Welcome back.

As you will have probably heard by now, the amount of discrimination and hatred against black people, including black LGBTQ+ women is very prevalent in society, and many of us are educating ourselves on privilege, prejudice, and propoganda. It is undoubtedly a difficult time for all of us, and while we may want to stay updated with what is going on, it is impossible to pour from an empty cup. As many of us are torn between trying to amplify the voices of the oppressed and preserving our mental health, I am going to share my tips with you on how to do both.

• Donate your time in exchange for money to a cause you care about. Typing ‘views for a vision BLM’ into YouTube will show you many videos packed with advertisements that donate to the cause when you watch them. Some of these videos even have vital information about the cause, so you can educate yourself without the stress of going social media while donating.

• Turn off your phone. Recently, I have been turning off my phone for most of the day so that I can focus on things I need to do, which includes self-care. When I do log into social media however, I utilize the time to share information to my friends and followers about how to educate themselves on BLM and the issues of LGBTQ+ POC as much as I can.

• Have discussions with yourself. Sometimes, interacting with others on social media can be extremely tiring and difficult to carry out, especially when they refuse to learn about key issues. Mentally discussing issues with yourself is not so tiring, as when you think about what ways you can help make a positive change in a time of hatred, you do not face a second opinion.

• Take care of yourself. Before attempting to advocate, make sure you are in the right headspace to do so. If you feel like you cannot manage to join the fight for social change just now, that’s okay. Practice some self-care, and when you are in the right mindset to use your platform, your advocacy will be stronger than ever!
  
  Stay safe,
  ~Jaya x

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