Backyard Activism
With the election approaching and early voting well underway, anxiety for the near future is palpable. The stakes feel especially high.
I just listened to an episode of the podcast Struggle Care with KC Davis, and it couldn’t have been a more appropriate response to an internal conflict I experience daily, and now more than ever given the current political landscape: What can I do? How can I take action or be involved in community and activism in a productive way? Because somehow we have to bridge the gaps of divisiveness. Granted, I suppose it’s not a requirement. But it’s a matter of personal value, and one that I want to model for my kids.
The episode is 113: Balancing Self-Care and Community Care with Nat Vikitsreth.
Nat is licensed clinical social worker with a gift for helping families navigate the struggle of wanting to practice social justice amidst the overwhelm of daily life. She and KC discuss ways to honor your values of collective action and liberation by checking in on your bandwidth and choosing an entry point for action based on the capacity you have available.
Two points really resonated with me:
The issues in our backyard are connected to the bigger, seemingly out-of-reach issues.
Whatever you can bring to the table is enough!
The ripple effect of our efforts might be hard to identify, but it’s there.
My own entry points for action right now feel isolated to my home. But as I continue to learn about things like gardening, carpentry, and fiber arts, I envision a time when my bandwidth for application of those skills opens up in ways that directly or indirectly support my community.
Check out the aforementioned episode, and really, all episodes of KC Davis’ podcast. I am so in awe of her emotional intelligence, and I appreciate the way she deconstructs relevant issues and topics with careful and deliberate consideration of all who may be impacted.
And if you’re a mama like me trying to figure out where you fit in the effort to foster community and social justice, you’re not alone.
