Amber is the Communications and Content Manager for Heartland Alliance, primarily working with the Research and Policy Division. Amber’s work for Heartland Alliance is centered in advocacy and creating policies that support equity and opportunity for ALL people, so she knows the importance of sharing your voice to enact change. That’s why she joined thousands of protesters on Chicago’s North Side and participated in conversations on podcasts about amplifying Black voices over the past month.
Why have you been compelled to act during this tumultuous time?
I felt like it was important to act because our very lives, as Black people, are in danger. The horrific video of George Floyd’s murder was a catalyst for me and for millions of others in this movement. Unfortunately, this is another instance of state-sanctioned violence towards Black people and we have had enough.
In this moment, people seem to more receptive to hearing the truth about our nation’s past and present, the voices of Black people, and the changes that could be possible if we rethink the systems that perpetuate violence and inequity. That is why I felt compelled to use my voice and network to help start the crucial conversations that will be needed if we hope to create a more just world.
What do you hope comes from this activism?
I hope to see us investing in communities and not the carceral system. I hope to see people listening to Black voices and making space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). I hope we address our nation’s racist systems through immediate policy changes. I believe that all of these things, and more, need to happen as soon as possible so that no more lives are lost through state-sanctioned violence. I hope that those who need the most support (due to hundreds of years of violence, trauma and systemic racism) can receive it without question, and we can begin to truly have the reconciliation needed to created true equity for Black Americans.
Do you have any tips or something you would like to say to others thinking about acting?
There is either active anti-racism or complicity, so I urge folks to just start. There is more than one way to stand up to racism so don’t think that you have to be perfect or have all the answers. You can start by making a commitment to be actively anti-racist and then create a plan for how you can truly live out that value in your life. That can be through attending a protest, through donating to Black led organizations, or otherwise standing up. I would encourage everyone, especially those in positions of power and privilege, just to start wherever they can: talk their own families, their friend groups, their employers, etc. Racism rears its ugly head in every system and so we will need every one in every space working against it.
Listen to Amber on the SheFactor Podcast:
