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Following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breanna Taylor, I’ve heard some within my own (albeit small) social circle — and via the typical social media channels — wondering aloud what they can or should do to combat racial injustices and support the heritage of Fort Worth’s black community.
This is also a question we, as the city’s magazine, grapple with. While it is our main charge to deliver a daily dose of Fort Worth culture and lifestyle, we also take on the high-minded cause of improving our city. “To celebrate Fort Worth and make it better” is our magazine’s overarching mission statement. Thus, sitting silently on the sidelines while major city events unfold goes against the nature of our magazine’s content.
There are plenty of innovative ways locals can educate themselves and actively support their community’s improvement. Here are a few ideas:
- Donate or volunteer to local groups such as the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, Community Frontline, Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society (which will help support and expand the Lenora Rolla Heritage Museum), NAACP Fort Worth/Tarrant County, or the George Floyd Memorial Fund.
- Support local black-owned-and-operated businesses. Some businesses we recommend include Miles of Freedom lawn care, Drew’s Place, Black Coffee, Carpenter’s Café and Catering, Danette’s Urban Oasis, Goss Fitness, BrōōHa, and Fort Worth Barber Shop.
- Start watching some flicks from The Grand Berry Theater’s list of movies by black filmmakers that might aid racial conversations. Some films include “Get Out,” “Selma,” “Do the Right Thing,” and “12 Years a Slave.”
- Eat at Spiral Diner, where they’re donating 10% of sales to the Minnesota Freedom Fund.
- Contact local council members, state legislators, and congresspeople demanding action on the part of lawmakers. You can find your council member here, your state legislator here, and your congressperson here.
- Start a reading list with these recommendations from Tina Howard of Leaves Book and Tea Shop:
- We Are Not Yet Equal by Carol Anderson
- Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
- How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
You can also follow the Leaves Book and Tea Shop Instagram for weekly recommendations.