Black lives matter. Yet time and time again we see this country’s tortured legacy of racism give rise to new and profound injustices against Black communities. As New Yorkers continue to gather in Times Square and across the city in the defense of Black lives, in the name of justice, and with the hope of real change, we stand in remembrance of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless others whose lives have been unjustly stolen.

As we at Times Square Arts identify more ways in which we can combat systemic racism internally, in the Times Square community, and through our work with artists, we’re linking our audiences to organizations in NYC and across the country that are on the ground dedicated to that work. Below are groups that you can donate to should you have the means, volunteer for should there be the opportunity, or follow to stay updated on calls to action. This list was researched and compiled by our staff, and is by no means comprehensive — if there are organizations, resources, or aggregated lists you’d like to see added here, please email arts@timessquarenyc.org.

We are also sending a special message of gratitude to the Times Square Alliance’s public safety and sanitation workers, who continue to sustain Times Square each and every day so that we can recover and rally again.

National Organizations

  • #8CantWait - A platform to help you contact and urge local mayors to enact 8 policies that can reduce police violence.
  • ActBlue - A fund to split donations between 70+ community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizers.
  • Audre Lorde Project – One of NYC’s longest standing LGBTQ advocacy groups for people of color.
  • BEAM – A Black-led emotional and mental health collective.
  • Black AIDS Institute - Working to end the Black HIV epidemic through policy, advocacy, and high quality direct HIV services.
  • Black Lives Matter, Global Network - A global organization whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. Has many chapters across the country, including NYC.
  • Black Mamas Matter - A Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance centering Black mama’s to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice.
  • Black Women's Blueprint - A non-profit that centers the empowerment of Black women and girls within the context of the larger racial justice concerns of Black communities.
  • BYP100 - Black Youth Project 100 is a member-based organization of Black youth activists creating justice and freedom for all Black people. Has many chapters across the country, including NYC.
  • Campaign Zero - A police reform campaign led by Black Lives Matter activists.
  • Center for Court Innovation - Sustains a number of operating programs aimed at creating more fair, effective, and humane justice systems. Based in NYC.
  • Color of Change - The nation’s largest online racial justice organization.
  • Eat Okra App - A guide for local Black-owned restaurants in select cities across the country.
  • Emergency Release Fund - Works to ensure that no trans person at risk in New York City jails remains in detention before trial.
  • Equal Justice Initiative – Committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
  • Fair Fight - Promotes fair elections around the country, encourages voter participation in elections, and educates voters about elections and their voting rights.
  • For the Gworls - Actively fighting to reduce homelessness rates in the Black transgender community, as well as lowering the risk of affirmative surgeries being done in ways that put them at greater health risks..
  • G.L.I.T.S - Holistically addresses the health and rights crises faced by transgender sex workers using harm reduction, human rights principles, economic and social justice, along with a commitment to empowerment and pride in finding solutions from our own community.
  • LGBTQ+ Freedom Fund - Posts bail to secure the release and safety of LGBTQ+ people held in jail or immigration detention.
  • Marsha P. Johnson Institute - A nonprofit dedicated to protecting and defending the human rights of Black transgender people and continuing the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson.
  • Marshall Project - A nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization following stories on the U.S. criminal justice system.
  • NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund – National legal organization fighting for racial justice through litigation, advocacy, and public education.
  • National Alliance on Mental Health, African American Chapter - A national organization committed to mental health with resources for African Americans.
  • National Bail Out - A Black-led and Black-centered community-based movement aimed at posting bails and at ending mass incarceration.
  • National Black Disability Coalition -  The nation’s organization for Black people with disabilities, organizing around issues of mutual concern.
  • National Resources List - An expansive list of resources, bail funds, mental health resources, and list of funds supporting Trans people.
  • The Okra Project - The Okra Project is a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home cooked, healthy, and culturally specific meals and resources to Black Trans People.
  • Project NIA - A grassroots organization that works to end the arrest, detention, and incarceration of children and young adults by promoting restorative and transformative justice practices.
  • Race Forward - Conducts cutting edge, original, and broadly accessible research on pressing racial justice issues focused on the significance of race to social and economic outcomes in our society.
  • The Bail Project - A nonprofit combatting mass incarceration by disrupting the money bail system.
  • The Innocence Project - A nonprofit committed to exonerating wrongly convicted individuals.
  • Therapy Fund for Black Women and Girls - Raising funds to provide free therapy sessions for Black women and girls.
  • Tony McDade Mental Health Recovery Fund - To honor Nina Pop, Tony McDade, and the many Black Trans people who have been murdered by state-sanctioned violence, The Okra Project is raising funds to create the Nina Pop Mental Health Recovery Fund and the Tony McDade Mental Health Recovery Fund.
  • Trans Justice Funding Project - Community-led funding initiative to support grassroots trans justice groups run by and for trans people.
  • Ways You Can Help - An expansive list of petitions, places to donate, and additional resources.

New York Organizations and Resources

  • Astoria Mutual Aid Network - A group of neighbors supporting one another with assistance and resources in the Astoria community.
  • Bed-Stuy Strong - A mutual aid network of neighbors helping out in solidarity during COVID-19 and beyond.
  • Black Lives Matter, Greater New York - BLM organization of Greater New York
  • Brooklyn Community Bail Fund - Fighting for an end to money bail and immigration detention.
  • Brooklyn Community Foundation - Seeks to mobilize people, capital, and expertise for a fair and just Brooklyn.
  • Communities United For Police Reform - A campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, bringing together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change.
  • Covid Bail Out NYC - Posts bail for medically vulnerable people held in New York City jails and provides comprehensive post-release support, such as shelter and food, for these individuals.
  • Crown Heights Aid - A network for residents of Crown Heights providing support to one another and the most vulnerable in the community.
  • Flatbush United - A group for neighbors in the larger Flatbush area providing support with grocery delivery and other assistance.
  • Make the Road NYC - Builds the power of immigrant and working class communities to achieve dignity and justice.
  • Mutual Aid NYC - Builds support systems for people in the New York area during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
  • NYC Black Mutual Aid - Neighbors dedicated to building power to address the underlying institutions that continue to harm Black people during COVID-19 and beyond.
  • NYCLU - The New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, which works to protect the inalienable rights of New Yorkers, including freedom of speech, press, petition, and assembly.
  • Nourish NYC - A black-run organizer getting needed-supplies to NYC protesters and calling on volunteers for donations and deliveries
  • Playground Coffee Shop - A POC-owned business and nonprofit raising funds to become a hub for resources and distribute kits to activists on the frontlines.
  • South Brooklyn Mutual Aid - A volunteer-led group supporting neighbors in South Brooklyn.
  • Survived and Punished NY - A coalition of defense campaigns and grassroots groups committed to eradicating the criminalization of survivors of domestic and sexual violence and the culture of violence that contributes to it. Also has a California chapter.
  • The Legal Aid Society - Social justice law firm in New York City.
  • Urban Youth Collaborative - Led by students, UYC demands high quality education for POCs in New York City.
  • Vera Institute for Justice - A non-profit research and policy organization building and improving justice systems.
  • We Act for Environmental Justice - A Harlem-based group dedicated to fighting environmental justice issues.

Further Resources from Artists, Activists, Arts Organizations, and More