An activist is someone who pushes for change in their neighborhood, politics, or society. A vigorous activity or resistance to one side is also supported by an activist. An activist delivers compelling talks about the need of environmental stewardship. Whether we realize it or not, activism plays a significant part in our daily lives. Without some type of activity, most individuals would not have the rights and opportunities they enjoy today. Activism is commonly defined as the use of strong advocacy to effect political and/or social change. Wendy Syfret describes activism as “a tremendous phenomenon, capable of changing communities and lives and reordering the way we think about our role in the world” (Syfret 38). This week’s reading, like previous weeks’, is both intelligent and intriguing. “How to Think Like an Activist,” by Wendy Syfret, broadens our understanding of activism.

In this week’s reading, Syfret discusses the activist women’s movements that have occurred throughout history and have had an influence on our society today. They discuss the timeline of women’s activist movements in the reading. We can see how far we’ve come in terms of earning rights as women in society over history, but it’s still not morally proper that we have to physically, psychologically, and emotionally struggle for our basic human rights, such as having a voice in our own reproductive system. We currently live in a period when technology plays a major part in our lives, allowing us to complete a wide range of chores quickly and simply. In efforts to effect change, I believe that technology is one of the best methods for individuals to communicate with others and have a better chance of getting their message over to others all over the globe who may share the same dissatisfaction and unfairness.

            Activism is about a group of people coming together to make a change in society. In the reading “How to Think Like an Activist” by Wendy Syfret describes activism as being something people would do back then to get their voices heard by those higher in power and it’s something that people still do today. Wendy Syfret writes about how social media now a days makes a bigger impact today and it’s a way to inform the public on issues in the world and do something about it. For example, when the Black Lives Matter protest happened everyone was getting informed about it because people were posting videos on social media and the news would discuss about it. People being informed about the Black Lives Matter protest wanted to make the public do something about it and wanted to join the protests. According to Wendy Syfret, “The best way to make sure that you’re able to stick with it for the long haul is to have a clear and deep understanding of what you’re fighting for.” Wendy Syfret explains that is good to be educated about what you’re fighting for and have questions and inform others around you or talk with other activists. Wendy Syfret gives set of values such as having a mentor with experience and having talking points. Being an activist is about staying informed about the topic that a person may be fighting for and surrounding themselves with other activists to share their ideas. Activist can also inform those who don’t know about the topic and it’s a way to interest other people about what they’re fighting for. 

            The documentary “United in Anger” was about people protesting for AIDS to get medication and do something about people getting infected with AIDS. The group ACT UP was a group of people coming together to talk about AIDS and many people had friends and those who they were in a relationship with that were infected with AIDS. The ACT UP group gathered and were protesting outside the FDA headquarters because they wanted drugs to be released already because many friends and loved ones were passing away from AIDS. Not only was there an ACT UP group but there were many other groups who joined to protest. This protest was getting attention from the media and there were videos shown about the protest. The protesters never gave up about what they were fighting for even they were getting arrested they were still yelling out phrases that was shown that they were fighting for the FDA to release drugs for AIDS. Even if it took years to get medication the ACT UP group still wanted to make a change in the world. I like the images my classmate Raquel Hernandez used because it’s a representation of what activism is, and it involves all of us in the world and the caption “Fight today for a better tomorrow” is something that everyone needs to hear because we can make a difference now in order to have better days in the world. 

  Activism plays a major role in our everyday lives whether we recognize it or not. Most people would not have the rights and opportunities of today without some form of activism. The topic of How to Think Like an Activist by Wendy Syfret and the documentary The Punk Singer- Kathleen Hanna was activism, the effort for change in a system. A movement is led by activists trying to influence those in power to hear their voices. 

  The text began with some history related to activism. The French Revolution and the Salt March were discussed and juxtaposed in a way. The author compared these two movements for their different methods of igniting change. The French Revolution was a lot more violent and ended with many deaths but also led to massive changes. These changes included the rise of democracy in Europe.The Salt March was more passive and Gandhi participated in civil disobedience for which he and many others were arrested. 

