Democracy in action:
The state of the world can be overwhelming, but even the small things can make a difference.
A few non-scary ways to bring about change
READ MORE // The world right now is pretty overwhelming, and sometimes it’s difficult to know how we can usefully contribute to making change. If you’re unsure about jumping straight into the action, take some time to get acquainted with what’s going on, and where. We’re not exactly living in the golden age of newsprint, but if it’s been a while since you picked up the physical version of your local paper, it might be worth hunting one down and giving it a read. Internet news is useful, but if you’re easily distracted, you’ve probably experienced the web’s magical ability to become a time-sucking sinkhole. Newspapers force you to go slow, and when you’re reading something physical you’re less likely to be distracted by a pop-up video asking you if you’d like two-for-one tickets to SEXPO. Beyond newspapers, you might want to consider reading longer form pieces that reflect on the history behind current events. When it feels like the world’s literally imploding, it’s easy to forget that many generations of people have dealt with political nightmares before. If nothing else, historical accounts of activist groups and biographies of political leaders make for some highquality motivational material.
START A CONVERSATION // Seemingly small moments can become effective opportunities to create long-term social change, and sometimes having a good chat with a friend can be equally, if not more meaningful than spending your afternoon at a rally. A classic scenario is the moment when you’re sitting around with your family, and someone makes a passing (and horrifying) racist, sexist, ableist or homophobic remark. In the nightmarishness of the moment, it can be difficult to intervene in a way that feels useful. Announcing that their comment’s not OK is a good first step, but in a big group setting, it’s rare to get much further without entering into a circle of aggression and defensiveness – especially if there’s no one around to back you up. Though it’s hard and almost always a bit awkward, try pulling the person aside in a quiet moment to tell them why you felt uncomfortable with their comments. Even the most frustratingly stubborn people can learn to listen, especially if you’re willing to listen back. Need specific tips on what to say and how? Good news: the internet’s full of step-by-step ‘how to talk to your racist relative’ advice.
REACH OUT TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE // If you live anywhere in Australia, you live inside a Federal Member of Parliament’s ‘electorate’. Amongst other things, it’s the member’s responsibility to be a voice for the people they were elected to represent. Politicians can be intimidating, but because they’re paid to act on your behalf, it’s literally their job to listen to your concerns. If something is bugging you about government policy – whether that’s refugee policy or the way the government is treating senior citizens – you’re entitled to complain. Find out your member’s office address and send them a handwritten or typed-up letter. Emails are a little easier for electorate offices to ignore, but they can still be effective when sent en masse. Writing to a pollie can feel like a small act, but when multiple electorate offices all start getting emails about the same issues, it forces the government and the opposition party to create a response and pay attention. For a real-life, in-person conversation, drop into the electorate office and ask to talk to a staffer. And if you live deep in the heart of regional Australia, far away from your member’s office, there’s always the option to jump on the phone.
VOLUNTEER // If you have a little more time on your hands, and even the slightest interest in history, look into opportunities to volunteer at a nearby community archive. Volunteer-run organisations like the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives collect all sorts of material from Australia’s LGBTQ past and present, then make sure it’s kept in good condition so it’s accessible to the public and future generations. Archives are easy to overlook when you’re
searching for ways to be politically active, but by collecting and maintaining documents, interview records, rally banners, letters, photos, pamphlets and books, archivists ensure there’s evidence of the past. It’s much harder for people to argue that homosexuality is a modern, millennial phenomenon, for instance, when there’s a big stock of data that proves otherwise! If you don’t have time to volunteer, there are other ways to contribute. At rallies or marches, collect pamphlets, take photos of banners (with permission), and find out if there’s an archive that will house them. If you know someone who’s been actively involved in Australian activism, ask if you can interview them and record their story. Even if there’s no appropriate archive for your material right now, collecting stories and protest materials can be a radical way to think about what we’ll need in the future. ATTEND A COUNCIL MEETING // You know when you watch American movies and everyone’s at a ‘town meeting’, complaining about potholes and stoplights? They exist in Australia, too! Showing up at a local council gathering is a good way to get a handle on what’s happening in your community, and to voice your thoughts on district planning and council policy. As one of the most local forms of government, councils tend to have some immediate control over what happens in your city, like whether a historic meeting place should be torn down and replaced by apartments, or a service for people experiencing homelessness should be relocated away from the city and into the suburbs. If you can’t get to meetings or you’re unsure whether it’s worth attending, you can visit the council’s website and look up records of their recent events. That way, you’ll have an idea of what’s on the agenda and who’s making decisions. If you’re interested in going but worried about looking out of place, try dragging along a bunch of friends. Worst case scenario, you meet a few people equally concerned about your neighbourhood and get a free cup of tea. CONSIDER YOUR STRENGTHS // The thought of being politically active tends to conjure images of chanting, marching and organising petitions, but if none of that sounds appealing or accessible for you, and you still want to get involved, reflect on the skills you have right now and look up ways to use them. Do you spend most nights knitting on the couch? How about stitching up jumpers for penguins living in areas affected by oil spills? (It’s a real thing that helps keep them safe.) If you like to cook, then your services might be helpful in a soup kitchen, a food van, or with an organisation like Meals on Wheels. Designers can assist with logos, pamphlets and website layouts. Groups like the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre sometimes need volunteers to help with admin, stocktake or cleaning – vital tasks that make it possible for them to run. If your timetable makes it tricky to lend a hand in person, you can still put your talents to good use by volunteering your services and working on your own time.
