Your workday has just come to an end and you decide to relax by taking some time to scroll through your socials.
The first image you see is that of a school for small children in Gaza, reduced to rubble. It’s horrible, but you don’t even register an ounce of shock because since the conflict began, 97% of all educational institutions in the region have been damaged or completely destroyed. Nevermind that there is still technically a cease-fire, initiated in October, that should have eliminated any new attacks.
You continue to the next reel hoping for some humanity, but all you see next are images of Ukrainian families, who are already severely traumatized by the war, now navigating in total darkness—trying to stay warm and fed in the absence of electricity. It’s unavailable because Russia has attacked each and every power plant in their country. Devastated for them, but feeling powerless, you keep scrolling …
The next page features a replay on loop of recent activist murders in the United States. Just past that is a collection of graphic photos and emails, which aren’t even complete, yet detail unspeakable acts against children. In response, you see testimonies from survivors who wonder why their abusers are not being brought to justice.
As if this all wasn’t enough, the next posts you see show that one of the largest polluting countries in the world has decided to abandon even the most basic protections for the climate. By the time their careless actions can be reversed, too much damage may have already been done for the planet to fully recover.
A cycle of emotions overtakes you in this dismal 5 minutes: Anger, Disgust, Sadness, Anxiety and finally… Numbness.
Your deflated feeling of righteous rage is tempered by the desire to help, but lack of trust that your actions will make even the slightest difference. So, all that’s left to do is grieve the reality of that possibility. And keep scrolling…
If you feel this way, you’re not alone, but you can’t let recent setbacks deter you. On this World Day of Social Justice, we want to offer not only hope as evidenced by achievements past, but provide actionable ways that you can participate without risking your safety or sanity…
Patience for Justice
Though it’s infinitely frustrating to witness all of the unfairness in our modern world, we have to remember that the progress, which led to the justice that has been served, took significant time to achieve.
Without various long-term suffrage campaigns across the globe, women would not have had voting rights for the past century. Though all but a few countries (i.e. Afghanistan) flat-out prohibit women from voting to this day, many female citizens either vote under duress (threatened by male partners to vote a certain way) or do not participate at all in the voting process, due to concerns for their personal safety at the polling stations. We still have work to do, but the world is in much better shape since these rights were granted.
Without the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s America, there would still be racial segregation and limited rights for people of colour. Through non-violent protests and grassroots organising, citizens were able to influence lawmakers to change legislation, resulting in more fair and balanced laws for all minorities. We must continue to defend these rights to ensure they are not revoked.
The anti-apartheid movement in South Africa proved victorious after 46 years of racial suffering amongst its people. Through protests, labor strikes and international pressure, significant reforms were put in place and Nelson Mandela became the first black president of the country, democratically elected in a landslide victory. Though it will take decades for societal and systematic racism to dissolve, the country has made leaps and bounds in long-term progress.
Countless legal challenges by Indigenous groups across the world have led to the reclamation of land that is rightly theirs. Though there’s more work to be done, recent wins for the Yurok Tribe of California, U.S., and Indigenous Peoples in Northern Thailand have renewed optimism amongst broader Indigenous communities.
These are just a few examples of victory after the persistence, and sacrifices of thousands, resulted in just outcomes. And why it’s so important—no matter how desensitized we may become—to remain on the right side of history and do whatever we can to better our world.
Mind Your Mental Health
Our brains were not meant to process the large volumes of trauma we ingest via social media. You can protect your peace and still be an informed, compassionate activist when you strike a necessary balance in your content consumption. Here are just a few ways to do so:
- Reduce the number of news channels you follow in your feed. Pick the two media outlets or journalists/personalities you find the most reputable and snooze the rest for 30 days. You’ll be amazed how the algorithm adapts.
- Make a conscious effort to follow accounts with positive output. These can be people or brands aligned with one of your hobbies or something you’d like to learn more about. Need ideas? Search for accounts that share travelogs, give educational tutorials, post artwork, promote comedy or report on human interest stories.
- Mute people and feeds that bring you unwanted negativity. You’ll still show up for them as a follower, but without being unnecessarily exposed to content you may categorise as toxic.
- Limit your screen time. We realise this can be especially hard if your job requires you to be online or your partner or close family members are also active on socials, but you can program most smartphones to log your time and then set goals for yourself based on your current patterns. You can also enable parental controls for yourself!
Take Action at Your Own Pace
Though participating in marches and organised events is great, you don’t need to show up at every protest to prove that you care. Here are some less public, yet effective ways to make a significant difference in the world:
- Write or call your lawmakers to express your opinions about current events. In the U.S., the free 5 Calls app makes it incredibly simple. In Canada, use the House of Commons Directory to find contact info for Members of Parliament. In the U.K., the Parliament website has a directory for all representatives. In Australia, use a search tool on the Parliament of Australia website to find contact info for your leaders. Nearly every country has similar resources; just do a basic Internet search if yours is not listed above.
- Spread awareness about issues that mean the most to you by sharing news stories by reputable outlets (always fact check to ensure you’re not circulating misinformation) via your social media pages.
- If you’re able, volunteer in your local community (deliver food, collect donations of clothing, toiletries and essential items, donate blood, provide transportation). If you have a special skill set (i.e. legal, administrative, cleaning, cooking, etc.), offer your expertise to a place or individual that may not be able to afford a paid professional.
- Donate to nonprofits like ours, who work to bring relief to those in disaster zones (like our recent grants to World Central Kitchen and MusiCares) and help Indigenous groups like The Mirning People defend their land.
Author/Philosopher Gerard Vanderhaar once noted, “The human race has survived because of cooperation, not aggression.”
Building on that spirit of nonviolent, community action, each of us can use our voices in the service of humanity.
For ‘Compassion’ should never be considered ‘Political’…
“We the People, 2016” by Julian Lennon. View the entire ‘Cycle’ collection at julianlennonphotography.com.
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In addition to taking such positive action above, it also feels nice to send beams of hope, prayer, love and light to people and places in need. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, Your Well Written And Practical Guide for Slightly Overburdened Social Activists,With It’s Gentle Nudge Towards Positivity and Many Healthy Hints is Welcomed with Admiration and a Willing Heart. Thank You Both!