7 Days Practicing Actionable Ways: Day 0
“Weeks When Decades Happen”: A Practical Guide for Beginning Activism
Written by Angel Bierce
If you prefer to watch a video instead of read this post, check out our youtube here
Day 0 - Introduction
Who am I and why are you reading this? Chances are you’re stressed about the recent changes happening around us, and you’re either looking to do something about it, or you’ve been so overwhelmed by it you’re looking to hide. This is where I come in! Howdy there, I’m Angel (they/them/theirs) and I’m an openly Queer Therapist Associate in Texas. I’m a bit on the younger side, so after a week’s worth of clients talking about the current dumpster fire, and seeing my consultation groups feel just as lost, I felt like the world was ending. I wanted to do something, and thank goodness I knew just who to call.
I’m grateful for my community, friends, and family that made my introduction to activism so easy, so effortless, so safe. I’m corrected and taught, I’m given powerful, actionable advice when I’m angry, and I’m made aware of problems in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming. I’m also grateful for my older friends who remind me we’ve been through worse as a community, and as a community we will get through this.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a wise, strong community, so together we created a practical guide for beginning activism. It lasts for one week, and shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes of your day. This guide, while it is absolutely not inclusive of every problem, aims to lower the barrier to entry for activism. There’s also a heavy emphasis on the importance of community. We encourage you to share this with your friends, find people in your circle interested in the same causes and to explore this guide with your community.
Starting Monday for seven days, a new blog post will be posted with topics ranging from immigration, data and privacy, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and more. These blog posts will be short, maybe a 5-10 minute read, and it will include a brief snapshot of the current situation, why it matters, steps you can take to make a difference, and will explain how these actions create change. Each blog post will also include further reading, activists and voices you can follow that are more knowledgeable than I, and other resources. Each blog post will have an accompanying video for my folks who just don’t jive with reading. If you're looking for a sneak peek, we have version 1 on our website now.
We understand that seven days won’t fix everything, and there are a plethora of other issues that also need to be highlighted that are not in the guide. However, it is our hope that by the end of the seven days, you know you can make a meaningful difference in your community while prioritizing your own well-being. Every small action contributes to larger social movements, and through collective efforts, we can create lasting change.
Without further ado, let’s get started! I hope you will give me 15 minutes of your day next week. :)
<3 Angel
Extras:
The title comes from my good friend Jay, and he explains, “I think it captures the suddenness of the change in the world around us as much as the personal feeling of a need for similarly sudden and complete transformation in order to meet the moment.” The quote is from Lenin, “"There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen".
Questions you can ask yourself as you start this journey, “who can I ask to do this with me?”, “Is there someone less politically active than me that could benefit from this guide?”, “how do I practice advocacy in my daily life?” and “How do I treat myself when learning something new?”.