  The article goes on to discuss the waves of feminism. The first wave of feminism was the suffragette movement in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The main goal was for women to attain the right to vote. The second wave was focused on “systemic sexism, gender pay inequality, reproductive freedom, and access to education” as Syfret writes. This was done through protests and marches. The third wave of feminism was in the early 1990s and took a more artistic approach. Music was greatly influenced by feminism. Feminists during this era also recognized the lack of intersectionality in earlier movements. Feminism before mainly fought for white, cis, middle class women and their rights. Currently, the fourth wave of feminism is active and it is similar to the third wave in a sense but with more tools like the internet. The Me Too movement has also grown to be a big issue at hand. 

  Syfret went on to talk about the youths influence on activism and mentions Greta Thunberg’s efforts to speak on climate change and her powerful speeches. Many of the youth’s activism is allowed by the internet. The internet allows for quicker delivery of information like spreading the word on protests, live streams to be seen, and videos to be shared. 

  Finally Syfret goes into tips and various approaches to activism. She advises knowing what the message of your activism is, forming a group to engage with this message and allowing the group to be diverse. Syfret also says to unite and learn from others in similar situations. One can also learn from groups that have already been established and remain vigilant of the information you take in, separating facts from opinions. 

  In the documentary about Kathleen Hanna we learn about Hanna’s rich life as an activist and artist. She was a feminist who decided to approach her audience through her art which were zines and music. Hanna formed Bikini Kill and made music that inspired women to fight back against the violence inflicted upon them. Hanna faced a lot of backlash, having people say she was troubled or she had issues with her father. Personally, I really enjoyed this documentary. I knew a little about Bikini Kill beforehand and about riot grrrl as a movement. It fascinates me to see all that she accomplished and continues to do for feminism. 

  I’d like to mention Sadira Mohammed’s snapshot and the controversy behind it. The snapshot depicts AOC wearing a dress that reads “Tax the Rich” on the back. While the meaning may be powerful, the ways it was carried out and where it was done feels performative. Politicians talk a lot and hardly get much done. The event costs 35k per ticket, an exorbitant amount of money for an event designed as a grand display of wealth. It seemed shallow. 

Many and countless privileges we enjoy today are as a result of the actions taken by activists who never gave up, nor put themselves before others. The selfless measures, resilient movements and risking their safety so as to gain and maintain a fair world. Activism is popularly known to be using vigorous campaigning to bring about political and/ or social change. Wendy Syfret defines activism as “a powerful thing. It has the ability to change communities and lives and reorder the way we think about our place in the world” (Syfret 38). This week’s reading, like our past readings is very insightful and captivating. Wendy Syfret’s “How to think like an activist” broadens our concepts regarding activism. 

We learn that in order to not give up along the way and be a true activist, we are to have deep and clear understanding of what we intend to gain. One should sincerely and wholeheartedly know what it is they may be fighting for, and above everything, why they are fighting. We sometimes fail to acknowledge that protesting once or twice does not guarantee that the government or society may accept or give into our demands. Wendy, the author shares stories of movements that happened centuries ago. The French Revolution. The French Revolution was one movement that served as an eye opener to the rest of the world. This act took place over two hundred years ago, and it was led by Parisian craftsmen and store owners. They set this act to protest the monarchy’s brutal authoritarian rule. The movement was a very harsh and unpleasant one. Many people lost their lives including the reining King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette. So many unpredicted things occurred, but the movement was a success. The monarchy ended and France ended up becoming a Republic country. This would not have been so if the protestors had given up. Meaning they had started their movement without a good reason or cause. 

