Celebrate Freedom. Work for Justice.

Happy 4th of July!

This Independence Day, EVOLVE Family Services would like to encourage you to celebrate freedom and work for justice.

While we celebrate July 4th (Independence Day) – a federal holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776, we must also recognize that freedom at this time was only granted for white men. Freedom for ALL people, including people of color, was not granted until June 19th, 1865; the day that news of emancipation and the Civil War’s end finally reached the last group of slaves in America.

Additionally, we must recognize that true freedom in this country is not equitable or even attainable for BIPOC due to our systems being built in racism and white supremacy.

We encourage people to celebrate this holiday AND use this day to continue anti-racist work and support BIPOC communities and organizations through a variety of activities.

Educate yourself and your family on black history, systemic racism and white supremacy: read books and articles, listen to podcasts, or watch documentaries and movies
Documentaries:
– 12 Free Documentaries And Shows About Black History And Racism In America
– 10 Must-Watch Black History Movies and Documentaries on Netflix
Movies:
– 48 Black Movies on Netflix that you’ll want to watch on repeat
– These films explore black lives impacted by white authority
Books:
– Understanding and Dismantling Racism: A Booklist for White Readers
– Several Antiracist Books Are Selling Out. Here’s What Else Black Booksellers and Publishers Say You Should Read.
– Twelve Books to Help Children Understand Race, Anti-Racism and Protest
Podcasts:
– This List Of Books, Films And Podcasts About Racism Is A Start, Not A Panacea
– 15 Informative Podcasts to Learn About Race Relations in America

Use social media or your personal blog (if you have one) to share posts about anti-racist resources.
Social media accounts to follow:
– Five Instagram Accounts to Follow
– 60 Instagram accounts run by Black artists, designers, and creatives of all types

Support local black-owned businesses
– A list of locally-owned restaurants, breweries, beauty shops, gyms, apparel and more – click HERE
– A Roundup of Black-Owned Restaurant Lists For Supporting These Businesses in the Twin Cities – click HERE
– Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce
– Black-Owned Book Stores
– MN’s only black owned comic book store celebrates black history 24/7

Support black organizations and the community
– Ways You Can Support the Black LGBTQ+ Community
– Black-Led LGBTQ+ Services and Groups
– 137 Ways to Donate in Support of Black Lives and Communities of Color

Check out our blog post on Juneteenth for more ways to continue anti-racist work and support BIPOC communities and organizations.

Check out our Facebook page for more resources!