SUPPORTING & SAVING OUR BLACK LIVES: HERE ARE SOME WAYS WE CAN SUPPORT THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND ITS CURRENT STRIDES FROM WHERE WE ARE

LIST CURATED BY SHARRA GREENE

For obvious reasons, I have not been in the mood lately to talk about the latest fashion brand I’m into or how to get dressed. As if the pandemic wasn’t stressful enough, lately my emotions have been everywhere from feeling disgusted and disappointed, to enraged, to fed up and exhausted, to feeling completely powerless over the senseless and heinous murders of my people and witnessing their killers going free . But I know that I’m not the only one and as hopeless as I’ve been feeling, I’ve also been doing my best to stay in tune with the ways we can help support and save black lives and our legacy as a whole right now.

As much as racism has BEEN an issue for centuries and it’s important for us to fight at ALL times, I do also believe there is power in momentum and taking advantage of the present moment. So I wanted to put together a list of a few of the many ways we can participate in our own progress together for you guys to have them all in one place to refer to… Support in the ways that you can and don’t let anyone tell you which of these is “right” or “wrong”. At this point there truly is no “right” or “wrong”, there’s just devastated people doing whatever we can to try to make an impact. For me, the only real “wrong” is failure to support at all. 

(P.S. I’ll be sharing more resources as I learn of them)

DONATE TO THE FAMILY OF GEORGE FLOYD HERE

Art by Nikkolas Smith.

This fundraiser is organized by the brother of Mr. George Floyd. The fund is created to cover funeral and burial expenses, mental and grief counseling, lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and to assist George Floyd’s family in the process of seeking justice. Additionally, a portion of the funds will go to the Estate of George Floyd for the benefit and care of his children and their educational fund. If you would like to directly impact the life of his loved ones, you can donate by clicking here.

SUPPORT PROTESTORS WHO ARE BEING WRONGFULLY ARRESTED HERE…

Organizations like the Minnesota Freedom Fund and more I’ve listed below are set up to raise funds for those on the frontlines voluntarily fighting for the rights of black people and being wrongfully thrown in jail because of it. The MFF was the first one I donated to since that was where one of the first most recent uprisings took place BUT you can choose from a variety of cities and states where the protests are taking place and help provide bail money and other resources.

Art by Quotes by Christie.

• Click here to donate to the Minnesota Freedom Fund

• Click here to donate to Black Visions Collective , a BIPOC led org based in Minnesota working to provide resources for victims of police brutality in MN communities. 

• Click here to donate to Reclaim the Block, a coalition to demand that Minneapolis divest from policing and invest in long- term alternatives. 

• Click here to donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund

• Click here to donate to North Star Health Collective, a team of community health trainers, radical health organizers, and street medics who will utilize the funds raised for medical supplies to treat people on the frontlines of our protest

SHOW A UNITED FRONT VIA PETITION HERE…

Art of Breonna Taylor by (@Denny_ow)

I know for a lot of people, petitions seem ineffective and like a thing of the past but the most important thing is to present a united front and provide as many tangible examples as possible of the potential backlash and consequences those in power will face by not arresting and charging the killers of the past several murders committed by police. The more signatures, the bigger the potential influence on the decisions that will be made. It takes a few seconds and its certainly worth a try.

Sign here to demand justice for George Floyd 

• Sign a petition here to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, the young lady who was an award winning EMT, serving her community and wrongfully shot and killed in her own home by 3 policemen who invaded the WRONG house for an alleged drug raid. (None of her killers have been arrested or charged) 

• If you guys know of any other petitions, please send them to styleadvicebysharra@gmail.com so I can include them in future content!

  CONCEAL YOUR IDENTITY WHEN PARTICIPATING IN PROTESTS

Y’all know wassup. They not playing fair, y’all. 