            A very practical example I would give is the “Black Lives Matter” movement. Throughout the very intense protest, which was to get justice for black people that were unreasonably killed by the cops, mainly George Floyd. A man who was sadly murdered in Minnesota by a police officer. This movement was very uncanny, dangerous and went on for a very long time (if not ongoing). The President of the United States at the time tried his possible best to end/ stop the movement. He called on the army (fully armed soldiers), barricades were put, almost every state had a very strict curfew and many others, but the protests went on. Without a valid reason, or if people did not strongly believe in what they were in for, countless would have dispersed at the sight of soldiers with their guns. The author states, “As groups like Black Lives Matter, March for Our Lives and Fridays for Future have shown you don’t need to be a power holder or career activist to change the way we view the world” (Syfret 11). If one puts their mind to it, we can all fight for change.  You do not have to have some kind of influence to fight for what you believe is right.

This week’s reading and movie taught me about new perspectives. The reading “How To Think Like An Activist” by Wendy Syfret,  ties into the film “Girls Connected” by Koen Suidgeest. The movie was both powerful and inspiring. The plot revolves around five teenage girls who use their individual strengths to tackle gender discrimination and violence in their respective communities. Each of them inspires their own people to transform his or her personal lives.

            Josi is from Peru, and when she was a teenager she witnessed numerous teen pregnancies. She wondered what she could do to prevent these situations. Along with her friends, Josi Invited her community to a park where she gave advice and spoke on how they can take care of themselves through informed decision making. She speaks on the importance of using protection to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Furthermore, Josi emphasizes the equal responsibility that women and men share, encouraging education around this topic.

            Latifa is from Bangladesh and when was twelve years old her parents tried to coerce her into an arranged marriage. She told them that she would rather die than get married. Latifa believes getting married as a mere child puts an end to their dreams. One of the mothers in Latifa’s community admitted that the reason she tried to marry her daughter off was because she doesn’t have a father, brother, not to mention a house. Her mother feared for the worst, ultimately coming to the decision to marry off her daughter. However, Latifa put a stop to all this, saying that instead of marrying prematurely, the daughter will marry later on in life, and it will be of her own will. If anyone bothers them, they can call Latifa immediately and she will personally take aggressive action towards the harassment. There are girls in Latifa’s community who are married off before the age of sixteen. They are forced into marriage by the poverty of their parents. She empathizes with their struggle, knowing firsthand how miserable it feels when to not have anything to eat. About two years ago when Latifa was in sixth grade an attempt was made to marry her off because her family was suffering financially, and thus were faced with a food shortage. But, her mother defended and stood by her because Latifa’s mom was once a child bride herself. Her mother came to realize that she didn’t want her daughter to go through what she did. She wants her daughter to learn how to be independent before she gets married. Latifa made a call to her teacher and around 10 PM the administration came to her house and a court was set right in front of them. The administration announced that Latifa wishes to continue with her studies, and if, before the age of 18, anyone tries to marry her off without her consent they would be arrested. Latifa come to the realization that if she could stop her arranged marriage then she could help others in need as well.

            Coming from Jordan, Ghazal doesn’t believe that her community truly understands the impact of what she is trying to accomplish. As being liberal is associated with danger, everyone around her accuses Ghazal of encouraging other girls to overstep boundaries. In Jordan, women’s rights and their freedom is simply out of the question. Ghazal was always first when it came to doing things differently, going against the social norms. She is passionate about recycling, was the first girl to play football at her school, and interests such as these set her apart from the other girls in Jordan. Many of the girls set limits and boundaries for them to adhere to. They participated in activities deemed to be acceptable for women, and strayed away from doing things considered to be more “masculine”. However, Ghazal believes in breaking gender norms, that anyone of any gender can do anything.

            Ayesha states that back in India, girls are not allowed to go anywhere and are confined to their homes. They are are not allowed to do anything. But, Ayesha hopes that together, they can prevail with an improved confidence. The future that she sees for India is a future wherein girls can strive to better their lives without fear. With that determination in mind, Ayesha began boxing. Inspired by her brother, Ayesha has loved Karate ever since she was a child and took an interest in learning.

