Most people, at least the decent among us, are currently looking for ways to better show up and contribute to advancing racial justice issues, whether that’s by having hard conversations, educating ourselves on anti-racism, going out to protest, or putting our money where our mouth is. We’re here to help with that last option.
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If you’re looking to donate, please consider giving to one of the many amazing organizations working against police brutality and toward racial justice right here in the Bay Area. Many local organizers are working around the clock right now to help in the current fight, providing bail money, legal support, or food donations to protesters, in addition to working on longer-term strategies. A lot of these groups are under-resourced for the amount of work they undertake.
If we’re missing an organization that you think we should add to this list, please leave it in the comments or email us at info@thebolditalic.com. Organizations that are offering bail money have been verified by the National Bail Fund Network. (Note: Do NOT sign your name to these contributions to avoid being targeted.)
Once you give, make sure to post to social media, tag the organization, and encourage others to match or join you. You can also forward this list to people you know who have the means to donate. Showing up means more than posting support to social media. Giving your money is a very direct way to take action.
1. People’s Breakfast Oakland
This Black-led grassroots organization is an invaluable resource for the Oakland community — serving homeless residents meals three times a week, including during the pandemic, and supplying hygiene packs and Narcan, which can treat a drug overdose. People’s Breakfast Oakland is currently raising money to bail out Black protesters, as well as providing legal support. Any leftover proceeds will be redistributed or go to the organization itself. If you are a Black protestor who needs help, you can call 408-502-6605 or email peoplesbreakfastoakland@gmail.com.
To donate: Paypal | Venmo | CashApp |Amazon Wish List | Target Wish List
2. The East Oakland Collective
This member-based community organizing group is small but mighty, working tirelessly toward racial and economic equity in deep East Oakland. The East Oakland Collective is currently raising money to bail out protesters and is bringing meals to those on the front lines of the protesting and organizing, including Black- and POC-owned businesses in downtown Oakland.
Donate here.
3. Black Earth Farms
A grassroots Pan-African and Pan-Indigenous farming collective, Black Earth Farms works to educate and train community members to build autonomous, chemical-free food systems throughout the Bay Area. It focuses on ensuring that low-income and houseless communities in the East Bay have access to culturally relevant healthy food. Currently, Black Earth Farms is working to deliver free food to Black people who have been arrested, bailed, and/or injured from protests.
To donate: Venmo @blackearthfarms or contribute via Cashapp.
4. National Lawyers Guild, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
The National Lawyers Guild provides legal support to help people’s struggles for economic and social justice. The Bay Area chapter is providing help for those protesting and organizing against injustice, including offering a legal hotline. If you witness an arrest, try to get the arrestee’s full name and date of birth and call it in to 1-909-4654. The chapter also sends legal observers out to demonstrations to document police violence to help people navigate through the criminal legal system.
To donate: Contribute on the NLGSF website.
5. Anti-Police Terror Project
The Anti-Police Terror Project (APTP) is a “Black-led, multi-racial, intergenerational coalition” that fights police terror in communities of color. It is a central group in the Bay Area working on the front lines and has been for years. Currently, APTF is working around the clock to support and bail out activists. Any leftover funds raised for bail money will go toward the group’s overall mission, including trainings, printing materials, paying for subscriptions such as web hosting, facility rental for meetings and workshops, and more.
Donate here.
6. Bay Area Anti-Repression Committee Bail Fund
Originally formed to support Occupy Oakland, the Bay Area Anti-Repression Committee works to fight political repression and is in solidarity with “all those who challenge the state, capitalism, and other forms of systemic oppression and domination.” The group is also running a bail fund.
Donate here.
7. Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America
This group is seeking donations for bail money to help protesters in San Jose and the larger South Bay. When you donate, select the dropdown that indicates you want to contribute directly to the bail fund. Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America seeks to prioritize people who are “undocumented, without pay, disabled, at risk of eviction, homeless or living in a vehicle, sick, elderly, queer, Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color.”
Donate here.
8. Occur
This organization seeks to create capacity-building opportunities to support the economic development and civic inclusion of marginalized communities. Occur is inundated helping both with organizing protests and supporting community members during Covid-19.
Donate to the organization here or specifically to the Black Business Relief Fund here.
9. Black Organizing Project
This Black member-led community organization is working “for racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing and community-building.” One of the Black Organizing Project’s biggest initiatives is the Bettering Our School System campaign to end the criminalization of Black and Brown students in the Oakland school district.
Donate here.
10. Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
Formed in 1968, this is one of the oldest civil rights institutions on the West Coast working to “dismantle systems of oppression and racism.” It was originally formed to build a bridge between the legal community and the Civil Rights Movement, and they are still known for that work by supporting a network of over 1,000 active pro bono attorneys. Right now, they are working to track a data on police stops and expose the inherent racism in criminalization of non-criminal behavior, as well as provide pro bono legal services to protestors.
Donate here.
Other ways to give
Support Black-owned restaurants. (List compiled by San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Soleil Ho.)
