Anguish and Action | The Obama Foundation

At the Obama Foundation, we work to help leaders change their world—and the world needs changing. The killings of young Black men like Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, and too many others at the hands of their fellow citizens—in addition to Black lives like Breonna Taylor’s and George Floyd’s being cut short by police—have left many of us anguished and outraged. While now is a time for grief and anger, it is also a time for resolve. Find resources below to learn what you can do to create a more just and equitable world.

When President Obama was in office, he urged Americans to find ways to confront our country’s original sin of racism and slavery in their own communities, while advancing equality in the face of injustice.

In the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death in 2012, President Obama and his administration created the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance to break down barriers and expand opportunity for boys and young men of color, while around the world, a mass movement in defense and support of Black lives took to the streets to demand change. That movement continues today, as evidenced by the activism and protests in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. But far more progress needs to be made.

If you’re looking for additional ways to create change, below you’ll find resources to learn about racism in the United States, police violence, and antiracism. You’ll also find actions you can take to encourage reform from organizations who have been working on the issues of racism and policing at the local and national level for years.

Take Action

Find ways to get involved and lend support.

Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund Opens in a new tab

Tyre’s mother created this fundraiser to cover the cost of the family’s mental health services and a memorial skate park in his honor.

Trayvon Martin Foundation Opens in a new tab

The Trayvon Martin Foundation was created by Trayvon’s parents, Sabrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, to provide emotional and financial support to families who have lost a child to gun violence.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture—Talking About Race Opens in a new tab

Using the online portal, find ways to help families, individuals, and communities talk about racism and commit to being antiracist. Opens in a new tab

Movement for Black Lives—Week of Action Opens in a new tab

Find a concrete action you can take in support of Black lives every day of the week.

Black Lives Matter—Toolkits Opens in a new tab

Explore toolkits for individuals related to healing action, healing justice, conflict resolution, and more.

Watch

President Obama: “Trayvon wasn’t so different from me.”

In recognition of the 10th anniversary of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin’s killing in 2012, President Obama reflected on what the teen’s death meant to him as a Black parent and as a Black man. He also shares more about the movement sparked by the tragedy, which continues to press forward today.

President Obama: “Trayvon wasn’t so different from me.”

President Obama Speaks at the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Reimagining Policing: Spotlighting Reforms and Progress Town Hall

My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Leadership Forum: A Conversation with President Obama

Take Care

Find the mental health care and trauma support you need.

Brave Space Alliance—Support groups Opens in a new tab

Chicago-based Brave Space Alliance fills a gap in the organizing of and services to trans and gender-nonconforming people.

Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) Opens in a new tab

Find resources for support on coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, social unrest, and more.

Black Men Heal Opens in a new tab

Access to mental health treatment, psycho-education, and community resources to men of color.

Clinicians of Color Opens in a new tab

Find clinicians of various racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as training and treatment styles.

Mental Health First Aid Opens in a new tab

A skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues.

The Association of Black Psychologists Opens in a new tab

The Association seeks to have positive impact upon the mental health of the national Black community by means of planning, programs, services, training, and advocacy.

Get Informed

Learn about police violence and antiracism in america.

Over 1,000 people are killed by police every year in America, and Black people are nearly three times more likely to be killed than White people. If you’re looking for additional ways to change these alarming rates, below you’ll find resources to learn about policing in America.

Reimagine Policing: Progress to Date

Over 300 communities—representing 13+ million Black people and including all of the 10 most populous U.S. cities—took our pledge to Reimagine Policing. This report shares highlights and next steps in building on that momentum. Get informed, get inspired, and take action today.

The Reimagining Policing Pledge Workshop Series

MBK Alliance, in partnership with the Leadership Conference and Cities United, has hosted multiple workshops for cities participating in the Reimagine Policing Pledge, which launched this past summer.  These workshops are developed as a way to support each pledge city’s policy review, community engagement, and ongoing reform process.

From community activists and elected officials to civic organizations and national experts, the workshops create space for people from all sectors to learn about alternative frameworks and options for public safety and how to implement data-driven best practices to drive reform.

Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights—New Era of Public Safety: A Guide to Fair, Safe, and Effective Community Policing Opens in a new tab

The recommended reforms in this report, which are intended to create accountability and build better relationships between law enforcement and communities of color, stem from President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. You can read the Task Force’s 2015 report here. Opens in a new tab

National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice—Future of Public Safety Opens in a new tab

A six-part series of roundtables, panels, and open forums led by experts who share substantive and innovative recommendations for communities to consider as they reimagine public safety.

Get Engaged

Connect with these organizations on the front lines of social justice.