Tell me what an activist looks like

This is what an activist looks like…

            Based on the past few posts, some of you may have noticed that I’m becoming more vocal on social and political issues. Two years ago, I would never have dared to consider myself an activist. If I’m being totally honest, I felt that label had negative connotations that I wanted to avoid. In the past, activism seemed extreme and overly passionate. I was a consistent voter and kept up with major news stories… I didn’t think it was necessary to do more. Then the 2016 election happened, and my world changed.

            After the election I was in a state of mourning, like many. So, I took some time to heal. That period of recovery also allowed me to really process how much work I had done in the past, and what more could be done. The answer was that there was a lot more I could be doing. By the third week I was given info to the Indivisible Network and signed up with local chapters. My favorite local group is small, but the people involved are supportive of each other and we are active on a variety of issues. Connecting to a handful of people who share a passion for action has made a huge difference in my life. My group meets about once a month. We attend marches, meet for phone banking, gather for canvassing, and post card writing. We keep each other informed on events and have become a good social network of people who just want to step up their civic responsibility. 

            The more work I began to do the more I realized that activism really isn’t only about the big gestures, it’s actually all about grassroots. Paying attention to what happens in our neighborhood has just as much impact as paying attention to national issues, some would argue maybe even more impact. As I started to focus on my actions I began to see my choices and behavior as forms of activism. Suddenly, being active on a daily level became easier and less overwhelming. These days I have a growing list of simple actions I consider to be forms of activism. If you’re struggling with wanting to do more but feeling like you don’t know what to do pick three things from the list and commit to them for one month, then see how you feel.

            

            My list of activist actions include:

1)   SMILE AND MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE I cannot stress this enough!!! This is such a simple act, but it really has wide ripples. How you go through the world, and how people see you go through the world can do so much to dispel stereotypes and prejudice. Greeting people with a smile, is a universal leveler. When someone sees you and smiles, it puts you both on the same level and lets the other person know that you see them as equal. By the way, this impact is felt on its most profound level when you share this with people who different language, have a different skin color, sexual orientation, or are outside of the usual group of people you associate with. This is a form of activism... see it as a taint punch to isolation, ignorance and judgement. If you do this simple act for 1 month I guarantee you’ll notice a big shift in how you see the world 30 days later.

2)   REGISTER TO VOTE … AND VOTE Need I say more? This is the most basic act of civic engagement. If you care about the world around you, registering and voting is the least you can do. See it as taking action in shaping how you want the world to be.

3)   GET KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS Even if this is just learning their first names, learn something about the people who live closest to you. This strengthens community and connects you more deeply to the world around you. Most people today do not make this effort… and judging from the state of things, this action wouldn’t hurt to make things a little better.

4)   DEFY BEAUTY STANDARDS Don’t feel like you have to conform to what the beauty industry tells you is beautiful. This can mean: going grey, being honest about your age, not wearing makeup, deciding to be healthy vs. struggling to be thin, returning to your natural hair… whatever you come up with that allows you to love the real you over what an industry is telling you to be. This is about finding activism through your own empowerment. So many people feel disenfranchised, shut out from what is “beautiful” or feel they must conform to limited standards. Having the confidence to love yourself for who you are is an act of bravery and I see that as activism against a world that is constantly telling people they are not worthy unless they can fit into a limited, ever changing standard.

5)   CARE ABOUT SOMETHING Start with one issue and decide you want to make it a priority. Educate yourself about it, have an opinion that’s well informed and speak to people about why your passionate about it in conversation. There is nothing less active than apathy. Make a decision to commit to one issue, topic, cause… whatever… and be vulnerable enough to care about it.

6)   FOLLOW A BILL ON CONGRESS.GOV This is super easy to do and is a great way to stay informed. Register and log in. Search for bills related to issues you care about. You can opt for alerts on bills that interest you and the site will inform you on the progress of those bills.

7)   CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE ON AN ISSUE This is super easy too. Find your rep’s office info and add them to your contacts. If you are following an issue you care about look up bills that support or protect your issue (see above action), once you find a bill contact your Rep and make sure they hear your concern. 

