Take Action.
Take a Pledge to Act. Pledging to take actions based on your own unique positions will challenge us all to grow together. While there are an infinite variety of actions we can all take, we believe that pledging to take a few actions and seeing them through is an essential first step.
For $1, we are asking individuals to make a commitment to taking action towards racial and social justice. Funds generated from pledges will be used towards grants.
1. Learn and Acknowledge
We must walk before we run. Seek first to understand.
Read. Watch. Listen. Understand.
Educate yourself about our country’s full history, about unjust laws, about systemic bias. Acknowledge the role you play in supporting systems that create and maintain inequity. But also read about people’s everyday lives, their humanity, the commonality of the human experience. There are numerous books, articles, podcasts, etc. on the issue of systemic/structural/institutional bias in America, about our country’s history, and about the everyday lives of people who our society <portrays> as ‘less than’ but who are are just as equal in the experiences we have and who we are as humans. See here for a list of books and here for some articles.
Talk It Out.
Sustained Conversation groups meet regularly with the goal of engaging in civil discourse and forging relationships outside of one’s normal circle to help people develop empathy and understanding of different perspectives through ongoing dialogue. We connect you to others based on an interview that helps us understand your goals, values, background and other characteristics that we use as a guide in matching you to a group. Vulnerability, transparency and honesty serve as the basis of dialogue.
2. Engage
Practice active citizenship
Vote.
Systemic problems require systemic change. In the last election, nearly 1/2 of eligible voters did not vote. Check your registration status and make sure you’re registered to vote: https://www.vote.gov/
Be Vocal.
Get in touch with your elected officials in support of, against, or to create new legislation. Call them. Email them. Send them a letter. Tweet them. Be persistent. Be consistent. If you need assistance, get in touch.
Show Up.
Attend your local City Council, Board, and Committee meetings. Know when they are meeting, what they’re voting on, and what impact they are having in and on your community.
Get Involved.
Participate in the decision-making that happens in your community, in our governments. Run for office. Join a board. Join a committee. Need guidance, help, support? Get in touch.
Volunteer.
Volunteer. Consistently. Do more than just participate in corporate team-building activities. Do more than just ‘savior’ work that makes you feel good but does little for long-term impact or change. Focus on work that helps give a ‘hand up’, not just a ‘hand out’, volunteer with your local civic and service organizations.
3. Unite and Speak Up
If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Work Together.
You don’t have to go it alone. Working alone, without support or without accountability can easily sidetrack one’s efforts. However, working together and with the right tools, the power of group action can be incredibly strong. An Empathy Acts Action Group connects you with others who want to take action, providing a space where you can learn together and from each other.
Confront.
When you see something, hear something…say something. It’s not enough to think that you’re doing your part by not being biased. Speak up for those discriminated against, challenge those who are being biased in their actions, stop those who are contributing to discord.
If you’re unable to participate in any of the above or want to do more, consider paying it forward by becoming a member of our It Takes A Village initiative.