Shit You Can Do Now
We're in our feels, but eventually, we need to do something
I’ve always been a doer, a fixer, a family diplomat and all-around person someone could call up and know I would show up to help. The irony is, just as I am breaking myself of this habit of constantly being there for people who aren’t there for me, well—you know the rest of the story. It feels like a lot of years in therapy wasted at the moment, but I’ll keep working on me and helping those around me when I can because that’s what I do.
SMALL FAQ:
Q: Mel - do you give to all these orgs and do the things you’re suggesting?
A: YES. I volunteer, and when I had a job, I donated regularlly. I hope to do that again in the near future.
Q: When will you get back to book stuff?
A: If you’ve stuck with my newsletter this long, it’s always been a mix of bookish things and not so bookish things. I assume if you’re sticking around, you like both.
So, here are some suggestions of things you can do, whether you are in the US or not.
Support Black Women
They have literally given enough. Time to give back. Here are a couple of ways you can do that from free to significant monietary investments.
Support Black Women creators - on social media, in the arts, in publishing, in anime, in movies, etc. Wherever you are consuming entertainment, make it your mission to watch, read, like, share what Black Women are doing. Try to be engaged with something created by a Black Woman at least once a month. Leave positive reviews - it’s not about identifying with the content (though if you can’t - get some therapy) it’s about support the folks that have been doing a lot of the work to keep things going. Give Back. Check out my links for suggestions on diverse reading!
Support Black Women’s Mental Health - I’ve followed Dr. Raquel Martin for a while and she’s very much a tell-it-like-it-is doc. She’s out here supporting Black Women on the daily and her efforts should be supported.
Here’s a link to her go-fund-me called “Burn The Cape” It’s a ten week support group for Black Women with licensed mental health professionals that are also Black Women. I would love to see this fully funded.
Black Women’s Health Imperative - To lead the effort to solve the most pressing health issues that affect Black women and girls globally. Through investments in evidence-based strategies, we deliver bold new programs and advocate health-promoting policies.
Support LGBTQ+ Locally
If your local LGBTQ+ group needs volunteers, needs donations, needs a phone bank, by all means, please, please do that. Reach out, ask what will help. Share their social media, share share share! Don’t think because you might be in a protected spot with rights that national shit won’t come for you. The way we survive it is getting involved.
Support Red State Equality/LGBTQ+ groups - SMALL history lesson. Did you know that not that long ago Texas was a BLUE state? Yep - Ann Richardson, LBJ, and some other notable folks were in charge of things for a while and set Texas up to be a progressive bastion for the environment and business. AND whew, the backlash. Texas is a bellweather for the US at large. Want to see how things will progress given a political climate, check in with Texas. There are still blue dots in this big old red state. That’s where a lot of LGBTQ+ folks live and fight for our rights. If you live in a progressive state, think about donating to a “red” state rights organization. I’ll give you two:
ACLU of Texas - From Amarillo to Brownsville and Beaumont to El Paso, we believe in a Texas that works for all of us — a Texas where each person has an equal say in the decisions that shape our future and everyone can build a good life.
Equality Texas - Equality Texas works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration.
The Equality Texas Foundation works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through education, community organizing, and collaboration.
Supporting the National ACLU goes a long way as well. Supporting your state ACLU is even better, because they are working on the local and state levels and that can stop a lot of things from going to the national level.
Feed People
In Texas, I support Food Not Bombs in Houston. Mostly because they have been repeatedly harrassed by government and law enforcement for feeding people and need not only supplies and volunteers, but money to fight back horrible ordinances that were only put in place to penalize the group because they feed the unhoused and food insecure folks of Houston. There are Food Not Bombs orgs all over the world. Check out where you have one and see what they need.
World Central Kitchen - They have been active on the ground in Gaza and right here in the US. They are a non-political entity that goes where they are needed to feed people in extreme circumstances.
Land Back Efforts
Check out NDN Collective - LANDBACK is the meta political, organizing, and narrative framework for which we work toward collective liberation. All of our issue areas tie to LANDBACK. About: Build the collective power of Indigenous Peoples, communities, and Nations to exercise our inherent right to self-determination, while fostering a world that is built on a foundation of justice and equity for all people and Mother Earth.
Also, folks still need help in Gaza and around the world, check out my Ceasefire Link for more actions you can take there.
Act Locally Think Globally
Volunteer for a local org you respect and want to help.
Donate to a local org you respect and want to help.
DO NOT START an org - just don’t. FIND one, help it!
Get political and support folks that support Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Queer folks. It’s not a monolith. There’s a ton of intersectionality. There’s a lot of folks that will focus on one segment out there. Support, Support, Support!
What about cross-interests? Religion? etc - Look, marginalized is marginalized. The only way we can compromise is by making sure everyone is represented. Seek those that want to help, and want a voice. Avoid those that want to subsume and harm. Do your due diligence here. Research who you support. If a local, state, national, or international org has questionable funding, don’t support them or ask the organization to re-evaluate their donors.
Get your passport - whatever country you are in, if it’s doable, do it. In the US it’s the best proof of citizenship you can have (even over a birth cert, or social#).