To the #Blackout Community and Tumblr at large, 

We know you must have a lot of questions or are feeling distressed about the news. The world has been dealing with a lot this year, and it is an especially harrowing time for Black Americans and Black folks abroad. We know your biggest question right now could be summed up by a quote from Toni Morrison:

“What can I do where I am?”

Here at #TheBlackout, we have decided to help you start finding an answer to that question - we feel that we need each other. We need unity, organization, a clear sense of direction, but more importantly, a space where you can be yourself without judgement or fear.

So, in addition to boosting your art and businesses, our highest priority right now is to provide you all with resources to help you start from where you are.

This is a masterpost of places you can donate, find mental health + spaces for radical self-care, and just do something fun. We will be adding on as things change. 

Donate/Boost/Sign:

Minneapolis Freedom Bail Fund  & Louisville Community Bail Fund 

Reclaim the Block

Black Visions Collective

The Official GoFundMe of George Floyd’s Family

Official Petition for Breonna Taylor 

Justice for Regis Official Fund

Tony McDade’s Memorial Fund

Black Lives Matter Network

Mental Health Resources:

Ethel’s Club - Black-owned and operated social club offering access to Black therapists and a multitude of creative events for People of Color. 

Crisis Text Line - A different approach to crisis intervention, Crisis Text Line offers you help when you text 741-741. You’ll be able to chat with someone who is willing to listen and provide you with additional resources.

Shine Text. – Black-owned! Sign up to receive cheerful texts and tips every day. 

Therapy For Black Girls - A Black-owned a directory to help you find Black therapists in your area. 

Tips for Organizing/Protesting:

Knowing your rights - ACLU

How To Prepare for a Protest. (Remember to wear a mask in or to protect yourself!)

A Twitter thread of suggested readings

Fun Online Communities and Things to Do:

Some of our favorite online communities. 

Nerd Culture: @blacknerdproblems, @superheroesincolor

Poetry and Literary Spaces: Cave Canem Literary Balms program for Black poets,  Nuyorician Online Open Mic Events, Well-Read Black Girl

Podcasts: Therapy For Black Girls, Strong Black Legends by Netflix’s Strong Black Lead, The Read with Crissle and Kid Fury.

Hobbies: #BlackBirdersWeek by BlackAFinSTEM (5/31 - 6/8), Wellness Week by Black Girl Gamers. 

Tumblr has always been a fierce believer in free speech and the power it gives to the people who wield it. Throughout history, free speech has been the most important tool used to fight for racial and social justice. The protests being held in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are no different. They are important. They should not be ignored or derided. The disproportionate violence Black people face from those who have power in our country is not acceptable. It’s on all of us, regardless of race, to stand up for what is right, to demand justice, and to demand change. 

Say their names.

Happy Black History Month, Tumblr! 

Black excellence should be celebrated 365 days a year—not just during February. That’s why #BlackExcellence365 was born exactly one year ago today. Since then, it’s been a year-round Tumblr celebration of Black artists, politicians, social justice advocates, musicians, and more. 

There is no #BlackExcellence365 if there is no intersectionality. Last year Kawther Inuwa from Muslim Girl Army’s (@muslimgirlarmy) sat down to tell the community about her experiences in being a Nigerian Muslim woman who works as a social activist. 18 Million Rising (@18mr), an Asian American activist group, informed the world how the Asian American community can show solidarity with Black communities. Southerners On New Ground revealed how their pro-Black, pro-queer, pro-immigrant, and pro-worker organization were intent on helping LGBTQ+ visibility and safety in the Southern states in America. 

Why stop now? Let’s kick off #BlackExcellence365 2020!

Black history is every day.

This isn’t just about honoring the past and celebrating the present, it’s about bettering the future, too. That’s why #BlackExcellence365 2020 will feature a number of Q&A Issue Times throughout the year. We’re partnering with a few leading organizations like Black Girls Vote (@blackgirlsvote), Planned Parenthood Action Fund (@ppaction), and 18 Million Rising (@18MR). Stay tuned here for the opportunity to ask these folks a question.

You can also look forward to Artist Spotlights that highlight Black artists on Tumblr who are doing incredible things. Aundre Larrow (@aundrelarrow) will reveal his experience as a photographer whose work focuses on Black bodies. Visual artist Gianni Lee (@giannilee) will give us an inside look at his experience in the art world. 

If you’re a Black creative who wants to get featured in a reblog on one of our official Tumblrs like @art, @music, @fashion, @entertainment, @books, @gaming, @kpop, and @staff, let us know! Just tag your post #BlackExcellence365 so we can find it. This celebration means so much more if it includes you and your work.

Make sure to stay tuned on @action to see all of the upcoming highlights we couldn’t mention here yet. There are 52 weeks of #BlackExcellence365 2020 left, after all. ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽

or a superhero

or a gunslinger

or a gunslinger and a queen

Twas the night before Beebo Day and all through the Waverider not a creature was stirring, not even avalance.

The stockings were hung on the time drive with care in hopes that big Beebo would soon show up there. 

The Legends were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of time pirates danced in their heads

When out in the temporal zone arose such a clatter. They sprung from their beds to see what was the matter. Away to the bridge they flew in a jiff. 

Happy Election Day, Tumblr!

If you’ve already mailed in your absentee ballot or participated in early voting, give yourself a pat on the back followed by a healthy round of applause. You did it, constituents! You knew your voice was important and you made damn sure that it was heard.

For the majority of you, today is your time to shine. These midterm elections are important because you get to vote at the local level. You get to have a say in what matters the most to the communities in which you live, work, and spend much of your time and money.

Today is your chance to protect what you love and fight for what you believe in.

Make sure you’re prepared before you leave your home to vote:

Make sure you have any necessary paperwork If you live in New York or California, you can just state your name and address to cast your ballot. Neat! Other states have different requirements, like you may need to present a photo ID. You can check out the specifics for your state here.

Look into when and where to vote Some voting polls can open as early as 6 a.m. and close as early as 6 p.m. Others are open until 9 p.m. Checking your polling location and its hours is easy—just head on over to Vote.org’s polling place locator.

Know your rights It’s important for you to know your rights and what actions you can take if you are denied the opportunity to vote. Voter intimidation is illegal, and you have every right to report any sort of intimidation or harassment you see at the polls. This can affect anyone, but is often used to prevent historically disenfranchised people from being heard.

Voting is a right. Voting is a privilege. Voting is a responsibility. When you vote today, think of the people in your life who weren’t able to vote 60, 80, 100 years ago. Think of how far we’ve come. Think of how far we still have to go. Think of the voiceless who are not able to vote today, but deserve as much help and protection as anyone else. Just think—and vote.

Oh, and join us later tonight for live coverage of the midterms with Yahoo! News. Just hop on Tumblr at 7:30 p.m. ET and you won’t miss a beat.

 Yeah, Rosie. Tell them.   The first time I met Annalise… she was kickboxing. Yeah, she was so focused she wouldn’t even look at me. But I was looking at her. You know, it was that… that face that was perhaps the most alarmingly beautiful face that I had ever seen. And it kept alternating from… from delicate and captivating one second to scrunched-up and intense the next. It was like she was fighting not just that bag, but something bigger. Something inside of her. And I didn’t know it at the time, but my life was never gonna be the same.