Protests demanding justice for the death of George Floyd have occurred nationwide for more than a week. Last week, Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes in Minneapolis, spurring protests in the city. Since then, protests have spread to cities throughout the U.S., including Denver, Atlanta, New York, Louisville, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and more.
On Friday, May 29, Derek Chauvin, the officer who held his knee on Floyd’s neck, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Yesterday, after a week of civil unrest throughout the country, the three other officers involved in Floyd’s death (as seen in a now viral video of the incident) were charged with aiding and abetting murder. Additionally, Chauvin now faces a third charge of second-degree murder.
Protesters are also seeking further justice, and have taken to the streets to express their outrage and exhaustion stemming from systemic racism and police brutality. At many gatherings, there’s been a heavy police presence, and nearly 10,000 protesters have been arrested throughout the country as cities have enacted curfews to minimize protests and looting. Several journalists have also been arrested or violently targeted by police while covering protests.
If you’re planning to attend a protest, there are many ways to prepare in order to prioritize your safety, and the safety of those around you. But there are also ways to support protesters from your own home. One way is connecting with bail funds working across the country to raise money for those who can't afford it in this time of mass protest, part of their larger work to advocate fiercely for a fairer future. The United States’s cash bail protocol is a broken system that leads to mass incarceration, which disproportionately affects people of color.
Below, check out some important resources for protesters in need, along with additional tools for getting involved and making your voice heard.
Minneapolis
After being shared widely on social media, the Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending mass incarceration while investing in restorative justice, has received an outpouring of support. In fact, the MFF has received so many donations, the organization announced on June 2 that it has paused receiving anymore support for the moment. Earlier this week, the MFF told Forbes it had received $20 million in four days, thanks to donations from at least 150,000 donors. (Prior to this, the organization says it had only raised $75,000 to $80,000 this year.)
Here are a few of MFF's recommendations of organizations to learn more about:
Black Visions Collective, an organization dedicated to Black liberation and expanding the power of Black people throughout the Twin Cities metro area.
Reclaim the Block, which seeks to transfer funds from the police department to other community-focused areas of Minneapolis’s budget.
Women for Political Change Mutual Aid Fund, a mutual aid project from a Minneapolis-based organization; the fund provides support to women, trans, and nonbinary folks under 30 who live in Minnesota, with priority for people who are Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), queer, sick or disabled, undocumented, unemployed, and/or a parent or caretaker.
Minnesota Youth Collective, an organization that supports and finances young people from underrepresented communities, including with voter registration efforts and advocacy training.
West Broadway Area Coalition in partnership with Northside Funders Group is raising money to support businesses on Minneapolis's Northside that have been affected by recent protests and COVID-19 .
Neighbors United Funding Collaborative is focused on raising money for businesses in Midway and Union Park.
Los Angeles
The Peoples City Council Freedom Fund is currently raising money to support those who have taken to the streets to "protest the funding of state-sanctioned murder." The organization's GoFundMe page notes that, in addition to bail relief, donations will go toward supplies, transportation, and other ways to amplify their noise.
New York City
The Brooklyn Bail Fund and Free Them All for Public Health have met their donation needs for the moment, but the Liberty Fund is a group started by the city council that directs their services toward people from low-income communities who might face additional hardship, like unemployment and health challenges.
It's also worth connecting with mutual aid networks that started in response to COVID-19. Groups like Bed Stuy Strong help neighbors buy groceries, and Mutual Aid NYC has built a network of mutual aid projects that need support in all five boroughs.
Atlanta
Atlanta Solidarity Fund is an organization providing support for people arrested at protests.
Louisville
Louisville Community Bail Fund exists not only to provide bail for folks in need, but also to provide post-release support. Louisville’s protests have been about Floyd, as well as Breonna Taylor.
Denver
Colorado Freedom Fund has been working since 2018 to pay cash bail for those who cannot afford to do so.
Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Community Bail Fund’s mission is to end cash bail in their city.
Oakland
People's Breakfast Oakland, a Black Grassroots Organization, is raising money to bail out protesters in their city. All leftover proceeds will be redistributed, or will go to the organization itself.
Miami
(F)EMPOWER is raising money for a community bail fund to support protesters on the ground in case of arrest.
Massachusetts/Boston
The Massachusetts Bail Fund is a group committed to paying up to $2,000 bail on behalf of low-income individuals so that they can remain free while awaiting a trial.
National organizations
The Community Justice Exchange operates the National Bail Fund Network, which has a directory of bail funds in cities and states across the country. You can locate your local bail fund supporting protesters through them, or find out more about their COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.
The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) operates a Mass Defense Program that provides legal support to protesters, activists, and movements. If you’ve ever seen folks in lime green hats at protests, it may have been the NLG acting as legal observers. The organization has also teamed up with the National Bail Fund Network to put together a guide to starting your own legal defense fund.
The Bail Project is an organization dedicated to combating mass incarceration and reshaping the pretrial system in the United States.
The LGBTQ Freedom Fund is working "to build a critical mass against the mass detention of LGBTQ individuals," and has successfully freed people from around the country.
The Black Trans Femmes in the Arts (BTFA) Collective is accepting donations for Black trans protesters in partnership with the Black Trans Travel Fund, For the Gworls, and the Okra Project, with any surplus funds being redistributed to Black, trans-led organizations.
Editor's Note: This story was originally published on May 31. The current revised and expanded edition was published on June 4.
For further reading
If you’re interested in learning more about the George Floyd protests and other ways to get involved, check out some of Teen Vogue’s previous coverage below.
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Related: Bail Is a Broken System in Need of Reform
