5 Ways to Navigate Global Issues for Collective Momentum
“5 Way to Navigate Global Issues” on a purple background
Global Issues. How do you feel about them?
Do you feel like
There a collective understanding of what affects people, the planet, and communities?
Conflicted with the many systems and the urgency of challenges on a global scale?
Indifferent about the social, environmental, economic, and political challenges that also exist on the international stage?
Feeling clueless or helpless with the scale of international challenges?
See local issues more pressing to you?
And many more feelings…
I get it. I feel all of these for different reasons. It is okay to feel differently about global issues, it can be intimidating when you expect to tackle these massive issues at such a scale.
There are different ways to approach global issues. With the increasing interconnectedness of us due to technology, it is good to know how to navigate global issues.
How I used to perceive global issues.
Like I mentioned earlier, I have many feelings about global issues and the spaces that work to find solutions for a “better world.” I was once completely indifferent about international issues not only due to the massive scale that they exist in but, how the information is presented.
I grew up with those international humanitarian aid commercials that frame these important issues of poverty, hunger, and education solely on African children on screen and sponsor campaigns. While I feel the need for funds to help with hunger and education, using children to appeal to the emotional side, especially with feelings of pity and guilt, made me feel disconnected.
It did not help that I also saw (and experienced) some of these challenges locally within the society I live in that was more tangible and close to home. I did not really start considering global issues until I did my internship at the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC).
How I navigate global issues.
An important lesson I learned at ACIC was the connection of local, national, and international issues. None of the issues exists by themselves but they require solutions that are designed for the environment that these challenges grew in. It provided a new perspective on how global issues can be viewed with my eyes. It was not how can we solve these massive issues all at once as a collective but, how we can learn from each other to contribute to the improvement in spaces we exist in.
Since I entered the international cooperation sector in 2021, difficult conversations have been happening that have the potential to shift the sector. With lessons learned from the shift due to the pandemic and injustices voiced through Black Lives Matter and Every Child Matter, I joined when there was commitment and work done on anti-racism. There is work being done to understand the historical and colonial structures of the international cooperation’s practices and the drive to change that. It will not change overnight. However, it did provide a way to shift priorities and reevaluate the practices that were previously the standard.
The opportunities to learn took me to my approach on navigating global issues. To learn about different solutions that worked for others and be inspired to adapt to issues that exist around me. To expand the potential of what can be done in my communities.
5 ways to navigate global issues
Navigating global issues is a learning curve. The issues may be on a massive scale but, you do not have to start big. Here are some ways to help when you feel like;
1. The global scale of issues seems to big
Start tackling these global issues locally (or small scale) first. Look at the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to see what issues exist in your community and what you think you can contribute positively to first.
2. When you feel like local is not getting enough attention
There could be many reasons for feeling like this. There are different priorities for everyone and it may not align with yours. It also could be a matter of strategy, especially when considering the media. You can either provide value to the media if you are strategic about it and it is mutual. You can also find people in your communities (does not have to be physical location) who are just as passionate and would like to help to share the amazing initiative. Sometimes, more initiative is needed to showcase what you are providing to the solutions.
3. When you feel like priorities do not align with what you advocate or need attention on
With limited resources, there are bound to be different priorities than what you see is important. That does not mean that your perspective or passion on the issue is irrelevant, it means you either keep working on the issue on a smaller scale, you find someone (or system) that has the same priority as you, or utilize the determined priorities and include your perspective on the issue.
4. When the systematic barriers are too much
My personal systematic barriers are more accessibility-related of not always having access to these spaces or the ability to even participate. Systematic barriers for diverse identities is exhausting which is why many of us work outside of the traditional systems. The most important tip is to take care of yourself first. Those who have diverse identities are already strained with the challenges that they themselves are trying to solve.
For the passionate individuals who want “selfless” advice, find/have a community of people to do the work together. You can make it more manageable and utilize the positionality that people may have in different spaces to spark change. We can never do this work alone anyway. Change is stronger when there is a team (or a collective) pushing the momentum.
5. When you need help or scale up
Communities! It can mean many different things to people. In this case, it is people who have the same mission and drive for the change you are looking for. Preferably, people who have different skill sets and networks that can expand the reach and capacity of the work. There are numerous programs, platforms, and initiatives that work to connect and encourage people to work towards social change.
Global issues are vast with many perspectives contributing to the conversation. It is overwhelming whether you are first entering, getting into the work, or even being doing this work for a while. Hopefully, these five tips can help you navigating the challenges of participating in the work of social change and advocate issue that are close to you.
Amanda