            Back home in Kenya, most girls feel like their place is in the home and nowhere else. Society tells girls that they shouldn’t study engineering, that that’s unbecoming of them. Girls are taught to stay at home, take care of the kids, cook. In spite of it all, Michelle was able to brave these stereotypes, and that persistence is what she wishes to pass on. To be a girl in Kenya is to be told that you should not be outspoken for that is unbecoming of a lady. Girls should not express their ideas and opinions for that would be talking out of place. Michelle believes that these restrictions have been perpetuated due to a lack of role models, a lack of people to look up to when faced with these conflicts. The girls have it within themselves to move forward and get ahead in life, but they need the conviction and drive to do so. Michelle is a teacher who helps women from age twelve to thirty to achieve their dreams. There was a point in time where her family was put through financial hardships, sometimes going to bed hungry, but overcoming that obstacle made Michelle even stronger than she was before.

            My classmate Hillary posted a photo that sincerely moved me. The post was captioned, “Girls just wanna have fundamental human rights.” And that is a statement I fully stand behind. Our world is vast, with an array of cultures and traditions, but protecting fundamental human rights, regardless of gender, is not an evil we should be fighting. There is power and unity in human rights, and though we are different, we can all come together to better our communities.

Activism is the action of using campaigning to bring political or social change. Throughout history, we can see how so many activist folks and movements have impacted and shaped our society today. Without these brave individuals, many of us would be living in the same torment and sufferings as many of our ancestors. This week’s reading “How To Think Like An Activist” by Wendy Syfret, uses great examples and historical timelines to portray this set of events to the reader. 

In this week’s reading, Syfret goes into detail about the activist women movements that have happened throughout history that have impacted our society today. In the reading, they explain the timeline of women activist movements. The first movement happened in the late 19th century and it was a movement demanding the right to vote for women and our latest movements have been the Black Lives Matter movements and movements for women reclaiming their bodies, and since then, women have continued movements fighting, demanding and requiring rights, including basic human rights. Throughout history, we see how far we’ve come along with gaining rights as women in society but still doesn’t make it morally correct that we have to physically, mentally, and emotionally fight for our basic human rights, like having a say in our own reproductive system. At the end of the day, all these issues that have been brought up and fought for go back to white male supremacy and how they fear losing the power they once had. This is why, today, we as women still have to fight for equal pay, equal treatment in the workplace and so many more basic human rights that shouldn’t even be a topic of debate, let alone sometimes a political and controversial topic. 

This week, there were so many great snapshots posted by my fellow classmates that caught my eye in relation to activism. The one that stuck out to me the most was a post made by Hillary. In this post, we see a woman in a kind of protest where they have a banner up and are protesting and fighting for women to have fundamental human rights. It stuck out to me because, whether you are the most feminist person out there or not, women or not, POC or not, there is no reason why as women we have to literally fight to gain the most basic, fundamental right we deserve as humans. There is no way why we need to fight for equal pay in the same exact job position as a male. There is no reason for us to fight for rights over our own organs over laws, rules, and regulations that were made by individuals who never and will never have the organ they are trying so hard to take control of. So far in history, we have been able to see some changes in certain aspects of this. Until we receive all the fundamental rights we deserve as human beings on earth, we shall not stop these movements. 

