I’ve perpetually suffered under the idea that I’m not doing enough to make the world a better place. Whether or not this is true, it’s caused me a lot of angst.
After this year’s inauguration, I knew I had to change my relationship with political and civic engagement. I embarked on a lot of list-making and soul-searching and have come up with a Sarah MK recipe that’s really working for me. On this holiday weekend and as I mourn the passage of recent legislation, it seemed a good time to tell you how I’m doing it.
The good news? You can do this for yourself. The bad news? My recipe won’t work for you! You have to spend some time and energy making your own. I once heard Van Jones interviewed, and he said, “It doesn’t take much. I recommend spending just one day a week on civic engagement.” One day a week?! That’s a lot! But if we really care about all the things we post or opine about, we truly do have to integrate them into our lives. That’s what I’m trying to do, and here’s how I’m (imperfectly) doing it:
Pick the issues I care most about. We truly can’t care about everything. It’s biologically impossible and will make us ineffective. I’m choosing to focus my energy on climate change, young people (especially queer young people) and homelessness/poverty.
Support movements and institutions that align with my focus areas. I financially support Bellingham Public Schools Foundation, Whatcom Million Trees Project, Sojourners, The Poor People’s Campaign, Everytown for Gun Safety, and more. I also try to read their newsletters, answer their calls to action, and pick a few to send love notes to.
Get excited about something locally. My friend Elizabeth Boyle is running for County Council. I’ve endorsed her and I’m doorbelling for her later this month. It is so rewarding and exciting to support someone who’s in politics for all the right reasons.
Stay informed on ten minutes a day. Compulsively consuming the news and reposting it is not civic engagement. In fact, it distracts us from things that might really make a difference. My goal is stay informed on ten minutes a day. I do this through a subscription to the New York Times, The Cascadia Daily, Omkari Williams’ Microactivist newsletter, and Sojourners action alerts.
Practice accountability with a couple people. I started a very small text string which we call “Democracy Club.” Our goal is to each post once/week on an action we are going to take, post when we took it, and give each other a virtual high-five. It’s been surprisingly effective and invigorating, and models something I’ve learned from adrienne maree brown: small is all. No big unveiling, no recruitment. Something we can sustain over time.
Go to protests. It is really wonderful to be out in the streets with other people who are working for a better world. Embodiment is so crucial right now.
Nurture my inner life. Martin Luther King, Grace Lee Boggs, and other powerful activists have taught us that we can’t be campaigning for transformation in the world without being transformed ourselves. The energy with which we do something is as important as the thing we are doing. If I want more love in the world, I have to cultivate it in my heart and mind.
Engage in small talk. Know my neighbors, go through the checkout line with a real person in it, keep my phone in my purse when I’m in public places.
Follow my generous impulses. Write cards, give gifts, make food, check in on people, say “thank you” whenever possible. Make it my business to ease the way of people around me.
Where all of these things might have been happening before, I didn’t see them as a strategy. Taking time to prepare my own recipe has helped me see many of the things I’m already doing, and it’s becoming second nature. And of course, whether or not any of it ultimately makes a difference, it helps me keep getting out of bed in the morning. When we’re living with intention, we become harder to control, distract, and overwhelm.
What’s your recipe? I’d love to hear about it.