Black Lives Matter: Assets and Solutions
George Floyd's death by police in Minneapolis last week triggered an immediate response to grief and anger, and the investigation of individuals and organizations around the world how we responded to such deaths and the racism they encounter in the West Uncover society. Urgent questions were asked across the creative industry about how slowly to respond to demands for diversity and change and what needs to be done now.
The instinctive first reaction of many to Floyd's death is to take to the streets and protest. Events take place all over the world, all over America, but also in London, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin.
Photographers and filmmakers have captured powerful scenes from protests around the world:
PROTEST FROM HOME
However, during the pandemic, it can be difficult for people to protest physically. Mona Chalabi has once again shown how important it can be that data is brought to the point in online visual content:
There are numerous petitions that can be signed, including the Justice for George Floyd petition. D & AD has compiled a very useful resource list that includes other petitions, fundraisers, and more extensive reading. This can be found here.
And gal-dem has published a thoughtful piece on other ways to protest if you can't go out physically due to a corona virus. "Protest has the function of moving the state, although I believe that its more moving function is a collective catharsis," Melz writes. “It enables us to come together as a collective and share in the grief and pain that we all feel. It gives us a place where we can channel and outsource the anger and pain that flow through our veins every day in this white supremacist world. Nevertheless, the conflict persists – how many lives can we still endanger if we take to the streets during a pandemic? “The play then lists the many ways that people can channel grief and anger when physical protest is not an option.
ANSWERS FROM BRANDS
As this piece of The New York Times points out, brands have started to respond to the cause, albeit somewhat cautiously. "There is a general trend that executives in the C-Suite are called up and put under pressure by consumers who want to know where they are. There is the possibility, not only of function, of a better mouse trap, but also of Differentiate values. " says Americus Reed, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School in the play. "It's smart – hopefully they'll take a stand because it's moral, but also because they understand the long-term economic game."
And for brands that "borrow heavily from black culture", the topic cannot be ignored, says influencer Jackie Aina in the play. "When it comes to relevant things, things you can't ignore, like the Black Life Matters movement, police brutality, or murders in our community, it's barbecues, and that's unacceptable," she said. "If you capitalize on a culture, you are morally obliged to help it."
The need for broader change
At this moment, a more extensive social change is called for, but especially in the creative sector. Artists like Campbell Addy and Emmazed founder Mo Mfinanga are calling for a systematic change in how black creatives are dealt with in the industry.
In Vogue, British publisher Edward Enninful calls for recognition of the "importance of maintaining an anti-racist agenda". “This is an evolving conversation,” writes Enninful, “and it requires further education. We have to educate ourselves and our neighbors, otherwise the atrocities will not stop. I cannot approve of the violence that is breaking out across America and other cities. I do not tolerate the looting. I support people's freedom of speech and right to protest, although I would like to point out that people are taking adequate security measures in the face of the pandemic. I am convinced that we have to fight racism in order to turn knowledge into anti-racism. And we have to do it together.
"Fashion plays a role here," he continues. “It occupies a unique place in the zeitgeist and has the unique ability to change mindsets. I implore fashion brands, publications and retailers to employ more people from different backgrounds – I really believe that this is the only way to make real change. We need black people anchored in the fashion industry infrastructure, not just on the other side of the camera or in an Instagram feed. People need a place at the table. "
This is a point of view repeated in a recent CR article by Stormzy employee and writer Jude Yawson on racism in the UK. "There is a serious and systematic mistake in which people compete against each other, which has become the mainstay of the country," writes Yawson. “If we want to achieve a state of equality, the experiences of black and ethnic minorities must be recognized alongside broader Britishness. Whether politically or in the media or in social media and its algorithms to create our human echo chambers – this society as a whole must do better. "
There has been talk of diversity in the creative industry for years, but as the reactions to Floyd's death indicate, the change hasn't happened quickly enough, and there is a need for action and discussion. This is where the creative industry can respond to these horrific events by using their skills, talents and powers to bring about real change and create a better world for all of us.