Something that I think bridges all of our studies thus far and the idea of becoming, continuing, or improving our activism, is that we must first know that these things are happening, then why or the historical and present day contexts of those events, who is being effected, and what we can do to help. However, so often we never are given the chance to learn and can't even conceptualize the first step. If you don't know about how Free-Trade Agreements affect small agriculture in Mexico, you can't even begin to consider that to be part of your activist agenda. If you do not know that the Dominican Republic retroactively rescinded tens of thousands of peoples citizenship, you cannot begin to consider the global need for combating statelessness, or even what that concept is. Thus, first to advocate we must understand, and to get people angry and ready to act they need to understand their own histories and the experiences of others. I'd argue that no activism or movement can exist without a collective knowledge and understanding of past and current traumas that bind everyone to a common purpose and create solidarity.
Standing in the way of such activism is the lack of information. Particularly when thinking about immigrant activism, as a white middle-class woman, I have never had to consider that without documents I would not be able to access so many everyday and essential things. I mean the Tuscaloosa Library even requires photo ID, for Pete's sake. From the smallest to the largest things, undocumented immigrants are denied access to necessary goods and services, but if I don't seek to learn about these experiences I could easily underestimate the fear and difficulty that accompanies undocumented status.
We must all begin by education ourselves about our pasts and presents and those of others, all within a framework of intersectionality that seeks to build solidarity to achieve the most comprehensive liberation possible. As activists it is our job to never stop learning about what is happening to others in the world and considering how we contribute to those oppressions and what we can do to help.
With knowledge comes the anger that incites us to act. To build inclusive communities and work towards liberation.
Agreed. The amount of misinformation that is able to be circulated among groups is a huge obstacle to the ability to mobilize and effect change because there is an insane amount of in-fighting that ultimately works to regress a group's potential for effecting change and ultimately working towards any form of liberation and/or equality.
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