After weeks of overwhelming emotions, I am using my platforms like Instagram as well as my blog to raise awareness, and continue to fight against racism as well as police violence.

As the #BlackLivesMatter trend is slowly vanishing on social media, now it’s time for everyone to understand, that changes won’t happen overnight. Supporting a cause is not about one week of attending protests and sharing content. It’s about continuously spreading awareness against discrimination, fight for human rights, educate ourselves, and our children.

We need to take the time to educate ourselves by reading the books that explain the history of the Black Lives Matter movement, watching the movies and documentaries that describe racial injustice, and facing uncomfortable conversations with our friends and family.

Here are the must-read books:

• Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

• White Rage by Carol Anderson Ph.D.

• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

• Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward 

• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

• Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

• Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

• This Will Be My Undoing by Morgan Jerkins

• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

• Locking Up Our Own by James Forman Jr.

• The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy Tyson

Photography by Tony Gigov (c) DisiCouture

*Disclosure: This post is 100% not sponsored, and does not contain affiliate links.