After the tragic death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others in the black community, we have been struggling to find the words to describe the outrage, devastation, and hopelessness we feel in the wake of these events. We have been examining our own operations to think about what we can do to be more of an ally to the black community, bring greater awareness to the systemic oppression that goes unnoticed every day in this country, and better support the black community through our work.
At The Changemaker Project, we believe that education is the most powerful catalyst for change, and we know that youth hold the power to build a brighter future. We galvanize young people to speak out about and act on the issues they care about in order to achieve meaningful change. One student and one project at a time, we can break down barriers to justice and create a more equitable, safe, and kind world.
Examining our own implicit biases, microaggressions, and the roots of oppression that underlie our country's history is a core component of The Changemaker Project's curriculum. We want our students to understand the ways in which they may unknowingly contribute to the oppression of blacks and other marginalized groups, gain the tools they need to stand up as an ally, and generate creative solutions to tackle these issues in their own communities.
MINI-GRANT OPPORTUNITY
We know that youth everywhere are outraged at the death of George Floyd and the system that allowed it to happen. Many of us are asking, "What can we do? How can we help? How can we bring about change and cultivate justice?" At The Changemaker Project we believe in the power of taking initiative-- taking action, however small, to work towards justice on an issue that you care about. What can you do in your community, in your social network, at your school-- to support the Black Lives Matter movement?
This summer, The Changemaker Project is offering mini-grants (up to $500) to groups of youth (ages 13-24) who want to take initiative in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Do you have an idea you'd like to act on but need some funding to make it happen? Check out our resources, submit your project plan, and we'll do our best to support as many innovative ideas as we can. Together, we can stand up against institutional racism, police brutality, and white supremacy. Together, we can #bethechange we wish to see.