Anti-Racism Resources

The BLM movement was first organized "in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin's murder." Since then, BLM has become an organization with many chapters worldwide. Boston also has a BLM Chapter. BLM continues to organize not only around the murders of other Black Americans that have been perpetrated by police violence and a policing system created as retaliation to the freedom of slaves after the Civil War, but also around issues of anti-Blackness in various communities, political and otherwise. The founders of BLM are Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi, who have not only organized around injustices against Black people, but also fight for the rights of Black people in the LGBTQ & Trans-community.

To learn more about why it is important to acknowledge that Black lives do matter and the systems in place that have consistently devalued Black lives, take a look at the resources below, which include how racism continues to exist in the medical/health sciences profession.

"Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.

We are expansive. We are a collective of liberators who believe in an inclusive and spacious movement. We also believe that in order to win and bring as many people with us along the way, we must move beyond the narrow nationalism that is all too prevalent in Black communities. We must ensure we are building a movement that brings all of us to the front.

We affirm the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, undocumented folks, folks with records, women, and all Black lives along the gender spectrum. Our network centers those who have been marginalized within Black liberation movements.

We are working for a world where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise.

We affirm our humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.

The call for Black lives to matter is a rallying cry for ALL Black lives striving for liberation."

(From www.blacklivesmatter.com/about)

Born out of a social media post, the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked discussion about race and inequality across the world. In this conversation with Mia Birdsong, the movement's three founders share what they've learned about leadership and what provides them with hope and inspiration in the face of painful realities. Their advice on how to participate in ensuring freedom for everybody: join something, start something and "sharpen each other, so that we all can rise."