We have all witnessed the senseless death of George Floyd and many other black Americans. And like you, we’re angry. We understand the rage and desperation — and the desire to do something in this moment.

As we follow the news and hear so many powerful stories about peoples’ experiences with racism, we believe this is a time of real change. These peaceful protests around the world are having an impact, and there’s an evolution that is happening right before our eyes.

At Girls in Tech, we’re committed to fighting for justice, equity and inclusion. There’s a lot of work to be done, and we can all do something to make a difference now — whether that’s through allyships; donations to causes and organizations; reading/sharing articles, podcasts, and videos on race relations, unconscious bias and diversity and inclusion education; partnerships to provide STEM education; diversifying recruitment efforts, and highlighting powerful stories.

Here are just some of the ways you can support your community and encourage others to do the same.

Donate and Volunteer:

Community enrichment organizations: Donations will go toward arts, technical, or other programs for black and brown people.

Policy reform organizations: Donations will go toward legislative efforts to overturn systemically racist policies at either national, state, or local levels.

Megafunds: Single donations will be split between multiple organizations, with the ability to adjust what goes where.

Articles:

Podcasts:

Books:

Indeed, while we have reason to be optimistic in light of the protests, there is a lot of work still to do in the fight against racism. We know this is an important topic for our members, and I wanted to bring us together today to begin an open dialogue as an organization so that we can play an active role in creating solutions.