HEALING COMMUNITY THROUGH SOCIAL JUSTICE
(IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
Keep in mind that change takes time to incorporate into daily life. Biting off too much at one time will often lead to feelings of overwhelm or failure. Even small changes need time to find their place in our daily routine. We are more likely to succeed when we choose a project that feels timely and authentic. Choose something that you relate to, and give it time to become a habit before picking something else.
The first hurdle of any social justice action is understanding that justice and equality are not limited resources, rather they are paths to mutual prosperity.
Cut Yourself Some Slack: The second step is embracing the unavoidable wrong turns and imperfections. We all occasionally need time and space to regroup and reconsider. And all along the way, we need time and space to relax and enjoy ourselves guilt free. Stress from unrealistic expectations and pressure is hard for the body and spirit to process. We all have different needs, we all have different gifts to offer, and we all function best at different paces.
Listen: First and foremost, we must practice listening with the intention to learn and understand rather than preparing to reply. This is especially true if we come from a dominant group or class. In order to truly understand an issue that may not affect us, we need to be open to hearing the other's perspective. While listening, it is important to set aside potential feelings of defensiveness or guilt as these are both about how we feel and not about the other person's experience.
Be Kind: How we behave is infectious. We do not have to agree with, or even respect, a person to be kind. Kindness does not include agreeing with or taking responsibility for the other's feelings, desires, or actions. It is simply one human recognizing the humanity of another. Finding authentic ways to be kind is an act of peace.
Find Ways to Express Your Perspective in the Positive: The simple act of stating a solution or a hope rather than a problem or a grievance can be very powerful. Many problems do require discussion, but it is all too easy to fall into negative loops that are self-defeating rather than productive. Even when there is no obvious solution, we can still create a shared visions for the future.
Try on Other's Perspective: We will not like or agree with all people. Some of them may, in fact, be part of the problem. But understanding their perspective can go a long way to helping formulate a more useful response to them. We might find prejudices or misconceptions within our own perspective that are worth looking at. This process may not solve the other person’s contributions to the problem at hand, but it will help clarify the steps we can take in response.
Acknowledge: When coming from the domination culture, it is important to acknowledge our privilege. This may mean acknowledging that the land we live on was stolen from native peoples. This may also mean that the labor used to build our society was slave labor, whether our ancestors directly owned slaves or not. There is often no obvious way to follow this acknowledgment with a social justice action, but we can be open to learning. Meanwhile, we can find ways to stop current cycles of cultural appropriation, by being conscientious about what practices and traditions we “borrow” from minority cultures. We can also take some time to consider how our communities may still be repressing minority rights, traditions, and land access.
Support Seed Freedom and Plant Diversity: No person or corporation should have the right to own life, yet corporations are patenting seeds. Furthermore, industrial farming tends to over-focus on a small number of crops, which reduces plant diversity. Lack of vegetable diversity is bad for our health, and loss of plant diversity is often loss of native food tradition, as industrial farming often considers these native plants weeds to be killed. Supporting seed freedom and plant diversity is easy and relatively inexpensive. We can purchase heirloom varieties from local growers at farmer’s markets and community grocery stores. As gardeners we can help keep rare plants alive by growing and/or seed saving and sharing. Even if we do not garden, we can still support the companies who work to keep heirloom diversity alive and available by purchasing seed packets. These packets do not cost much and make nice gifts. As gardeners, is it important to keep in mind that not all heirloom seeds are created equal. Some provide tasty and bountiful crops, while others are keep alive because they have qualities, like hardiness or resistance to diseases, that may be needed to help create new hybrids that can withstand new treats. We can purchase both, but only plant what bring us joy.
Vote: Yes, the system has some problems. Yes, the party platforms and the candidates can be uninspiring. But change happens only when everyone gets involved. We can support candidates that we believe in, because, even when our candidate has no chance of winning, our support allows them to shape the conversation. This will, in turn, helps shift the party’s opinions and policies over time. Change is slow, so we will also have to be patient.
Vote with Your Dollar: How we spend our money is a statement about how we want the world to be. Big box stores might feel easy and convenient, but they are often a default vote against locally owned businesses and livable wages. Our budgets may not allow us to buy everything local, so it is important to find the items that will have the biggest impact. Likewise, how and where we invest our money is a vote for the future. Just like shopping locally, it is important to find solution oriented places to invest. Some risk is part of investing, but too much risk leaves us vulnerable to losses we cannot afford, so we are wise to be realistic as we invest.
Support Fair and Honest News Sources: As a society, we are not always good at understanding the difference between discussing a subject from different angles vs. supporting a fake narrative. Much of the fake news produced is intended to be divisive and inflammatory. Even many fact based news sources focus on the dramatic to get noticed. This fear based news perpetuates societal trauma. The middle road may not feel as compelling as the far left or far right, but that is simply because facts are often much less dramatic than fear. These grounded news sources need our support.
Support Minority Causes: Supporting minority causes of any kind is part of building a just society. When all people have equal access to resources and opportunity, society as a whole is happier and more prosperous. Supporting a minority cause begins with listening. When it is not our cause, it is important to first understand if we are welcome and then to following their lead.
