When I started to think about what topic in social justice to write about this week, it was initially one of those “Oh I’ll get to it later, that’s going to be easy there’s so much to choose from” sorts of things. As the deadline for my article has drawn closer and closer, I have put it off more and more, and what I now realize is that it is not because I am lazy, or a bad writer. It is because the idea of tackling just one of the hundreds of issues that bubble to the forefront of my thoughts in the moments before bed, or when I wake up and check the news in the morning, is completely overwhelming.
Just within the last week, there have been so many reports of shootings and acts of violence in the United States and across the world including the New Zealand mosque attacks and the shootings at UNCC and Highlands Ranch Colorado. This, amidst other issues that plague our generation, like climate change, immigration detention and violence against asylum seekers, plague me in my free time.
So why am I sitting here reminding you of all of the reasons our generation needs to wake up every day with anxiety about what is to come and what has already occurred? Just by talking about it we are doing something that conservative policymakers are not doing: acknowledging the problem. Even if we don’t know where to begin discussing these issues, just exchanging ideas with friends can reduce stress for yourself and begin to start searching for solutions.
I always think about the fact that I cannot tackle all these issues in one lifetime, let alone as a twenty-something-year-old. I think that one way to deescalate the worries and begin to address these issues is to start small. Start by talking to someone, by making a donation to a nonprofit that aids in an issue that you’re passionate about, by reducing your waste, and using reusable grocery bags.
My point here is DO SOMETHING… just do anything.
Fear often keeps us from starting to create change and make progress. No matter what your experience level is, in whatever social justice movement you’re interested in, you have to start somewhere. Because if you don’t, you’re never going to start at all.