Connecting Community and Action
“Connecting Community and Action,” at the center on a white background with two rounded arrows surrounding the title to create a circle. A blue gradient blob is on the left side.
Think back to a time when you were motivated to take action.
Was there something that connected you to the issue?
Did you learn and/or witness something that fuels the internal drive?
Did you try something that encouraged you to contribute?
There are many ways that can be the motivation to take action. Most of the influences are connected to the community you are involved in. It can be from family, friends, education, workplace, recreation, volunteering, and so much more.
Community is the center of connection and action. It is a way to encourage participation between people but, it is also the collective knowledge of the challenges and issues that prevent the community from reaching the potential that can be obtained. Taking action without some knowledge about the impacts of the community can add more problems that could be prevented. On the other hand, without the support system from the community, it can be difficult to maintain momentum and drive to continue to take action.
The way we can connect community to action is finding ways to make solutions a mutually beneficial process. For activists and advocates, especially on a local or identity-specific communities, the key takeaways below can inform and inspire your ability to take action.
Small action based on community needs: While we all want that big change, you can still create impact by doing small actions based on community needs like volunteering, fundraising, awareness campaigns, etc.
Listening to the community: One person cannot know everything. creating the space to allow free flow of information sharing with an emphasis on listening can be just as important as small actions.
Respecting community input and needs: Along with listening, understanding that there are different perspectives, needs, and wants that can be difference, potentially conflicting, is crucial to ensuring that the impact can be positive and meaningful in the long run.
More direct action and impact: Similar to small actions, motivation to continue to take action can be maintained if impact can be witnessed. Same goes for witnessing action to help encourage that there can still be solutions and change for the community.
Amanda