How

to Stand (or Sit or Recline) on the Side of Love

Honoring the Life of Michael Brown
Witnessing his Murder

Dont turn away from the news. Find a way to read some of it. Be sure that if you
do, that you also find stories of the heroes, the helpers, the resisters, the fighters, to
help combat the distress and guard against becoming demoralized. The world needs
you to be awake, but not knocked flat by despair.
Learn through Listening. Educate yourself about the work of places like the
SpiritHouse Project, founded by civil rights activist and public theologian, Ruby Sales.
If you identify as part of a group that is granted cultural privilege, learn more about
what that looks like and how you can use it to combat injustice. Sometimes that
means stepping up. Sometimes that means stepping back. Also, read this: The Case
for Reparations by Tanehisi Coates.

Practice Intentional (Financial) Generosity: The folks at Bolder Giving have verified as
legitimate the following two funds (one bricks&mortar and one online) for the family
of Michael Brown: "If youre looking to support human immediate needs vs
organizing, Michael Browns family has established a memorial fund at Fifth Third
Bank. You can make a donation at any branch (https://www.53.com/site) or you can
mail a donation with Michael Brown Jr. Memorial Fund in the memo line and send
it to: Fifth Third Bank, 8013 West Florissant Ave., Jennings, MO 63136." Or online at
http://www.gofundme.com/justiceformikebrown (please note: this is a different
GoFundMe site than the one listed here on 8/17 for about 12 hours, which is likely a
scam. My apologies. This GoFundMe has been confirmed by the lawyers of the
Brown family as legit.) Or you can donate money to the bail fund for people arrested
protesting in Ferguson http://antistatestl.noblogs.org/post/2014/08/11/bail-and-legal-
fund-for-those-arrested-during-ferguson-anti-police-demonstrations/ For more ideas,
go to https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FCh_QCiq6KT-
c_b0QKTXYFSfaEyOwE0vrGzQCy_mMos/pub, a list of confirmed/verified laudable
foci for your generosity. Thank you, Jason Franklin at Bolder Giving.

Speak Up: Advocate that municipalities require their on-duty police officers to wear
video cameras on their person and their vehicles to be equipped with them as well,
so that we might be able to replicate the results in Rialto, California, where in one
years time, use of force decreased 60% and complaints decreased 88%.

Compiled by Karen G. Johnston
Please share widely
Updated Aug 18, 2014 the most up-to-date version can be found at
http://irrevspeckay.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/how-to-stand-or-sit-or-recline-on-the-side-of-
love-honoring-the-life-of-michael-brown-witnessing-his-murder/

Join the Black Twitter-verse: If you arent on Twitter yet, but do engage in social
media, consider joining, becoming more familiar with its use, and following sources
that report on the real life experience of people of color ~ especially by people of
color trying to get the word out when traditional means, even liberal-leaning public
radio, dont tell us the full story.

Be on the Side of Love: There are multiple petitions of all sorts related to what has
taken place in Ferguson. Some are about media coverage. Some are directed to
specific municipalities. There are several out there calling for the federal Department
of Justice to appoint a special investigator. Sign one. Or two. Or call: 202-353-1555.
Join the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in calling on Attorney General Eric Holder to
take this seriously.

Compiled by Karen G. Johnston

Please share widely
Updated Aug 18, 2014 the most up-to-date version can be found at
http://irrevspeckay.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/how-to-stand-or-sit-or-recline-on-the-side-of-
love-honoring-the-life-of-michael-brown-witnessing-his-murder/