If you (like me) are an American living abroad, I have good news. You can support the Black Lives Matter movement from anywhere. Many cities around the world are staging protests, but since I’m currently living in very rural Germany, these suggestions focus on actions you can take everywhere. While this list is not exhaustive, it’s a start!
1. Donate
From CNET, “Donating money to a charity is an important way to stand with the Black Lives Matter movement, and your monetary contribution can help fund programs, legal battles and salaries that keep the organization afloat. Many companies are agreeing to match employee donations, which doubles the size of your contribution.”
Here is a list of 137 ways to donate, but if you’re unable to give financially you can still help just by watching this video.
2. Sign Online Petitions
This is an impactful action that requires less that five minutes of your time. There are countless BLM petitions online right now, but three places to start are:
3. Educate Yourself
Read, watch documentaries and listen to podcasts.
4. Vote
Americans living abroad can register to vote here.
5. Buy from Black-Owned Businesses
A great way to purchase from Black businesses while abroad is Esty. They’re currently showcasing Black-owned shops on their platform, and many ship worldwide! An additional step you can take here is to stop supporting companies that donate to racist politicians.
While I understand that I’ll never understand, I’m committed to doing better. I hope you find these five ways to support the Black Lives Matter while living abroad useful, and please let me know if you have any additional suggestions!
