Gusto. I’ve learned from a coworker that Gusto’s donation partner, FirstGiving, takes a 7.5% service fee (which is more than charities usually have to pay to process credit card transactions). If you can, take a bit of time to double check service fees if going through a 3rd party and also see if donation matching is an option for your situation - I imagine each company has different policies and what may be best for my situation may not be best for yours!Cien
We encourage you to post with suggestions of resources, books, protests etc, especially ones that are made or compiled by the black community!
Posted 06/03/20, edited 06/13/20
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I donated to Southern Poverty Law Center. Thank you so much for doing this. And I very much appreciate that y’all took the opportunity to approach it this way versus approaching it in the same fashion as coats for a cause. ♥♥♥ This will provide the opportunity for community members to donate to more organizations than just one, which I am sure is very much needed currently considering that these events are not isolated to a single locale.
Posted 06/03/20, edited 06/03/20
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I donated to the Nationwide Bail Fund. I’ve previously donated to Reclaim the Block, and this reminded me I’ve been wanting to support the bail fund, too. I appreciate the attention being brought to this on-site with this announcement, and the many outgoing links. I liked when MC started the charity coats and I appreciate the continued spirit of supporting others. I have seen people on social media urging others to read not just books on black history, movements, and struggles, but also those with a focus on culture, within both fiction and nonfiction. Here’s a list by Afoma Umesi of YA novels by black authors, and a gallery-style list from Oprah Magazine of various books by black authors.
Posted 06/03/20
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Oxton We will need to get back to you on that. We’re discussing it but need to pause due to dinner plans!
Posted 06/03/20
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I’ve donated to the Equal Justice Initiative. Thank you for creating an organized list to generate more change!
I’ve been having more tough talks as of late. I’ve been debating with people for years, most notably a relative that is a police officer. I’m glad to have these open conversations as much as they have been (and still is) a process that has been nothing short of explosive 5+ years ago. However, each conversation has brought us closer to the same goal and for my relative understanding white privilege. I can only hope he practices what he preaches. Remember to really listen if you are not black and continuously ask yourself and others difficult questions! Edit: I recommend reading The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. It explains how events (like the War on Drugs) changed and shaped new racism after the mid 60s, such as disproportional arrests and racist policies to support segregation. I believe it was the first document I read that helped me formulate a deep understanding of racial injustice. It was a reading assignment in a history elective that allowed discussion on written pieces and I was absolutely shocked some students found it controversial and blown out of proportion. It helped me become passionate about understanding and listening to black people’s thoughts about living in America.
Posted 06/03/20, edited 06/04/20
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I donated to Black Trans Fund - Groundswell Fund. I’m going to speak from experience here as a black person. If someone who is POC tells you (general you) that something you’ve said or done is racist, listen to them. Listen. Learn. Don’t argue with them or try to come up with excuses. Be gracious and learn from the mistake.
Posted 06/03/20
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I’ve given to both Minnesota Freedom Fund and my local bail fund—Albany Bail & Safety Fund for Black Lives ( I think in the past decade, there’s been a great surge in awareness of police brutality and the horrors of modern day racism among white folks. I know that I’ve gone from a sheltered kid in an all-white community who “wasn’t interested in race topics” to a person who’s much more understanding of my own privilege, how my communities are affected by racism, and how white indifference has allowed this to go on for so long. I think social media has definitely been a factor in allowing people access to more voices, resources, and ideas. I was lucky to snag an advanced reader copy of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, which is an incredible YA novel. It’s very accessible to readers not used to academic writing, and it’s an incredible story that touches on so many ideas—police violence, racial profiling, gentrification and neighborhoods, class differences, and racism in different communities. I’d highly recommend especially for younger people who might be grappling with these topics for the first time.
Posted 06/03/20
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We (my husband and I) donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and to the NAACP - Legal Defense and Education! We donated through my husband’s company, because they match our donation. ; u ; Edit: Hyasynthetic Again, I come from a place of wanting the best for everyone and don’t want this to be seen as an attack, but I think it’s important to examine the use of that word.
Posted 06/03/20, edited 06/03/20
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I donated to the Murder Accountability Project! Yes, I know the website is super boring and this might not make sense without a really, really long explanation. Briefly: there are thousands of murders that go unsolved—not even unconvicted, just plain unsolved—every single year in the United States. A fractured, often analog, localized system in an age of increasing digitalization and mobility can’t keep up. This project tries to help raise our murder clearance rate from the 60% range, and that could translate to thousands more who receive justice every year. This system seems particularly good for identifying serial murderers. While people are usually murdered by people they know, those who are victims of opportunity are by far and away less likely to receive justice.
Posted 06/03/20
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I donated to The Okra Project‘s Nina Pop Mental Health Recovery Fund and Tony McDade Mental Health Recovery Fund. These funds go towards providing therapy sessions for black trans people. You can read more about the fund (and the folks it memorializes, and the Okra Project in general) here. edit: Hyasynthetic, I found your post completely inappropriate given the context of this thread. I wasn’t going to say anything, and maybe I shouldn’t, because I can’t think of a way to explain that isn’t inflammatory, but there’s a time and a place, dude, and this isn’t it.
Posted 06/03/20, edited 06/03/20
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May we also respond here with any potentially pertinent information going on during the chaos? I’ve been seeing warnings about a bill sneaking through during the chaos called the “EARN IT” act that would further limit freedom of speech, bots attempting to sew confusion, false protest meetups meant to entrap protesters, etc.
Posted 06/03/20, edited 06/03/20
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I’ve donated to the Minnesota Freedom and to the Chicago Community Bond Fund! As a black user, I want to thank you guys for doing this. It’s been especially hard being a black woman in the US, but it makes me so happy to know that I can find solace and support on Mycena. There are a couple of really great online therapy groups for black women here and here. Additionally, Zoe Amira put together this great video featuring work from tons of black artists, with all of the revenue generated from ads going towards Black Lives Matter. This is a great way to donate even if you’re not financially able to. There are some really incredible documentaries out there too, including 13th, a documentary about the United States prison system. There’s also Slavery by Another Name (on Kanopy, which you can login to with your library card), about the evolution of forced labor in the US. On Amazon, there’s I Am Not Your Negro, based on the unfinished novel Remember This House by James Baldwin. On Hulu, there’s Whose Streets?, focusing on the 2014 Ferguson uprisings. And I think one really important thing that people forget is that even when the protests are over, that doesn’t mean the fight has ended. There’s a lot of work to be done and these organizations will always need support. It’s easy to forget about police brutality and systematic oppression when the news cycle and social media aren’t constantly covering protests, but it’s important to do what you can to recognize and unpack your own privilege and advocate for people that are silenced.
Posted 06/03/20
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I’ve donated to the Runnymede Trust, and wanted to mention that I admire MC’s thoughtful response! Thank you <3
Posted 06/03/20
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tinyurl.com/blmforever just wanted to highlight this amazing resource that has all in one place lots and lots of petitions to sign, people to email/call, and places to donate to, as well as resources for self education opportunities, etc. i wanna point out in particular a gas mask fund led by Isak Douah, you can find links to their venmo etc in this doc but theyre buying gas masks for the protesters in minneapolis so this is a really great way to very directly help them. edit: just read a lil more, i actually did donate here: yesterday! another great place, this is the chicago torture justice center, the first organization providing trauma recovery services for survivors of police violence. (not that im now not gonna donate but im trying to space it out a lil both to help add to longevity of engagement and also for my bank account’s sake haha)
Posted 06/03/20, edited 06/03/20
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