In our newsletter and blog (and more often on social media), we’ll highlight ways that you can give directly to people in need in the local BIPOC community. For those with race and economic privilege, this type of direct giving is sometimes referred to as a micro-reparation. Unlike donations to many charities, these contributions are often completed through an individual’s GoFundMe page or mobile payment service. In the spirit of reparations, contributors usually will not receive a mutual benefit, such as a tax deduction. However, these types of donations should have an immediate impact on somebody’s life.

Here are some opportunities happening now or soon:

Since Daunte Wright’s killing, Brooklyn Center residents living near the local police station have experienced an onslaught of tear gas and other “less lethal” weapons around their homes. Local community organizer Paige Ingram has launched a mutual aid fund for these residents. She told the Sahan Journal, “Right now I’m focused on direct giving to folks that are really living in these apartment complexes facing [the police station] and who haven’t been able to get any sleep for the last couple of nights… I don’t want to overcomplicate that. I just want to provide folks with direct funds and offer them up resources.”

At least one family has set up their own GoFundMe page in order to relocate. And you can find more Brooklyn Center-focused opportunities here.

On a weekly basis, the South Minneapolis Mutual Aid Autonomous Zone Coordination group on Facebook posts a thread where individuals in the local BIPOC community may request donations from the general public. Contributions are usually made directly through a recipient’s Venmo, PayPal, Google Pay, or other mobile payment service. When logged into Facebook, readers can scroll through the post’s comments to find dozens of opportunities for direct giving. Please abide by the rules that the group lists under its About section.

If you’d like to help close the wealth gap by buying from a variety of Black-owned businesses in one place, the Black Market in downtown Minneapolis will soon be open. The Black Market will showcase goods and services from across the city’s Black community on the last Saturday of May, June, and July. Food and entertainment will also be featured. Tickets are free though highly encouraged due to COVID-19 restrictions.

And for a non-local giving opportunity, the Homes for Black Women project is currently focused on raising money so that a mother of three may become a homeowner.

FIND ALL OF THIS MONTH’S ACTIONS BELOW