“My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences.”
My lesson in everyday activism this week: just go for it.
To deal with my visceral response to the news: my grief, anger, frustration, disappointment and even fear, I have started joining with others to organize gatherings. I don’t see myself as an “organizer,” yet I find myself desperate to be in the presence of others. And so I make gatherings.
This process has taught me that:
- Getting people together is immensely gratifying
- It gets easier the more I do it.
- Contrary to what I expected, I didn’t need permission from some unknown higher authority to start organizing around an issue I care deeply about, I just needed an idea and the drive to follow through. (A unifying national experience didn't hurt.)
Prior to all of this, I thought that in order to start “doing something” I would need more education, more experience, more clout. As it turns out, all the tools I needed were already in my hands. I just hadn't realized it yet.
Don't get me wrong. I won’t pretend that I have this organizing business all figured out. There is still much work to be done, and I have much to learn. But these small realizations are an encouragement.
So. You don’t have to have all the answers before you even begin, in fact admitting that you don’t can actually be helpful.
Tools for Inspiration
MY INSPIRATION This week, the words of Audre Lorde. “Without community, there is no liberation.” No matter what loud messages we hear to the contrary, we need each other.
Last but not least...
- Get outside. If it’s cold, bundle up. If it’s not, consider yourself lucky. Spending time outdoors helps us remember who we are and why fighting for a clean earth in the first place.
- Educate yourself. If you live in in Ohio, check out this week’s #100DaysofAction. Not in Ohio? Google a nearby university or nature center and attend an event on environmental awareness. Or check out Inhabit, a fascinating documentary on living green.
- Send a handwritten letter to your representatives sharing stories of why you care about protecting the environment. Sounds simple enough, but I get it, it’s hard to do. I promise, I’ll be writing, too. We can do it! Find your reps and addresses here.
Is there something else you’re excited about? Share it on your Facebook page, invite others to join and tag us #thoughtfullyclean so we can cheer you on!
Wondering more what Thoughtfully Clean Field Notes are all about? Read the the first post here.
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Small drops make an ocean; let’s make waves.
Thoughtfully yours,
Aubrey