2020 Civil Unrest Actions
This post highlights the actions that were taken due to the impact of civil unrest in the US in 2020:
Several other actions have been taken as a result of the racial justice protests and the high level of attention to racial issues. This is a sampling of key activities:
The push for making Juneteenth (June 19th) a federal holiday has gained momentum, and some cities and states issued proclamations. Companies and organizations (including CDP) gave employees the day off or provided overtime pay. Juneteenth recognizes the date in 1865 that the last slaves in Texas were freed. It has been a state holiday in Texas since 1980; 47 of 50 states plus D.C., recognize it as a holiday or day of observance. Only Hawaii and North and South Dakota do not recognize it.
Corporate brands — most notably Aunt Jemima and the Washington Redskins— have announced planned changes to names and/or logos.
Several celebrities and companies have announced donations to organizations working on anti-racism and police reform.
Streaming services are promoting Black-themed movies and food delivery apps are featuring Black-owned restaurants. Writer Hattie Collins has created a list of books, films, etc., that white people should delve into to help them understand the nuances of race and racism.
Some cities have been removing or reducing funding for their police services.
A number of Confederate statues and other monuments linked to racism have been taken down. Street names and names of building with racial undertonesare also under review or changing.
One of the most significant and visible protests has come from the professional sports community. Tennis, hockey, soccer, American football, international football, baseball and basketball have all seen players take a knee before or during the anthem, wear Black Lives Matter or related attire, sport the name of an injured or deceased victim of police violence, speak out publicly, make a donation, join a protest, or even refuse to play a game. Game 5 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoff series was postponed after teams refused to play. Baseball games followed suit that night. The NBA and the Player’s Union negotiated an agreement to get players back on the court including arenas owned by teams being used for voting on Nov. 3.
However, some of these activities have been denounced as “performative allyship” rather than meaningful ways to combat racism. While companies and organizations have responded by giving employees Juneteenth off or releasing statements in support of racial equality, it is critical that those actions are reflected in updated hiring practices, more diverse staff and board leadership, improved pay scales, and equal treatment of employees of color.
(Thank you https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disaster/u-s-civil-unrest/)