SHARE PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT

There have been several practicing lawyers who have announced via social media that they will be taking on protesters who have been arrested and charged as clients, pro bono. Let’s bookmark and share these posts every chance we get, along with the lawyers’ contact info because you never know who on your timeline will end up needing legal assistance. 

HELP REBUILD BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES THAT WERE COMPROMISED IN THE PROTESTS

In this midst of our uprising, I think it’s so important to research and be mindful of our allies, black owned businesses, particularly those who have made it clear that they stand with us. The fight goes beyond the short term. We can’t shift our buying power to circulating wealth in the black community if there are no black owned businesses left still standing. There are several black owned businesses that have unfortunately been destroyed in the midst of the uprising. Look into the ones in your neighborhood and support them in rebuilding the brands (that serve us) that they’ve worked so hard to build. 

Guns and Roses Boutique, a Dallas based black woman owned business owned by Princess Pope, is just one of the many businesses that I’ve learned have been destroyed. You can shop with her here and help fund her rebuild here. If you guys know of any more specific black owned brands that have been affected, please feel free to respond to this email with their names so I can shout them out in future newsletters! 

Thank you to my amazing subscribers for keeping up with the blog! I promise that I will continue to share new resources and ways we can progress the Black Lives Matter movement as I learn of them. If you guys know of any that I haven’t listed, PLEASE don’t hesitate to send them to styleadvicebysharra@gmail.com! Sending my love to you all and I’m honestly so proud to be apart of a generation that has so fearlessly taken initiative the way we have! Continue. Stay focused. Love and hold on to each other! 

Love,

Sharra

"AUTHENTICALLY HERSELF": MY INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER, BRAND OWNER, & AMAZON PRIME'S "MAKING THE CUT" COMPETITOR MEGAN SMITH

WRITTEN BY SHARRA GREENE & FEATURING MEGAN SMITH

Megan Smith.

If you’ve been watching the hit Amazon Prime fashion series “Making the Cut”, you should be hip to women’s ready-to-wear designer Megan Smith of the growing brand, Megan Renee. Upon binging the series, I was instantly drawn to her, both as a resilient woman who comes from humble beginnings and as an immaculate designer who’s mastered balance when it comes to sultriness and sophistication. Rooting for her from the couch, I watched her kill challenge after challenge, showcasing innovative silhouettes and impressing the likes of Tim Gunn and the legendary Naomi Campbell. I was so inspired that I HAD to connect with her and learn more.

Looks from Megan’s SS’18 & SS ‘19 collection.

In my latest episode of Style With Sharra: The Podcast Series, Megan and I chop it up about the ways she navigates the ever changing fashion industry. I interview her on various topics ranging from where she started her career in design, her experience as a contestant on “Making the Cut”, the support she’s received from Naomi Campbell, and ways we can elevate each other as black women in fashion.

Megan consulting Tim Gunn on “Making the Cut”.

Hit the button below to listen to our full interview on Style With Sharra, available here, on iTunes, and in your Apple Podcasts app.

Check out Megan’s amazing collections and shop her line at shopmeganrenee.com

Follow her brand here and keep up with her journey on Instagram here!

Make sure y’all let me know your favorite part of the interview in the comments!

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”

P.S. New style advice is coming up next on The Walking Art Blog very soon. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss a post!

#STYLEADVICEBYSHARRA STYLE TIP # 48: TWO WAYS TO MAKE YOUR FALL / WINTER WARDROBE WORK FOR SPRING

STYLED BY SHARRA GREENE

If you’re like me and haven’t had a chance to really shop the way you want to for Spring looks because you’ve been stuck in the house the past few weeks with everything that’s been going on, here’s a couple ways to make some of your Winter staples work for the approaching warmer weather until we find the time to update our closets…

SWAP OUT YOUR BOOTS FOR CROPPED DENIM & OPEN TOE BOOTS

Shop a similar look: Jacket, Jeans, fringe sandals, beret, bag.

Grabbing one of your lighter weight jackets and styling them with light wash denim and open toe shoes creates more of a balance and makes your outfit more versatile.

