BLACK LIVES MATTER
Resources for Addressing Racial Violence and Injustice Against Black People
While there is always more to learn, we hope these resources can act as a good starting point for you to learn about social justice issues, research organizations that could benefit from your support, and find out how to take action in your own community!
Have a resource to contribute or a cause you’d like to see highlighted? Contact us to let us know!
READ
Curriculum Guide from our program An African American Requiem
How You Can Help After Buffalo Mass Shooting
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism
Why is This Happening? — An Introduction to Police Brutality
21 Free Resources for Teaching Social Justice in the Classroom
5 Things White People Can Do Right Now to Combat White Supremacist Violence
How to Protest Safely: What to Bring, What to Do, and What to Avoid
26 Ways to Be In the Struggle Beyond the Streets
List of Anti-Racism Resources en Español
WATCH
An African American Requiem - Curriculum Video Series
My Requiem Story - Video Series
Arresting Power - Documentary Film
LISTEN
Podcasts
Pod Save the People - from Crooked Media
Seeing White - from Scene On Radio
Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race - from the Guardian’s Audio Long Reads
The United States of Anxiety - from WNYC Studios
Playlists
All Classical Portland: 19 Black Composers You Should Know
From Damien: Composer Curated Playlist - Black History
Music by Black Composers: Official Website
Julliard: An Introductory Resource to Music by Black Composers
SUPPORT
Sign the Resonance Ensemble Open Letter | Our open letter calling for swift, direct action from our local and state government to prevent further violence against Black community members.
BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES IN PORTLAND | A list of black-owned businesses ranging from catering and tech to community organizations and health/wellness groups. Curated by Mercatus PDX.
BUFFALO 5/14 SURVIVORS FUND | 100% of the contributions go directly to victims and survivors.
BUFFALO TOGETHER COMMUNITY RESPONSE FUND | This collaborative effort addresses immediate needs in the community, as well as long-term community rebuilding and systemic issues that have marginalized communities of color.
BLACK UNITED FUND OF OREGON | The mission of the Black United Fund of Oregon is to assist in the social and economic development of Oregon's underserved communities and to contribute to a broader understanding of ethnic and culturally diverse groups.
KINGDOM SOUND GOSPEL CHOIR | Resonance Board Member Derrick McDuffy leads a group of skilled singers, soloists, and minstrels that bring a refreshing sound to the Portland, Oregon area and around the world. The mission of Kingdom Sound is to release a sound that reflects the sound of heaven, that leaves their audience with hands raised; worshipping, and dancing. This anointed group has shared stages with Josh Groban, JJ Hairston, Judith McAllister, Steven Lawrence, and many other gospel artists. Their music is sure to bless your life.
VANPORT MOSAIC | The Vanport Mosaic is a memory-activism platform. We amplify, honor, present, and preserve the silenced histories that surround us in order to understand our present—and create a future where we all belong.
SELF-ENHANCEMENT INC. (SEI) | SEI is a comprehensive, one-stop resource for youth and families, primarily African Americans and others living in poverty or seeking culturally responsive services. It is also one of the city’s leading multi-service organizations, providing thousands of youth, families, and adults with a wide array of educational and social services on an annual basis. SEI’s strength is in its ability to meet the complex needs of the children and families it serves, including helping people to overcome cultural, educational and economic barriers.
ALBINA MUSIC TRUST | Albina Music Trust is preserving North Portland’s music culture with programming that documents the community’s oral history, archival media, and special events. In collaboration with Albina musicians, founders Bobby Smith and Calvin Walker have brought to light a definitive catalog of historic music and the memories of its creators. AMT is an initiative of The World Arts Foundation, serving Portlanders at the intersection of arts and education since 1976.
EQUITABLE GIVING CIRCLE | We Are A Community Of People Committed To Creating Peer-Led, Community-Funded, Transformational Change. Our Work Aims To Build Immediate And Increased Equity Throughout Portland’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color) Communities Through A Combination Of Fund Development And Network Building Opportunities That Center Economic Equity.
SOUL RESTORATION CENTER | This is a Black-focused gathering space in NE Portland, OR, where Black folks of all ages are seen, celebrated and honored. We offer cultural activities and programming that inspires community building, healing, and Black JOY!
I AM M.O.R.E. | After a successful 25-year newspaper career, S. Renee Mitchell worked as a high school teacher at a diverse, but low-income, school in Portland, OR. She saw trauma in the faces, bodies, and behaviors of students every day. She recognized it and wanted their experiences to be different than her own. In November 2019, she left her position as a public school educator to focus her full attention on I Am M.O.R.E. She recently received her doctorate degree at the University of Oregon, specializing in research on the power of belonging and healing from racial trauma. I am M.O.R.E. provides opportunities for adults and young people to engage in resiliency-building experiences, and then to inspire them to commit - every day - to embracing resiliency and to helping others find their path to resiliency, as well. This is all of our work. It is essential to building community and to raising HOPE!
NW COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHORUS | The multi- cultural chorus consists of approximately 92 members from 33 houses of faith and organizations in the Portland area and beyond. There are approximately twenty singers who have been chorus members from the project’s inception.
IMAGINE BLACK | Imagine Black helps our Black community imagine the alternatives we deserve and build our political participation and leadership to achieve those alternatives. Imagine Black envisions a world where people of African descent enjoy the rights, resources, and recognition to be a thriving, resilient, and connected community.
SHOW UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE IN DC | SURJ DC is a chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ provides a space to build relationships, skills, and political analysis to act for change.
FORWARD JUSTICE | Forward justice is a nonpartisan law, policy, and strategy center dedicated to advancing racial, social, and economic justice in the U.S. South.
THE HUMAN JUSTICE PROJECT | The Humane Justice Project, an entirely volunteer-run endeavor, exists to promote humane justice throughout the United States. We are a collective of academics, activists, policymakers, and more who are passionate about ending mass incarceration and promoting restorative justice.
RACIAL EQUITY IN DC | The mission of the D.C. Policy Center is to arm decision makers with fact-based, unbiased, and reliable research and analyses to help create a vibrant local economy that can maximize opportunities for residents, workers, and businesses in the District of Columbia.
PORTLAND COPWATCH | Grassroots organization promoting police accountability through non-violent citizen action, documentation, and archival. Since its formation, PCW has consulted dozens of groups and individuals locally and nationwide on the issue of civilian review of the police, assembled a broad range of reports, articles, interviews, and other resources; and written a "Proposal for an Effective Civilian Review Board."
THE MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES | The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) formed in December of 2014, was created as a space for Black organizations across the country to debate and discuss the current political conditions, develop shared assessments of what political interventions were necessary in order to achieve key policy, cultural and political wins, convene organizational leadership in order to debate and co-create a shared movement wide strategy. Under the fundamental idea that we can achieve more together than we can separately.
PROGRAM
CW: Some of the works below include depictions of physical violence, racism, death, and other sensitive topics.
Below are a few Vocal/Choral works addressing racial violence and/or injustice against Black people. For music about a wide range of topics by Black composers, visit the Music By Black Composers website, who has done an excellent job of compiling fantastic resources and links to works by Black writers.
Soon Ah Will Be Done, Jasmine Barnes
An African American Requiem, Damien Geter
(commissioned by Resonance Ensemble)
A Knee on the Neck, Adolphus Hailstork
Five Freedom Songs, Jessie Montgomery
Two Black Churches, Shawn E. Okpebholo
Eight Tones for Elijah, Dave Ragland
Seven Last Words of the Unarmed, Joel Thompson
Have another relevant work to suggest? Get in touch with us to let us know!