GETTING ACTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Originally published on July 1, 2020.
It can be easy to feel helpless, how to support those around us and ourselves, but there are so many resources out there created by brilliant courageous people (past, present and future) to aid one in finding ways to start engaging. Unlearning and undoing our own internal work is a huge part of dismantling the systems at large that keep people oppressed. At this point doing something, anything that you can muster is much more helpful than silence and inaction. A best friend of mine asked me, "Where does your power lie?" When I answered she said, "That is where you can do the most work for the greater good. That is where you start and where you can create change. You cannot give to and do everything at once." A reminder I so deeply needed and have continued to ruminate upon. So, I vow to do my best in the work, as a witch, as a spiritual death worker, and as someone who has come from incredible, badass ancestors who knew how to resist and how to fight.
Where is your medicine? What are you good at? What skills do you possess?
Find your medicine and bring it to the world.
Listed below is only a short working list of ideas and resources compiled but there are many more ways to help your community, neighbors, friends, and those who you cannot reach country wide. The most important thing to do though, is to listen to what the communities around you need and want.
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Consider where you spend your money. Many companies use prison labor for profit. Corporations intentionally work hard to put out local and small owned businesses and often treat their employees poorly and get goods from overseas where workers exist in inhumane conditions.
Donate to or volunteer at a local school, soup kitchen, food bank, charity, or places of worship. Soup line it, make food deliveries, help other workers, help organize/run events, etc. Note: Schools will probably need an extensive background check.
Vote. Make a vow to pay attention and learn about what is going on in your community right now. Does your city, suburb, or town have a local newspaper?Subscribe for it in print or online. Is it possible for you to write an opinion-editorial piece important to or concerning your community? Do you know someone who is an expert on a topic who may be interested in writing a piece?
Donate your resources. Think about finding different organizations than Goodwill or Salvation Army, as they donate a ton of money against LGBTQ+.Women’s shelters, private migrant shelter, city mission or homeless shelter, library, animal shelter, food bank ~ these are just a few other options.
Visit immigrants in detention centers in your area. Sit in on a hearing for moral support or accompany to court or ICE check-in appointments. Help to babysit children whole parents are being interviewed. Check this list to see if your city/ state has a program.
Do you live on a border? Groups who help traveling immigrants may need help and support, financially, time donation, or supplies. If not, donating supplies or money can be just as helpful. Check out organizations such Border Angels and No More Deaths.
Attend local events. Shop locally. Volunteer your time. Join classes or groups that support involvement in your communities.
It is not an exhaustive list, however some favorite/useful resources and organizations are listed below at the end of this post. Some of part of the Death Positive Movement and Death Work, and others are geared towards specific social justice work - although please understand that all of this work is social justice work.
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RESOURCES:
www.womensrefugeecommission.org (Womens Refugee Commission)
www.uusc.org (The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee)
www.blackvisionsmn.org (Black Visions Collective)
www.informedimmigrant.com (Informed Immigrant)
freedomforimmigrants.org (Freedom For Immigrants)
plannedparenthood.org (Planned Parenthood)
deathpositivedc.com (Death Positive DC)
goingwithgrace.com (Going With Grace)
www.borderangels.org (Border Angels)
nomoredeaths.org/en/ (No More Deaths)
www.diw-mn.org (Division of Indian Work)
blacklivesmatter.com (Black Lives Matter)
soul2soulsisters.org (Soul 2 Soul Sisters)
adbusters.org (Adbusters Magazine)
https://vote.dosomething.org/
Black Trans Charities:
www.bravespacealliance.org (Brave Space Alliance)
www.twocc.us/ (Trans Women of Color Collective)
marshap.org (The Marsha P Johnson institute)
www.tgijp.org (TGI Justice Project)
Have awesome resources to add? E-mail me at hannah@mourninglightdivination.com. Mourning Light Divination, LLC only provides tools and is not the outcome.