PAIR YOUR DARK SWEATSHIRTS WITH THE BRIGHTEST SHOES & ACCESSORIES YOU HAVE IN YOUR CLOSET

Shop a similar look: Sweatshirt, jeans, booties, bag, shades, ring, baseball cap.

This will create a cool contrast within your fit while still keeping you warm on breezier Spring days.

Want more style tips from me? My subscribers get style advice from me on a weekly basis! Subscribe here if you haven’t already to get free style advice sent straight to your inbox every Thursday!

New content coming very soon!

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”

DOING MORE AND WORRYING LESS, HOW I'M PLAYING WHILE THE WORLD IS ON PAUSE

WRITTEN BY SHARRA GREENE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAMON RICE

Shop My Look: I am wearing a volume sleeve OTS top from Boohoo, the love affair cargo pants from Akira, Public Desire nostalgia newspaper print thigh high boots, PLT brown oversized shades and doorknocker earrings, Aldo ring set, and the runway bag (my fave) from House of Rehab.

With society in disarray due to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the C Word, it’s been eye opening if nothing else, watching the different ways we as people have had to adapt our day to day lifestyles and activities. I’m watching so many people judge each other, particularly, people who are in a constant state of panic judging others for seeming too “unbothered”. I’ve been hopping on the IG live sessions of some of the entrepreneurs and public figures who I look up to and I’ve been inspired by their ability to adapt their business models as best they can and to maintain a positive attitude as much as possible, only to see others in the comments criticizing them for not being “worried enough” and being “selfish” during this time. Regardless of what you’re choosing to do during this time, the fact remains that worrying solves nothing. We can pray, we can learn more about the situation and its progress, we can stay informed, we can try to point each other in the right direction of resources. But that’s all that most of us can do.

The game of life is certainly unpredictable. I’m sure most of us didn’t expect a lot of things that have been happening lately to happen and all this time alone has caused me to reflect on the intentions I set in the very beginning of the year. I remember bringing in the new year in my room meditating and hearing two specific words over and over in my head: expectation and gratitude. They’ve been two concepts that I’ve been diligently trying to be mindful of since that night and it’s crazy how personally useful those two words have been during this chapter of my life. I had a whole bunch of plans that got halted over the past few weeks. Several of my styling projects were postponed and I had to pass on certain opportunities that require me to travel. This was definitely not in my expectations for me or my brand and I’ve been forced to adapt quickly. However, when I think about the losses that so many others are enduring during this time, mine don’t even begin to compare to theirs and I can’t help but to be grateful for the people and resources that I do have to get me through this time, things that so many people unfortunately do not have.

Gratitude has been the main force keeping me grounded during this time. Waking up every morning and being thankful for all the things that are still going right in life, despite the things that aren’t. It’s been allowing me to do more with the time on my hands instead of staying stagnant in negativity and catastrophic thoughts. On the bright side, I’ve been so inspired to see some of the people in my circle using this time to tend to their craft and/or start the beginning steps for projects that they’ve wanted to pursue for a really long time.

Doing more in this season doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing for everybody. As for me, I know I still got shit to do regardless of what’s going on. However, I also said that I wanted to take the time to tend to my mental health more this year and to grow spiritually. So, my days lately have been a mix between working from home and then making time to read, meditate, pray, etc. However, if you’re someone who is already a workaholic as is and maybe you were feeling personally unfulfilled before all the chaos began, this could be the time for you to actually do more relaxing, more binge watching, more phone calls catching up with friends and family, more time being spent on hobbies, etc.

Whatever you’re doing, please prioritize whatever is truly important to YOU. As long as you’re staying as safe as possible and tending to your health both physically and mentally, don’t let others dictate how you should be spending this time.

I’m continuing to pray that as we pick up the pieces, we’ll collectively come back stronger on the other side of all of this.

Love,

Sharra

“The definition of walking art.”