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Hey y’all.

On Sunday, April 11, Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, which  is just miles from where George Floyd was killed by police last summer. Wright’s death comes amid the trial of Derek Chauvin, the officer being charged with Floyd’s death.

“Whether it be carelessness and negligence, or a blatant modern-day lynching, the result is the same. Another Black man has died at the hands of police,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP National President.

Maybe you feel angry, terrified, overwhelmed, exhausted, or fired up to demand justice. All this can be really hard to process, so below are a few things you can do based on how you’re feeling.

Practice self-care. Learn what to do when the news feels overwhelming, access mental health resources for BIPOC, or text DS to 741-741 to access a counselor through Crisis Text Line.

Donate and encourage others to donate. Support the Daunte Wright Sr. Memorial Fund, along with Daunte’s girlfriend and 2-year-old son.

Demand #JusticeForDaunteWright. Sign this petition to demand police accountability and call for an independent investigation of Daunte’s death by contacting Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison at 651-296-3353 (Twin Cities Calling Area) or 800-657-3787 (Outside the Twin Cities). 

Let's Do This,

Ben, Editor-in-chief

Confront Colorism: How the DoSomething Community Is Helping Identify and Dismantle Skin-Tone Discrimination

The Problem

Colorism is the social marginalization and systemic oppression of people with darker skin tones and the privileging of people with lighter skin tones. 

Where racism discriminates against people based on their racial identity, colorism discriminates based on the shade or tone of a person’s complexion. (Because people of different races can have the same skin tone, and people of the same race can have different skin tones.) 

Colorism is a byproduct of racism and white supremacy, and it has roots throughout history -- including the American slave system, where an enslaved person’s skin tone often helped determine their work assignment and influenced their likelihood of being freed. 

However, skin tone discrimination definitely isn’t a thing of the past. The systemic consequences of colorism are still felt to this day. For example:

• The darkest-skinned Black Americans have 121% higher odds of ever having been arrested compared to the lightest-skinned (even when controlled for delinquency and prior illegal behavior).
• Darker-skinned girls are 3.4 times as likely to be suspended than lighter-skinned girls, and darker-skinned boys are 2.5 times as likely to be suspended than lighter-skinned boys.
• Colorism is associated with worse physical health outcomes, including higher instances of cardiovascular disease, pain-related disorders, and overall morbidity for darker-skinned individuals.
• Nearly 80% of Black female characters in film and television have light or medium skin tones.

The Solution

The DoSomething community is educating their friends on the history, prevalence, and harm of colorism through our Confront Colorism campaign. By taking and sharing our quiz, they’re learning how to spot instances of colorism and the steps they can take to dismantle it. 

“Colorism has roots in every aspect of life, and it harms the wellbeing and success of millions of dark-skinned humans,” says DoSomething member Charlotte, 18. “To dismantle this harmful bias on a broad scale, it is important to start at grassroots education.” 

So far, 10,820 DoSomething members have signed up to identify and advocate against colorism in their lives, and they’re starting crucial conversations with friends and family about skin tone discrimination to fight bias and promote healing.

“As a person of color myself, I understand and have experienced the negative effects of colorism,” says DoSomething member Anika, 18. “With all that’s going on in our world right now, we need to learn to love and embrace one another despite the color of our skin. It’s a matter of breaking the cycle of hate, and promoting awareness for the betterment of our community.”

Join the DoSomething community in confronting colorism by taking and sharing our 11-question quiz (and checking out our guide on how to spot and address colorism). 

From California to Texas to Abu Dhabi, DoSomething members Frances, Trinity, Brian, and Dillon are bringing Power to the Period in their communities. Altogether, they collected and donated 6,508 period products to local homeless shelters. Ready to join them? Let’s Do This.

This week in Dogs of DoSomething… DoSomething member Joshua’s dog is very proud of the 1,400 recyclable cans they collected together. 

This week in Black joy… an 11-year-old Jacksonville football player makes history as the first girl to score a touchdown in her league.

Apply to work with experts to create a vision for safer roads and safer drivers… by taking this survey to apply to GM’s Teen Lab. (By completing the survey, you’ll automatically enter to win a gift card!)

More Amazing Impact From the DoSomething Community!

We asked you to brag about the amazing stuff you’re doing, and you did not disappoint. Here are some of our favorite answers from the DoSomething community. (Psst...submit yours here!)

“I entered an environmental video contest, and won best in the middle school division and best overall!”

- DoSomething member Kayla, 12, California

“I recently won the highly selective, distinguished Dr Juan Andrade Scholarship. This funding award recognizes outstanding students who demonstrate a passion for academics and leadership.”

- DoSomething member Javier, 24, New York

“I just started a new job at Mercy Hospital South!!!”

- DoSomething member Steven, 24, Illinois

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