How To Think Like an Activist by Wendy Syfret, is an amazing and motivating read. It would have been great to read this work in high school instead of Hamlet. From the start of the book, it mentions all the movements of feminists, and that immediately caught my attention. Syfret stated that all activist influence one another generations down without knowing it. One person can do something small, and people will see and join the cause. It’s another fact that the same issues are always fought for, LGBTQ+ rights, gender rights, black lives matter, Asian lives matter, climate change. These are all issues that continue to be fought for just in different ways. I really liked when Syfret mentioned the impact Covid-19 has had on the way activists share and fight for their cause. Syfret said, “Powered by the internet, nurtured by a vital network of mentors.” because of covid 19 society was forced to find new ways to reach their target groups, but because of social media people have been able to share their clauses worldwide. And everyone no matter the age can inspire and mentor the people that want to help them. When Black Lives Matter started it was because of a single post. I remember scrolling through Instagram and only sing black posts in honor of Black Lives Matter. The internet plays a huge part in the life of activists today because it allows them to access a larger span of people and allows protest without police brutality. Syfret also talks about how it’s because of the isolation we experience over the past year and a half that eyes have been opened more about the problems of the world. Because of covid 19 people have realized that to make the planet a better place change needs to happen and fast, especially when it come to climate change, non-binary issues, and women’s rights.

I also appreciated how this work is literally a step-by-step guide. First, it talks about finding what you want to stand for and how to go about it. this is something that would have really helped me as a kid. When I was in high school, I watched a movie about the women s suffrage moment in the 1920s, and after that day I knew I wanted to always fight for the rights of women. I did not know how to go about it and every one I tried to explain my clause to never wanted to hear it. Syfret mentions to mention a personal experience, that way people can easily relate and not feel like they are taking on the world’s problem. This is something I did not do when sharing my clause because I was afraid to tell my trauma to people. It was also the fact that when the older generation hear me talking about those issues with my friends, I would be told the “those issues are not in my hand so leave it alone. Syfret has a quote in the reading that reads, “Adults like us when we have strong test scores, but they hate us when we have strong opinions.” I have never related to a quote so much in my life growing up it was always a problem when I spoke about things that I found wrong with the world and the elders around me would try and invalidate my words by telling me to study things my age or you must not say certain things out loud cause people will target you. Hannah Nichols post explains exactly how I feel about the adults that would try to belittle my world. I would rather people have horrid opinions about me than belittle myself and not stand for what I believe in.

         The power and influence of social media in present-day activism cannot be understated. Almost everyone uses it, but few speak of it fondly. While the negative effects of social media shouldn’t be ignored, I believe that social media as a tool for social change is invaluable. As Wendy Syfret discusses in their book, “How to Think Like an Activist”, the ability of the Black Lives Matter movement to explode worldwide was due in large part to social media. This began with videos being shared showing the murder of young black men and boys including Trayvon Martin, who was just seventeen when he was murdered, Eric Garner and Michael Brown. (Syfret, 31).

         A new breaking point was reached in May of 2020 with yet another unarmed black man, George Floyd, being murdered by Minneapolis police. As pictured in this week’s snapshot by Sanae Butler, protests and demonstrations spread like wildfire first throughout the U.S. and later across the globe. The ability for any person to go online and instantly learn the details of when and where the next protest was going to be, along with an outpouring of sharing on social media allowed support for the movement to multiply rapidly. 

         Of course, social media isn’t the only way for activists to raise awareness about an issue, as proven in the film “Girl Connected”, directed by Koen Suidgeest. The film follows five young women activists from various countries, displaying their motivations and actions for their individual causes. Josi is a young woman from Peru who noticed that many of her peers were becoming pregnant at a young age, cutting them off from other opportunities and creating a difficult set of circumstances for a young person to bear. Josi takes to the streets with a group of her friends, all equipped with megaphones to rally their neighbors to the public park in order to give a seminar on the consequences of unsafe sex. 

         “Girl Connected” is hugely inspiring because it chronicles each of these individual’s unique forms of activism, demonstrating that a difference can be made in the lives of others even by those who have been traditionally viewed as powerless. The young women chronicled come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and countries in which women’s rights have not caught up to where they are in places like the United States. Despite this, they persevere and succeed in empowering others. Ayesha, from India, was unable to continue her schooling when her teachers could not accommodate the seizures caused by her epilepsy. That didn’t stop her from carving a non-traditional path for herself through Karate. She competes nationally and internationally, and trains other women and girls in the art of self-defense. 