Support Young People: As we age, it is easy to get entrenched in our own understanding of the world. What was revolutionary and cutting edge back in the day, may be outdated today. Young people are often the visionaries of a society. Beyond listening to them in person, we can also support community and school programs that empower them as they build a better future.
Support the Elderly: Many older people are lonely and/or stuck at home. They may need practical support like food or rides, and there are many great organizations that offer these services that could use our support. It is also important to take the time to listen to their experience. Young people might be our visionaries, but our elders carry wisdom that will ground us as we look ahead.
Support Local Shelters and Housing First Projects: Hearth and home is a universal need, yet there are many who are unhoused. Shelters offer both a safe place to sleep and they can connect those in need to social programs that offer long-term solutions. The most straightforward of these long-term solutions is the housing first movement. They offer shelter and services without conditions like religious conversion or proof of sobriety. For many of us, being part of the solution means allowing and/or voting for denser, affordable housing in our own neighborhoods.
Support Local Food Banks: Local food banks provide food for shelters as well as families living in poverty. People, especially children, who do not have enough to eat struggle to learn and function. Food Security for all is an investment in the future, while alleviating suffering in real time.
Support Women’s Reproductive Rights: Studies have shown that supporting women’s reproductive rights is the most effective tool to promote equality. Empowered women often leads to safer and more collaborative communities. This is true both locally and globally. There are organizations in our country who are trying address these issues and there are several global non-profit organizations whose sole mission is reproductive rights.
Support Water Rights: One of the biggest, often overlooked, issue of our times is the right to clean drinking water. There are many corporations like Nestle who are working to undermine these rights. And just like women’s reproductive rights, access to clean drinking water, helps create a healthier, more equitable society.
Support and/or Make Art: Art, music, theater, poetry, and books are often the mirrors of our society. It is a great way to express what we love, what we fear, what we suffer, and what we desire. When they function as tools to discuss the issues of our time, they offer both inspiration and healing. There are plenty of small grass-roots programs in our communities to support, if we do not relate to the larger, more mainstream venues.
Travel Wisely: Traveling to exotic places can be a great experience, Especially when we are open to learning and understanding the culture we are visiting. We are better able to do so when we read up on cultural do’s and don’ts before traveling. Furthermore, we can support these cultures by choosing locally run inns rather than the all-inclusive resorts. These large resorts rob the local economy in the same way that a Walmart ends up putting all the local shops out of business, leaving the population with poverty wages.
Avoiding Products Made in Sweatshops: We may not always have access to the information or the financial means to make other choices. But whenever we can, avoid supporting sweatshops here and abroad. They offer small short-term payments to underrepresented populations, while taking from them the ability to build sustainable communities.
Cut Yourself Some Slack: The second step is embracing the unavoidable wrong turns and imperfections. We all occasionally need time and space to regroup and reconsider. And all along the way, we need time and space to relax and enjoy ourselves guilt free. Stress from unrealistic expectations and pressure is hard for the body and spirit to process. We all have different needs, we all have different gifts to offer, and we all function best at different paces.
Listen: First and foremost, we must practice listening with the intention to learn and understand rather than preparing to reply. This is especially true if we come from a dominant group or class. In order to truly understand an issue that may not affect us, we need to be open to hearing the other's perspective. While listening, it is important to set aside potential feelings of defensiveness or guilt as these are both about how we feel and not about the other person's experience.
Be Kind: How we behave is infectious. We do not have to agree with, or even respect, a person to be kind. Kindness does not include agreeing with or taking responsibility for the other's feelings, desires, or actions. It is simply one human recognizing the humanity of another. Finding authentic ways to be kind is an act of peace.
Find Ways to Express Your Perspective in the Positive: The simple act of stating a solution or a hope rather than a problem or a grievance can be very powerful. Many problems do require discussion, but it is all too easy to fall into negative loops that are self-defeating rather than productive. Even when there is no obvious solution, we can still create a shared visions for the future.
Try on Other's Perspective: We will not like or agree with all people. Some of them may, in fact, be part of the problem. But understanding their perspective can go a long way to helping formulate a more useful response to them. We might find prejudices or misconceptions within our own perspective that are worth looking at. This process may not solve the other person’s contributions to the problem at hand, but it will help clarify the steps we can take in response.
Acknowledge: When coming from the domination culture, it is important to acknowledge our privilege. This may mean acknowledging that the land we live on was stolen from native peoples. This may also mean that the labor used to build our society was slave labor, whether our ancestors directly owned slaves or not. There is often no obvious way to follow this acknowledgment with a social justice action, but we can be open to learning. Meanwhile, we can find ways to stop current cycles of cultural appropriation, by being conscientious about what practices and traditions we “borrow” from minority cultures. We can also take some time to consider how our communities may still be repressing minority rights, traditions, and land access.
