Police Brutality in America Teach-Out

We challenge you to create your own action plan. (See sample action plan)

Keep it sustainable

Those who have been fighting this fight over the long haul know it can be draining. Dismantling the systems of oppression that contribute to police brutality is likely to be a lifelong fight and it’s important to stay engaged and avoid burnout. Your action plan should include a balance of types of activities and time to take care of yourself. 

Start with one step

If you’re just joining or becoming more involved with this work, it may feel overwhelming. Remember that this movement needs everyone and you do have a role. It is ok to start with one step, as long as you commit to taking more as you learn. Maybe your first step is engaging with your elected officials. Maybe it’s volunteering your time or offering resources to community organizations. Find something you can do that resonates with you and make that the first step in your action plan.

Build a habit

Many of you may already have a habit built, so skip on by. But, working toward a habit will be useful for anyone newer to taking action or who finds themselves unable to keep engaged over time. Use the action plan for a set amount of time, say a couple weeks or a month. Set an appointment in your calendar so you can reflect on what has worked and make adjustments. Keep it as a foundation until things feel like a natural part of your life. Even after then, it may stop you from feeling like you have to do everything all at once to help.  

Make it specific

To end police brutality and dismantle the structural racism that supports it, we need to commit to taking action and sustain that action over time. We see concrete action as the ultimate goal, with a few things supporting it: learning and listening, having discussions, and taking care of yourself. We offer specific resources and steps to take for each of these categories.

To get started, ask yourself: 

When I think about issues around police brutality, where am I, personally, and what do I want to do right now? The links below will lead you to resources tailored to each stage.

• I’m ready to take action
• I need to learn more about the issues
• I want to have conversations with others about the issues
• I’ve been taking action and I need to prevent my own burnout 

You can always come back to these resources if you want to change directions or work on a different area.