         “To maintain an action for months, years or even decades you need more than a Facebook group. You need the support and trust of a solid community of like-minded activists, which is why the most impactful actions pair digital activism with traditional, person-to-person methods,” (Syfret, 31). Social media creates, grows, and reinforces communities of activists in real life. Going forward, we must use all tools available to us to invoke change. 

The reading “How to think like an Activist” by Wendy Syfret and the video “Knock down the House” both show the concept of activism and activist. In “How to think like an Activist,” Wendy Syfret describes an activist as someone who campaigns to bring about political or social change. The article offers a space for activists to learn from the past and look up to the future. According to Wendy Syfret, “Activism has always relied on the voices, vision, and energy of individuals to inspire and drive social change.  

Being an activist comes with a lot of learning, challenges, and responsibilities like the Wendy Syfret said, “Knowing your values will help you stay focused on the bigger picture and not become overwhelmed by an endless list of things you could be doing.” Activists fight for what they know is right for the people who are been oppressed one way or another. A member of our class Myweleman Ouattara also expresses this in their snapshot, and it quotes “Fight today for a Better Tomorrow.” Activists fight because “They cannot allow one more person to be killed by senseless gun violence. They cannot allow one more person to experience the pain of losing a loved one. They cannot allow one more family to wait for a call or a text that never comes and they cannot allow the normalization of gun violence to continue.” We can relate this to the past movement “Black Lives Matter” movement which went around the United States with the help of activists we all were able to come “together with a shared, clear, and powerful way to disrupt the state-sanctioned violence inflicted on communities of color.” I can also relate this to a classmate snapshot by the name of Sanae Butler their snapshot shows the images of people protesting and holding up signs saying “Black Lives Matters Today, Tomorrow, and Forever we are the change. Silence is violence etc..” When we keep silent everything remains the same but when we fight and take up the role of an activist we get to speak out and change things. The Internet and social media have really made it possible to communicate, organize and create real change, and through hashtags, we engage with the right people and audience that will help the cause better. Alexandria Ocasio succeeded through her campaign videos that went viral, her progressive ideas, and her ability to communicate her message clearly through grassroots movements with the help of like-minded activists. Activism that must succeed beyond social media must have clear ideas, demands, and a community of like-minded activists that share the same interest with clear and powerful Misson. 

The documentary “Knock Down the House” talks about four female candidates for positions in the House of Representatives. All candidates are all democrats whose aim is to fight for justice, give hope to the people, and provide affordable health care for all. Out of the four women, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is an incredibly good example of an activist. She fought extremely hard for the good of the people even though she might be looked down on because she was a woman, she never let that stop her from fighting for what she thinks is right. The biggest goal for the group of activists and women that worked together was to get things done by electing working people/everyday Americans for effective representation. We change the way we see politics and the government when we create a grassroots-powered movement that can be a real opposition to the current institutional powers. As an activist the “easiest way to learn is to talk to people who have been there and done that the same thing you are going for.” These people can help offer “Support, Motivate, Connect, and point you in the direction of other valuable and trusted resources. This was exactly what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did, she was fearless and brought together people who shared the same interest as her and believed in what she was fighting for, and this was her road/way to success. She was able to answer the fundamental question, why you? The reason was that nobody else could challenge the political machines and the establishment. I love the fact that she engaged a lot of people in her movement and was able to succeed in a position meant to be occupied by a Man. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez winning the seat is meant to give us hope for a brighter future. 

Alexandria Cortez understood the needs of everyday Americans and she was able to organize and talk to members of her community which lead to a successful grassroots campaign. She had the courage and understood the power out there was an illusion and does not advocate for everyday Americans but for corporate interest. Activism is a powerful thing. It has the ability to change communities and lives and reorder the way we think about our place in the world.