If wearing a blue bracelet makes you feel better right now, ok, I guess. But the truth is that the Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ folks in your life already knew whether or not you were a safe person. The bracelet is really just for you.
But if you actually ARE in the place where you are ready to do something, here's a list of low-commitment actions you can take. Personally, I'm not there yet. I know I move slowly and need to get myself in a good place from which I can start doing the work. If you needed ideas, but, like me, need some time, bookmark this and come back to it when you're ready.
1. Support good and local (when possible) journalism.
As confidence in our institutions erodes, journalism that is actual journalism--not entertainment disguised as news, not propaganda--is becoming an endangered species.
If you have a hometown paper you trust and like, subscribe. If not, look into publicly funded news organizations. Look into your local PBS and NPR stations. For Northeast Ohio, Signal Akron and Signal Cleveland have also been doing really good work in online print journalism.
If you're not able to support these organizations at this time with donations or by becoming a member, then start using them as your news sources.
Links:
Ideastream Public Media (NEO PBS and NPR)
2. Donate to local organizations that support people who will be targeted over the next 4 years.
If you have disposable income right now and your goal is supporting Black people, brown people, LGBTQ+ people, and immigrants, there are organizations near you doing this already. Set up a donation with them--make it monthly so it will continue even after this initial rage wears off and we fade into waves of complacence and frustration and you won't need to remember to do it.
A few links to orgs in my area:
International Institute of Akron --helps refugees and immigrants achieve an empowered life with dignity, connection, and belonging.
ASIA (Asian Services in Action)--the largest health and human services agency serving the AAPI community of Northeast Ohio.
Freedom Bloc --On a mission to build black leadership and political infrastructure in Black communities through civic education and engagement, leadership development and economic reinvestment.
Plexus --Plexus LGBT + Allied Chamber of Commerce
Big Love Network --Big Love is Akron’s local environmental health equity organization. We are an evolving network facilitating neighbor-led/creative placemaking, sustainability, and health equity efforts throughout Akron as a means for social change.
3. Support your local arts, artists, and small local businesses.
The arts build healthy communities, and believe it or not, healthy economies! It's a crucial part of your local social and yes, financial, infrastructure. If you can't support a local org with money right now, support them by patronizing them with your presence--many have free or very low cost admission. I'm listing local organizations here, but I promise, wherever you are, there is a small gallery, venue, or museum you can support. Buy holiday gifts from local artists, shop Small Business Saturday events and art and craft fairs. Even if you don't buy anything, collect business cards from your favorites so you remember to default to them when buying gifts rather than shopping through big tech websites.
Links to some Akron-local orgs you can support with your funds and/or presence:
Summit Artspace --quickly becoming my favorite source and resource for the arts in Akron. They support not only artists, but the community.
The Nightlight --An exceptional arthouse cinema experience—for everyone.
Akron Soul Train --Akron Soul Train is an artist residency program connecting and empowering the community and artists by granting residencies that provide resources for all creative disciplines to foster a more vibrant downtown Akron.
CATAC --seeks to provide a home base to nurture emerging local artists and those of international reputation creating new work and experimenting with new forms of expression.
Akron Bazaar and Cleveland Bazaar --northeast Ohio’s longest-running indie craft show, with over eighteen years of fantastic events on our track record since 2004.
The Rialto Theatre --Akron’s premier live music venue
There are literally dozens more just in Akron and the surrounding areas...
4. Donate or volunteer at your local foodbank.
Foodbanks are overwhelmingly cited as the organizations that make donations go further than humanly possible. Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but these are the only organizations that can find a way to turn $1 into three free meals for those in need. And regardless of whether the economy is up or down, regardless of your neighborhood, food insecurity is real, and I promise you, worse than you could imagine. My day-job hosts food bank pickups once a month, and folks are lined up in their cars for a mile, waiting for literally hours to get a couple bags of groceries. These orgs will always need volunteers and money. Always.
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
5. Support your local public library.
Wherever you are, your library will accept donations. But more importantly, you support them by your presence. Every year they report their attendance numbers statewide and nationally to show that they are a critical resource in the community.
And they are.
When free and open access to information is eroded, everyone suffers. But your local library isn't only about books and movies and music. It absolutely is, but it's infinitely more.
As access to public resources continues to erode, the responsibility for filling the gaps left by failing and dismantled social safety nets is filled, intentionally or not, by the libraries.
Just some of the things that you may not immediately associate with what libraries do:
- Maker spaces, with 3D printers, laser cutters, Cricut machines, embroidery and quilting machines, CNC cutters, free access to Adobe suite software, vinyl printers, and so much more that I'm not even remotely tech savvy enough to understand but maybe you are
- Free meals for kids, and food pantry pick ups
- Assistance with applying for various social services
- Free computer and internet access
- Free Microsoft Certification classes
- Free career assistance
And--your libraries are under attack right now, and over the coming years it is only expected to get worse.
As book and material challenges and bans become more frequent and libraries are placed in the crosshairs for doing nothing more than providing information to anyone who wants it, they need your support. Here in Ohio, the statehouse attempted but failed (so far) at defunding public libraries that provide materials they want to censor. You can read about it here.
So what can you do? Show up. Vote for every library levy on your ballot as they show up in the coming years. If you haven't visited your library in a minute, step through those doors. Get a card. Ask for a list of programs and register and attend an author talk, writing workshop, a cooking class, a storytime with your kids, a program to learn how to use all those fancy maker machines I listed above. Make the library a weekly visit.
Beyond that, libraries need you to call your Ohio state representatives and Ohio senators. Make it a weekly call--schedule five minutes a week and put a reminder in your phone. In Ohio, we are blessed with something called the Public Library Fund, which uses a percentage of statewide tax revenue to fund public libraries across Ohio. It's one of the reasons the libraries in Ohio surpass some of those in even the biggest cities in the nation. Yes, those.
So here's a quick script to use when you call if you need help:
"Hi, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent at [your address]. I'm calling because I want to support my public libraries across Ohio, and I am asking you to keep the PLF at current levels of funding. I am also asking you to support the freedom of information by preventing any efforts to tie those library funds to the materials our libraries offer." (You can add a thank you at the end if you want. Depending on whether or not you like your rep, maybe you don't want.)
That's it. You'll probably reach voicemail without even talking to a real person.
Here's how to find your Ohio reps:
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This list is NOT even close to all-inclusive. And this list is largely hyper local. So if you know of other orgs, share them with your friends who are asking, "What do we do now?" There is always something to do. No one person needs to do it all. But everyone can do one thing. When we're ready.
Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times; but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.
I believe that we were meant to be in this time and were given the gifts to do what is needed in the world right now.
Life. Love. Light.
T