BE A GOOD ALLY // An ‘ally’ is someone who actively supports people from marginalised or minority communities – people of colour, refugees, indigenous people, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities – even when those individuals aren’t around. Being a good ally can take a bunch of different forms, but always starts with an understanding that you’re a supporter rather than a leader. I might be a gay M-aori person, but that’s pretty irrelevant when I’m being an ally to a recently arrived refugee. It’s less about being part of a community and more about being able to stand up when you see a group or person under any kind of attack. Sometimes it’s as little as telling your friend to shut up when they call someone a “homo”. Other times, it’s intervening on a bus when one of Australia’s many toolburgers tells someone to “go back where they came from”, or stepping in when someone’s being attacked on social media. Allyship is really just listening to what people in marginalised communities are asking for, then following through to provide assistance.
JOIN AN ACTION GROUP // If you’re super-passionate about a community issue, it’s likely others are, too – and sometimes they’ve already formed groups to do something about it! Local environmental collectives often hold days where you can lend a hand to clean up a shoreline or help to plant trees. On their own, one-off events can feel inadequate, but over time they make a difference, and they’re a good way to feel out an organisation so you can decide whether you’d like to be more involved. On the other end of the scale, refugee action groups often call out for last-minute volunteers and activists to help with an urgent protest or action. Getting your name on the mailing list – or even just liking the Facebook page – can be a useful way to stay in touch and keep an eye out for events you can attend. The more involved you get, the more you’ll understand what feels like a comfortable level of participation for you, personally. Maybe it’s participating in a phone-calling action, where you ring politicians en masse with the hopes of preventing a deportation, or maybe you’re more comfortable on a picket line. Working with others in a group setting is the best way to find out, safely, what you can handle. DONATE // A reality of making change is that community groups and organisations almost always need more money. But, even if you’re in a position to hand over some cash, it can be a serious whirlwind to work out where to send your dollars. If you’re totally confused, it helps to go with organisations you trust and who are transparent about where the money actually goes – whether to food and services for people sleeping rough, or to campaigns and organising, or helping newly arrived refugees set themselves up in a new home. It also never hurts to pass over some cash when someone sleeping rough asks you for help directly! If, like most folks, you’re without a personal pile of donation-ready moolah, it can be surprisingly effective to organise a fundraiser, either with a fancy online campaign or a potluck lunch at work. Donations come in non-monetary forms as well, so before you cart your couch out the door to be collected for hard rubbish, take a look for groups that could put it to use. Women’s shelters are often hunting for clothes, sanitary products, books and good-condition toys – just make sure to call and check they’re needed before you organise a drop-off.
USE YOUR BODY (IF YOU CAN) // Attending rallies and marches is one of the more obvious and visible ways to participate in political change, and if you’re able, willing, and feel safe to attend, then grab a bunch of friends, make some signs, and head to the next event. Masses of bodies moving as one send a pretty clear message that the public’s unhappy with government decisions. But attending rallies and marches isn’t always possible, and if they’re not doable for you right now – for any reason – there are plenty of other ways to visibly express your discontent. It’s easy to criticise social media, but posting about your own experiences or in support of a marginalised community can be an effective way to add your voice to a wave of protest. Pinning badges to clothes and backpacks can start conversations; hanging flags or banners from your balcony can be a sign of solidarity and support. And, even if you’re not attending the rally yourself, it never hurts to raise some public awareness by advertising the event and talking about it wherever and whenever possible.