“If you see something that needs to be fixed, do something to fix it.”
We get it. Calling yourself an activist (particularly an environmental activist) can seem intimidating -- as if there is a set-in-stone list of requirements that you must meet in order to make the cut. What if you do it wrong? What if you don’t do enough? Will somebody tap you on the shoulder and tell you that there’s no way that somebody like you can call yourself an activist?
Spoiler alert: there is no Activism Dictator who is in charge of making the rules on what it means to make a positive impact on a situation or set of circumstances that are causing harm. Being an activist is as simple as being present in your world, taking the time to notice when there is a problem, and to have the courage, compassion, and commitment to take action.
On this Earth Day, our action to celebrate and protect our planet takes the following forms:
Paying our respect to the planet, using herbs and rituals that honor principles of conservation and sustainability. Here is our video on smudging and how to approach the practice that serves your intentions, but does so in an ethical and responsible way.
Making a donation to Generation Green, a nonprofit dedicated to foster an intergenerational network, community, and platform that fortifies Black youth leadership in the environmental liberation movement.
Amplifying the voices and platforms of those who are harnessing their powers of courage, compassion and commitment to make a positive difference in the way we connect with our planet. Please check out the following badass warriors fighting for the cause of environmental justice and be inspired to summon your own inner activist:
- Leah Thomas (@greengirlleah) -- an environmentalist who coined the term “intersectional environmentalism” to explain a niche within environmentalism that advocates for the protection of both people and the planet—to create space for nuance in the environmental sector and to explore the relationship between social injustice and environmental injustice more closely. Read more here about her efforts to tackle the twin crusades of racial and environmental equity. She’s also a great source for environmentally responsible products.
- Tori Tsui (@toritsui_) -- a self-proclaimed intersectional climate activist, Tori is, among other things (hello, Stella McCartney model!) a co-founder of the Bad Activist Collective, an organization exploring topics of climate justice, environmentalism, racial justice, youth activism, disability justice, queer feminist theory, mental health, land and food sovereignty and dismantling systems of oppression and the ways that these topics are ever-evolving and intersecting. Yes to all of this -- and to Tori’s willingness to discuss the messy and imperfect aspects of trying to do the world some good.
- Jerome Foster II (@jeromefosterii) -- Jerome is young but FIERCE. He is a climate justice and voting rights activist, and just happens to be the youngest member of the Biden White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, helping contribute to our current and future government policies regarding climate change.
- Marie Beecham (@mariebeech) -- While her roots are in environmental sustainability, we came to know and love Marie as she broke through as a bold voice during the Black Lives Matter protests last summer. We love her well-researched, always-thoughtful content (available via her Patreon account). If ever you need proof of how caring for this planet is connected to literally everything, look no further.
- Our Climate Voices (@ourclimatevoices) -- Founded by Aletta Brady, a queer writer, organizer, and strategist, Our Climate Voices is a climate-focused nonprofit that aims to change the conversation about environmental justice through storytelling. Its mission “is to humanize the climate disaster through storytelling, contribute to a shift in the climate change dialogue that puts the voices of those most impacted at the forefront of the conversation, and to connect people with ways to support the community-based climate solution-making work that frontline and vulnerable communities are already doing to combat climate impacts.”
Have other climate change warriors you want to highlight? Let us know! Happy Earth Day!
With gratitude,
Team Smudge
