Guns are part of everyone’s life in the South. Guns came to the continent of North America as the violent conquering weapon. They became central to white supremacy’s cult, part of how whites terrorized Black communities over the centuries we’ve been coexisting here. Guns are deeply intertwined with the lives of many of the Black folks you’ll find living in Southern states, in Mississippi and Georgia and Texas and Alabama. It’s a fact of life for us that people around us are armed. We hope that those who are armed are on our side, to help defend against threats.

Black Southerners weren’t displaying their guns as a visible symbol of defiance, like the iconic portraits of armed Black Panthers from the 1960s. There’s nothing wrong with that at all—to stand in the face of white America and boldly announce you won’t be backing down. But the ways guns were culturally held in the Black South were different, the covert protection kept for when white supremacists reared their heads at you, that you pull out when needed. That is the distinguishing feature of Black Southern gun culture as opposed to mainstream white gun culture: Black Southern gun culture is a response to violent white supremacy and a defense against it, not a colonial offensive against marginalized groups to subjugate them.

Chile’s Indigenous Mapuche people have long fought the government over land claims. They’ve faced discrimination and assimilation into Chilean society. But some Mapuche communities are now turning the page. And they’re using an ancestral sport to help protect and revive their culture, customs and language.

Javier Soto Antihual, 35, is the coach and leader of these weekend games in the Santiago neighborhood of Pedro Aguirre Cerda.

He said that there’s a large Mapuche community here. And with the help of the Mapuche organization We Newen, or New Force, they’ve been holding these community games here for several years.

Introducing Mosiac! (It’s supposed to be Mosaic, but oh well. 💀) I created this platform because I've noticed how unwelcoming the internet can be for Black folks, whether on mainstream social media or the fediverse. I'm tired of it, and I want Mosiac to be a space where it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like — whether you’re a Black person in the U.S. or in Ghana. The diaspora is rich and diverse, and while we share common struggles, I want us to move beyond our pain and connect authentically. That’s the essence of Mosiac!

I've been working on this instance for a week (2 weeks apparently. I’m big brain.), and it launched yesterday. While it’s currently closed to the public, I’m exploring the possibility of federating with other Black instances out there. I’m really excited about this!

If you’d like an invite, feel free to DM me or email my business account at kimadmin@mosiac.cc. [You can email if you have questions too. (:]

(Please note that this is a safe space for Black folks only! I know of one other POC instance, rage.love, so I hope you can find what you need there. ❤️ [I hope this doesn’t come off as rude. 😭])

Screenshots:

Mostly looking for instances for Black Fedi users, I’ve been looking on my own and can’t find much. Much appreciated!

EDIT: Found some! Please DM me if interested. They’re approval only of course!

I'm on the verge of stepping away from Reddit (I might stick around to moderate some communities but won't be actively engaging with the content). I’d like to bring over the things I enjoyed from Reddit, specifically some communities I liked. I'm curious about how well they would do here or on an instance like lemmy.world. Most of the communities I participated in on Reddit were black focused, which often brought in trolls or upset users. 💀

See here: https://www.reddit.com/r/philly/s/hwbR6zc0RX

https://beehaw.org/post/17237009

“Great oogly moogly, I’m a racist.”

• Moi.

That’s not funny, but the delivery is.

.

I'm taken aback by the views expressed in this post, especially in a community focused on Philadelphia. I want to clarify that I'm not harboring ill-will towards every white person. However, my experiences with racism have left me with trauma, and I'm not yet ready to confront those feelings or be in inclusive spaces. For now, I prefer to surround myself with people who understand my struggles, and for the most part, that’s my own.

The recent election results have only reinforced my concerns. I'm so disappointed and feel that it's essential to acknowledge the ongoing issues faced by Black America. To the white folks reading this, I urge you to be allies, not obstacles. If your black friends are open to your support, offer it. Donate to organizations working towards a better future for Black America, and educate yourself on the challenges we face.

Here, I’ll say it — I don’t believe America is progressive one bit, Even outside of what we face, the LGBT+ are still fighting for their rights as well. It’s insane, but this is where we are right now, and for most of us, myself included, I really don’t see things getting better but I will try to be optimistic.

So I’ve practically argued up and down the thread, but after several panic attacks I’m one foot out of the door with Reddit but hesitant to leave as there are communities I enjoy there that I don’t think moved to Lemmy. The question was asked on my city’s subreddit and I had people try to frame me into being a racist, mock my trauma with white people, and try to minimize the effects of racism that follow us all in the current day. I’m tired, man.

I know not all white folks are bad but some are making me wish to not interact with them at all. I’m sorry.

In this video Shana Leigh takes a look at how Native Americans sometimes have moved around a lot and weren't either born or raised entirely in the Americas.

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/17133217

An absolutely fantastic look at how goth is overwhelmingly white and all the problems that causes in it by Shonalika.

Ahead of Trump’s second term, the historic Black press can serve as a guiding light for practicing journalism in pursuit of a healthy democracy — or, at least, survival and community.

Trying to discuss race with white people is like talking to a brick wall. I just tried to talk about racism and got fucking ganged up on by white people swearing that you can only be racist if you intend to be so they aren't racist as long as they mean well. It's so fucking entitled when white people start lecturing poc about what's really racist. God.

As the United States sits on the precipice of yet another election that could ‘determine the fate of democracy’ (cue dramatic music), many Black Americans, myself included, have started to veer away from the question of, “Who are we voting for?’ and toward, “Where are we moving?”

In the years following the heavily documented rise in police brutality, killings, and assaults against Black people, coupled with the polarizing political environment, more and more Black Americans have grown tired of the status quo and are considering options elsewhere as we await the outcome of the upcoming election and what it could mean for our future in the States.

But this isn’t a new story. For decades, Black people have sought an escape from ever-present racism, discrimination, and oppression in the United States. Notable figures throughout history – artists, musicians, and free thinkers like James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, and W.E.B DuBois all pursued a life abroad at some point.

For many, the choice to leave or stay likely comes down to economics – will they be able to find work and provide for themselves and their families if they uproot for an entirely different country? It also comes down to a willingness to take a leap of faith.

Event occurred in January of 2022

Stacking rocks. That’s how Diné and Mexican rainwater harvester Carmen Gonzales plans to rewater the high desert of Dziłíjiin, or Black Mesa, the roughly 256,000 acres of juniper-and-pinyon-dotted hills of northwest Arizona that span Diné and Hopi lands.

Through her organization, Indigenous Water Wisdom, Gonzales implements low-tech erosion control structures that draw on ancestral techniques and permaculture designs. These structures often look like stacks of rocks laid across desert washes in swirls, bowls, and waves, all designed to slow the flash floods that wash out main roads and carve arroyos into canyons.

Gonzales returned to her Diné homeland to lead an erosion-control workshop in July, kicking off a water restoration project that will last decades. Bringing water to a desert may seem impossible, but historically, seeps and springs bubbled up to water sheep herds, households, and farms. She intends to recharge the shallow springs across the land.

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