Using your Bullet Journal and Planner for good

Check out our #FocusFriday artists!

Unless you live under a rock, you will have seen that globally people are taking a strong stand against racism and focusing more on raising the voices of those who need it right now until things fundamentally change.

Over the last few weeks, this has been a really steep learning curve and I know and am aware how ignorant I have personally been towards to all of this. I realised the shift and have made a commitment to being better at being anti-racist and learning more, and un-learning far more than that. I wanted to use my platform to proactively start showing informative articles and books to read and ways you can also improve your awareness of the #blacklivesmatter movement.

I know I am not perfect and using my platform to support and amplify is one small step to make some impact. I know that I will never understand fully, but I will try to be a better anti-racist.
Why is this important to me? I was born in South Africa. I was born when apartheid was actually still a thing. I remember clearly when it was time to vote, my mom and I stood for hours in the line ready to vote, she had made it clear to our whole family that she was voting for Madiba (Nelson Mandela), there was very little education at that age as to why it was important to vote for him, only that change was needed.

Change thankfully happened, apartheid was eradicated, but racism was not. The “Truth and Reconciliation council” worked hard to repair the relationships that had been broken from decades of oppression and racism. I was on the the #alllivesmatter bus, for a long time, thinking I was being proactive and inclusive – but no – I know now that I was silencing the voices that need to be heard by doing that. It’s why I want to be able to use my platform for a long term positive change.

Information and resources on #blacklivesmatter

Places to support

Black Lives Matter – #BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.

Black Visions Collective – A black, trans and Quweer led organization, committed to dismantling systems of oppression and violence

Campaign Zero – Online platform that uses researched-based policy solutions to end police brutality in America.

Closer to Home! Here in New Zealand we are no stranger to racism here are some organisations trying to combit this on the home front

Thats Us – That’s Us is New Zealand’s first anti-racism campaign that asks Kiwis to start sharing our own personal stories about racism, intolerance and hatred as well as our hopes for the future.

Give Nothing – Give Nothing to Racism – an organisation actively highlighting racism in New Zealand

Books To Read

Online Learning and Education

Signs you are passively racist.

I know that through this, I have taken a huge step back from my thinking. There have been times I have been racist and passively racist, I didn’t realise how insidious it was. Racism is a spectrum, and I have been on both ends of the spectrum.

If you are discussing how you understand the importance and sadness of the death of George Floyd, but think the looting and violent protesting needs to stop – then you have failed to understand the fundamental significance of what is happening right now. Do not focus on the material things, those can be replaced – lives however cannot.

If you think using Martin Lurter King quotes are how he changed the world, and how his “peaceful” protests are what changed things, then you again are missing a fundamental part of history. He was assassinated, and his work regarding the Civil rights movement was met with violence.

If you thought when Colin Kaepernick was being disrespectful when taking a knee during the national anthem as a peaceful protest against police brutality, then are you thinking it worked? Clearly a peaceful protest does not bring across the point and you won’t see the point until it directly affects you.

Some metaphors for you to understand why #alllivesmatter takes away from this movement

Are you religious? This is why #alllivesmatter misses the point; Luke 15; parable of the lost sheep – 100 sheep, 1 goes missing, and the shepherd looks for that sheep, because it is in danger not because the other 99 sheep don’t matter. When he finds it and brings it home he rejoices.

Not religious? When the Boston marathon was bombed, everyone’s profile picture changed to #BostonStrong, nobody said other cities were not important or that #AllCitiesAreStrong.

Everyone wearing pink to a breast cancer awareness movement is supporting that cause on that day, it doesn’t take away from the tragedy from other cancers, but for that day we are focusing on that cause.

Right now and until systemic racism is forever eradicated, this is the group that needs our support, help and resources.

What can I (My Inner Creative) do?

I have made the decision to use this platform to amplify the voices of PoC from around the world. Every friday we focus on an amazing artist or planner or bullet journalist, to share their stories and experiences. You can find the stories here.

Any advertising revenue earned from those pages and videos for that month will be donated to the organization of choice of the featured artist.

Amazing featured planner and Bullet Journal pages

Journal Prompts to focus on learning more about anti-racism

Track the books you are reading to learn more
Write a page of the names lost to police brutality or inhumane treatment
Keep a list of amazing PoC artists and stores you can support – specifically if you are looking for stationery stores – check out these listings on shoppeblack.us
Track key courses or youtube videos you might have watched on racism and changing society.
Use art to show your support and how you are feeling
Track your habits about racism and how often you start noticing racism in your day to day life.
Journal about how this movement is changing your mindset and how you would like the future to be!
If you have more suggestions – Share them in the comments below!

Here are some amazing suggestions on how to use your planner and journal to learn more, show your stance and work towards being anti-racism.