8)   VOLUNTEER Devote 3 hours a month to doing a charitable act i.e. helping a food bank, an environmental cleanup, spending time with sheltered animals, LA has a great website that’s an awesome resource for volunteering LAworks.com

9)   EAT MORE VEGETABLES… Not even kidding. Reducing the amount of meat you consume has beneficial effects on the environment and is good for your overall health. You don’t have to jump into full vegetarian or become a vegan, just find simple ways to incorporate more greens and color onto your plate.

10) IMPLEMENT COMPASSION This can present itself in a variety of ways. From using patience in a frustrating situation to opting not to judge someone who is different from you, compassion is a gateway emotion to a more tolerant world. That’s activism.

11) USE YOUR PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK UP FOR OTHERS Many of us may not realize it but our lives all have some degree of privilege. This privilege is power and you can use it as a source of activism. If you are in a position of socioeconomic privilege you can speak up for those who are struggling for a living wage or affordable healthcare. If your skin color shields you from the prejudice many people of color face in society speak up when you see acts of ignorance or better yet, speak up when you hear conversations that implicate people who are not in the room to defend themselves. This goes for people of different sexual orientations and identities as well. Gender can also be privilege, so think about speaking up for those who may not benefit from the societal benefits you receive.

12) REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE & ROT Find ways to limit consumption, this can be challenging for me too at times. When you are consuming look at ways to reduce how much waste you are generating in your consumption. Can packaging be reused for art projects or another secondary usage? Can you begin a compost with biodegradable material or donate your bio-trash to a local compost? If, you aren’t a consistent recycler, become one. What we do with our waste has a huge impact on the health of our planet, these small choices ARE activism.

13) DONATE $$$ TO A CAUSE  Monthly financial donations (even at $5) can have a huge impact on the world. Start with one cause that you care deeply about, do some research into how you can give them some financial support and start small. PBS and NPR are great examples of resources you may use every day but don’t contribute to and think of what your life would be like without Downtown Abbyor Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me! No matter what cause you get excited about, support it with a few bucks.  Make it a consistent recurring donation each month, so you see it reflected in your account (This helps to remind you, you’re taking financial action).

14) SUBSCRIBE TO PRINT MEDIA … ESPECIALLY YOUR LOCAL PAPER It may sound hokey but buying papers actually matter, especially if it’s your local paper. Print media is under attack these days from a variety of directions, and it’s one of the most reliable ways to absorb information. Home town papers are disappearing very fast, and local papers are usually at the cornerstone for a community’s identity. While smaller local papers may not have the highest level of quality, this can be changed as more people subscribe. Subscribers actually have a lot of power in which issues their local paper covers. So even just by increasing the subscriber population, you increase your ability to leverage your power in making sure your paper cover issues that are important to you. there has probably never been a more important time to support print journalism. It’s important for your own civic involvement and education, and it’s important for the quality of information we have access to.   

    

LASTLY…

15) DO RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS I Cannot stress this enough. This may be the easiest and fastest level of activism. The random act of kindness is like an adrenaline shot to the world around you. It’s a direct positive effect on an unsuspecting individual. There is no faster way to bulk someone’s belief in the inherent good in the world, then to make them a recipient of a random act of kindness. Just try it and see.

       Each of these actions are small and manageable but, done constantly over time they have a big impact. If the world is feeling chaotic and you’re overwhelmed to the point where you want to disengage, I would ask you to reconsider. Read this list and see if any of these actions are things you can incorporate into your daily routine, start with a smile and eye contact. When the world seems at its worst just ask yourself, is there something, even if it's small, that I can do to counter this atmosphere.

       If you’ve been waiting on the sidelines, wanting to become active but not sure where to start, begin with something manageable that’s in your comfort zone. As you become more comfortable, expand your actions. The world gets better when each of us participates. You can make the world a source of joy just by putting more joy into the world. You can make the world kinder, just by being kinder. You can make the world cleaner, safer, and more equal for all inhabitants you just have to start with you. Find your level of activism and embrace it. You are what an activist looks like and the world is waiting for your voice.