Jul 14

Jul 14 Activism from the Comfort of your Own Home

In current political climates, the rate of people considering themselves activists has skyrocketed. Whether it’s Black Lives Matter, Pride, Strike for Climate, or just the general craving for social justice, people are aligning themselves with movements they care about, revved up and ready for change. However with the sudden surge in power towards social change, people are finding themselves at a breaking point. For some that means feeling burnt out; for others, it means feeling lost, wanting to keep up with the movement but unaware of what that means. Most of the time when people imagine activism, they see a protest; however, now that we’re in quarantine, protests and strikes aren’t quite the best option. So how do they do it? Is it even possible to fight for justice without so much as leaving your desk chair or bed? Can you really care about making change without even changing out of pajamas?

I’m here to tell you: absolutely, you can! Activism doesn’t necessarily require protest signs, chants or even pants, it only requires a fight. Even when protests thrive (specifically when a deadly virus isn’t containing us to our homes) that’s not the only thing people are doing, and right now, those other actions are as important as ever. The main measures include petitions, donations, emails and letters, and staying up to date, but that’s obvious. The hard part is the drive, the feelings of inadequacy and keeping the fight alive. I got involved as a feminist when I was 12 and over the years have picked up some tips. So, in 5 points or less, here’s my favourite techniques for activism from the comfort of your own home.

1. Space it out

It’s important to use your voice everyday, reinstate your cause and let the opposing party know that you’re not going away. However, by assuming that you constantly need to be fighting oftentimes leads to feelings of guilt and invalidity. A simple solution to this is spacing it out. Work it into your daily routine or assign certain tasks for specific days. For example: finding 10 petitions to sign on Monday; sending five emails to government officials on Tuesday; and so on.

Nevertheless, it’s important to note that, though Tuesday is email day, it’s still a prime day to sign any petitions found on your social media feed. Making a routine to fall into let’s you assure your cause and status as an activist while avoiding becoming completely overwhelmed or inadequate.

2. Reinstate your beliefs

One of the most important parts of being an activist is arguing your opinion. You never want to lose yourself right in the middle of a debate; floundering, forgetting your facts and spewing statements that you don’t even believe in. Nonetheless, I’m sure we’ve all been there. A great way to assess that is to keep a log. Whether you make a list, a note in your phone, or a mental catalogue, addressing what you believe in--every single opinion-- and what you may need to know in the case of an argument is a perfect way to keep everything straight. Know your facts, know your stats, know your thoughts, simple as that.

3. Stay updated

The main purpose of activism in using your voice. Signing petitions, protesting, voicing concerns, voting with your money etc. but how do you know what to talk about? As change is being made, it’s vital to stay on top of issues. Oftentimes, the news doesn’t cover the underlying problems or document the fight and if they do, it’s not front cover material. One of the most efficient ways of keeping up is via social media. Follow accounts that tell you what’s really going on and other things you may need to know such as companies to boycott. Another effective way is email chains or online groups such as Progress Alberta. There will be a list of social media accounts to follow below.

4. Don’t overwhelm yourself

When social media and activism start to mix (as they have been recently) what once was an escape for some becomes even more stressful. Constantly scrolling through social media, bombarding yourself with the most recent bad news, and continuously consuming traumatic material is all but healthy. While it’s positive to stay updated, burnout is a very common and actual sensation and can lead to leaving your movement all together. Remember that any stress you feel is valid and very real, what you need to do to take care of yourself is important. Looking at it from a broad perspective, self care ends up being community care and in activism, what’s more crucial than community. My tip for simple and soothing self care is to let yourself get lost for a little bit. Find something you love, something to obsess over, and let yourself get lost in it as a way to recharge. It can be a hobby, TV show, podcast or anything else you need.

5. Internalize it

People often think of activism as a hobby or interest, activists think of it as a personality trait. When you’re born to a minority group, you’re born an activist, whether you realize it or not. After you choose to rebel ro fight back or use your voice, you choose to become a part of a movement, what’s vital is not letting yourself separate from it. Once again, for minorities, speaking up against discrimination and ignorance is part of everyday life because at the end of the day, they can’t take away the things that make them different. Black people can’t choose to change their race, queer people can’t choose to not be queer, transgender people can’t choose to be cisgender etc. but allies can choose to be silent. What’s essential for allies is internalizing the fight, recognizing that you will never know the pain of that oppression but you do know that no one should have to face it. Making activism such a big part of who you are and your personality that it’s not easy to let go. Lastly, changing yourself and what you were taught to assure that you yourself are not part of the problem, unlearning your long taught supremacy (or inferiority) and continuing to check yourself as you learn new things. Small political victories don’t end discrimination, be in it for the long run.

Being an activist has never been easy, carrying the pain of oppression, watching the groups you stand by suffer, the emotional toll of fighting for rights is intense. However, with technology upgrading and the word getting out, it has never been so easy to use your voice but staying updated has never been so crucial. Major change is hard to come by and most of these movements we align ourselves with now have been persisting for decades. Remember that the small victories count just as much but don’t mean that it’s over. And for me, take care of yourself, please.