What Can I Do? A List Of 33 Actions

This past weekend we faced more tragedies in the form of the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton. Collectively there are so many struggles in so many contexts it feels overwhelming. What can we do? This meme created by Amanda Michelle shows there are many ways to fight for social justice.

(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157401157482368&set=a.496916177367&type=3&theater)

Here is a list of actions you can do right now. Some are individual work and some are community work. Note you do what you need to do knowing your own gifts and resources. This is a starting off point there are millions of other things you can do too.

Self-reflection*

1. Spend an extended time reflecting/journaling on your own prejudices. We all have prejudices name them to yourself, sit with them, don't judge them.
2. Examine where your prejudices are rooted (In a lack of exposure? In what your family or community says or does? In something, you feel you are missing and see as others taking away from you?)
3. Examine the prejudices of your own family/community (Again we all have prejudices name them to yourself, sit with them, don't judge them.)
4. Examine where your communities' prejudices are rooted (In a lack of exposure? In a feeling of being attacked? In the idea that things are good and the community and the communities' individuals don't have any prejudices)
5. Reflect on how prejudices are supporting you (why they are working for you so you keep them) and how prejudices are harming you (Why do you want to create change)

Learning*

1. Read books by authors with backgrounds unlike yours (If you are just beginning I might suggest reading kids books because they often ease you into a particular culture or identity)
2. Watching/Hosting documentaries exploring issues/cultures you are not familiar and having conversations
3. Reading blogs of individuals from cultures you are not familiar
4. Inviting someone out for a cup of tea to discuss their experiences
5. Respectfully going to another religion or culture's events. (Maybe a street festival, Maybe a worship service you don't know much about (The key is to be respectful most faith traditions are welcoming will list expectations for visitors such as dress etc), Maybe going to an interfaith event)

Community Organizing:

1. Join a local, regional, or national community organizing organization
2. Have conversations/ one on ones with your neighbors/co-workers about what they value
3. Go to an organizations community organizing training/anti-racism training ....
4. Complete a power analysis around one issue you care about (One example: https://justassociates.org/sites/justassociates.org/files/toolsforanalyzingpower.pdf) 
5. Think of an interesting and peaceful way to raise support around your community for something you value (Such as a guerilla theater, a postcard campaign, picketing, writing an op-ed ....)

Involvement in politics:

1. Know All your representatives on the national, statewide, and local level
2. Look up what different positions in government actually do
3. Research what laws and rules are being debated on your local level right now.
4. Support a candidate by donating or by canvassing
5. Run for office yourself

Other:

1. Sign a petition/Share a petition/Start a petition
2. Donate school supplies/Health and wellness items/Books/Clothing
3. Volunteer your time the most vulnerable
4. Write a letter/op-ed/poem/story/speech 
5. Find a new way to talk about an issue:  https://www.facebook.com/jim.poe.98/posts/10156632733008107
6. Donate culturally sensitive materials to programs working with youth
7. Go to a justice summit/community meeting/teach-in
8. Determine what a food pantry/battered women's shelter/group working with immigrants or refugees really needs to be donated and donate it or get others to donate it.
9. Help non-profits using your skills through programs such as https://www.catchafire.org
10. Support local businesses both formal (Restaurants, Bookstores) and informal (Kid-run businesses/part-time side hustles/community fundraisers)
11. Encourage someone else to continue to fight for justice
12. Talk about what you are doing, so others can be inspired
13. Take Care of Yourself

* (While Self-Reflection and Learning are needed actions we must move beyond, or move forward with into other action. If this is where you are, start here but if you have been doing work in these areas for a while make sure you are moving on to other work)