After reflecting on the #protests in #kcmo and #topeka, here’s a couple of tips for my fellow whites on the do’s and don’ts of protesting police brutality and supporting the #BlackLivesMatter movement

1. Always listen to the Black organizers. You do not know the struggle or the strategy to win better than them.

2. Have supportive signs of allyship, not co-opting the Black struggle. Good: Black lives matter! Bad: I can’t breathe.

3. Don’t take the mic. Not at the rally. Not on the stage. Not to the media. Do make sure you leave space for Black folks to be front and center. Their voice is what’s important!

4. Don’t take action that escalates the situation without the leadership of Black folks. They decide the level of risk. Do put your body between Black folks and police, using your white privilege as a shield.

5. Don’t be afraid to call your white folks in. Do accept feedback! We all make mistakes. If you’re done with someone, you don’t have hard conversations to help them be better. It is an act of love to help each other grow!