Support Seed Freedom and Plant Diversity: No person or corporation should have the right to own life, yet corporations are patenting seeds. Furthermore, industrial farming tends to over-focus on a small number of crops, which reduces plant diversity. Lack of vegetable diversity is bad for our health, and loss of plant diversity is often loss of native food tradition, as industrial farming often considers these native plants weeds to be killed. Supporting seed freedom and plant diversity is easy and relatively inexpensive. We can purchase heirloom varieties from local growers at farmer’s markets and community grocery stores. As gardeners we can help keep rare plants alive by growing and/or seed saving and sharing. Even if we do not garden, we can still support the companies who work to keep heirloom diversity alive and available by purchasing seed packets. These packets do not cost much and make nice gifts. As gardeners, is it important to keep in mind that not all heirloom seeds are created equal. Some provide tasty and bountiful crops, while others are keep alive because they have qualities, like hardiness or resistance to diseases, that may be needed to help create new hybrids that can withstand new treats. We can purchase both, but only plant what bring us joy.
Vote: Yes, the system has some problems. Yes, the party platforms and the candidates can be uninspiring. But change happens only when everyone gets involved. We can support candidates that we believe in, because, even when our candidate has no chance of winning, our support allows them to shape the conversation. This will, in turn, helps shift the party’s opinions and policies over time. Change is slow, so we will also have to be patient.
Vote with Your Dollar: How we spend our money is a statement about how we want the world to be. Big box stores might feel easy and convenient, but they are often a default vote against locally owned businesses and livable wages. Our budgets may not allow us to buy everything local, so it is important to find the items that will have the biggest impact. Likewise, how and where we invest our money is a vote for the future. Just like shopping locally, it is important to find solution oriented places to invest. Some risk is part of investing, but too much risk leaves us vulnerable to losses we cannot afford, so we are wise to be realistic as we invest.
Support Fair and Honest News Sources: As a society, we are not always good at understanding the difference between discussing a subject from different angles vs. supporting a fake narrative. Much of the fake news produced is intended to be divisive and inflammatory. Even many fact based news sources focus on the dramatic to get noticed. This fear based news perpetuates societal trauma. The middle road may not feel as compelling as the far left or far right, but that is simply because facts are often much less dramatic than fear. These grounded news sources need our support.
Support Minority Causes: Supporting minority causes of any kind is part of building a just society. When all people have equal access to resources and opportunity, society as a whole is happier and more prosperous. Supporting a minority cause begins with listening. When it is not our cause, it is important to first understand if we are welcome and then to following their lead.
Support Young People: As we age, it is easy to get entrenched in our own understanding of the world. What was revolutionary and cutting edge back in the day, may be outdated today. Young people are often the visionaries of a society. Beyond listening to them in person, we can also support community and school programs that empower them as they build a better future.
Support the Elderly: Many older people are lonely and/or stuck at home. They may need practical support like food or rides, and there are many great organizations that offer these services that could use our support. It is also important to take the time to listen to their experience. Young people might be our visionaries, but our elders carry wisdom that will ground us as we look ahead.
Support Local Shelters and Housing First Projects: Hearth and home is a universal need, yet there are many who are unhoused. Shelters offer both a safe place to sleep and they can connect those in need to social programs that offer long-term solutions. The most straightforward of these long-term solutions is the housing first movement. They offer shelter and services without conditions like religious conversion or proof of sobriety. For many of us, being part of the solution means allowing and/or voting for denser, affordable housing in our own neighborhoods.
Support Local Food Banks: Local food banks provide food for shelters as well as families living in poverty. People, especially children, who do not have enough to eat struggle to learn and function. Food Security for all is an investment in the future, while alleviating suffering in real time.
Support Women’s Reproductive Rights: Studies have shown that supporting women’s reproductive rights is the most effective tool to promote equality. Empowered women often leads to safer and more collaborative communities. This is true both locally and globally. There are organizations in our country who are trying address these issues and there are several global non-profit organizations whose sole mission is reproductive rights.
Support Water Rights: One of the biggest, often overlooked, issue of our times is the right to clean drinking water. There are many corporations like Nestle who are working to undermine these rights. And just like women’s reproductive rights, access to clean drinking water, helps create a healthier, more equitable society.
Support and/or Make Art: Art, music, theater, poetry, and books are often the mirrors of our society. It is a great way to express what we love, what we fear, what we suffer, and what we desire. When they function as tools to discuss the issues of our time, they offer both inspiration and healing. There are plenty of small grass-roots programs in our communities to support, if we do not relate to the larger, more mainstream venues.
Travel Wisely: Traveling to exotic places can be a great experience, Especially when we are open to learning and understanding the culture we are visiting. We are better able to do so when we read up on cultural do’s and don’ts before traveling. Furthermore, we can support these cultures by choosing locally run inns rather than the all-inclusive resorts. These large resorts rob the local economy in the same way that a Walmart ends up putting all the local shops out of business, leaving the population with poverty wages.
Avoiding Products Made in Sweatshops: We may not always have access to the information or the financial means to make other choices. But whenever we can, avoid supporting sweatshops here and abroad. They offer small short-term payments to underrepresented populations, while taking from them the ability to build sustainable communities.