In this week’s reading, “How to think like an activist,” Wendy Syfret speaks about how every right, liberty, exists because someone fought for us to have the right to do so. The previous battles have shaped and inspired activists to this day. One of my favorite quotes is “the most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any” Alice walker. The power lies within us; we can push forth a belief. If a movement is inspirational, why not research and become familiar and help out. The actions of today may better shape our future.
Another interesting and relatable point was “change starts at home” parents often don’t want their children to listen to world news or world problems because children can’t comprehend world issues. When you expose children to world issues, I believe it helps them understand as a child what needs to change and why. Growing up, my parents swayed me away from world problems, which is why I didn’t care for it, nor did I want to understand it. Being a wiser adult, I know the importance of world problems and what needs to be done. I try to conduct my research on movements to help with climate change. I do follow the green rule in my household and try to have friends and family members get on board with me. It is essential to preserve the only world we have. It’s not about me anymore; it’s about our future and the better world we want to inhabit.

Reading “How to think like an activist” was a good book to read, it shows some tips and step by step on how to become an activist and the history of people who were activists. There have been people around the world who have been protesting about their rights and other rights as well. This reading inspires others that want to be an activist and fight for their rights. This decade we have seen so many youths fighting for rights and wanting to change the world to a better place ever since Covid-19 have a struct in our lives. It is easy to become an activist but you need a passion for what you’re fighting for, and it takes a lot of research and takes a lot of effort. Activism is a great way to hear our voices, they have the freedom of speech to say what’s the problem going on in the country and how to fight it. There has been some activism that has been fighting for women’s rights throughout the decade, such as banning abortion and going to prison for years over a miscarriage, something that women have no control over. There are some LGBTQ+ that are fighting for their rights especially, this lady’s name Marsha P. Johnson, women that fought for LGBT and trans right for everyone who has always been unsafe walking around the streets and fighting for their healthcare. Although it may seem impossible to make a change because of how long the progress will take, their voices never gets tired and they will continue until this world change.

This week’s reading reminded me of how important activism it’s to create positive changes in our society. Last week, we were talking about how patriarchy is a giant system, that influences almost every area of our life, and since it’s this huge, throwing the patriarchy down seems pretty unrealistic. However, it’s important to acknowledge that every individual participates in this system, and only if everyone is decided to create a change, it will be done, it’s not impossible, but sure it will take a lot of effort. The change that everyone is looking for only can be done by activism. Some decades ago, black people in America were considered slaves, back in the 19th century, I think that black people weren’t even considered to be humans. There were black people that possibly thought that they’ll be slaves forever and that nothing could ever change. Thanks to slaves that didn’t conform, decided not to stay passive and fight for their human rights, now we live in a society where black people have rights. Same with women, LGBTQ+, and other minorities had their human rights taken away, but activists fought for them, and we can see a change. However, we have a long way to go since a lot of minorities around the world still are disenfranchised. Though sometimes it seems like it’s impossible to see a change, with the initiative of one person, a revolution could be created. Activism is the way to be heard and create awareness in those in power who actually can change the game.

When I was reading “How to Think Like an Activist ” It felt like it really unpacked what seemed like a gargantuan task.It gave a well thought out experience of what activism was and with  activism I often feel oftentimes with folks what  can be the biggest issue is just figuring out where to start and would it be enough and we don’t realize there are a lot of different places in the revolution and in activism that are equally needed because it inspires change such as the story tellers, the creators the speakers  and the frontline people marching and fighting for a change. There are many different ways to engage in activism and there is a place in activism for each person. I watched “Bringing down the house” and saw the process it took to be elected into congress as a woman and what it looks like to do that coming from the working class. They used a different form of activism to me, that form of activism was changing the system from within and being an accurate representation of the people in the communities they came from. Women that were no different than the folks from the community they came from stepped up to be that representation regardless of whatever is being said on how they should behave or should act and create the definition of woman for themselves. Alexandria was a waitress/ bartender. I can only imagine how many people had poor things to say about her because even  the men in congress have mentioned this part of her life and attempted to weaponize that detail to his advantage. The reading was dense and oftentimes I became distracted but I believe it is our responsibility to show up for things that matter to us. We are collective regardless of how individualistic capitalism makes our society feel. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the reading of “Patriarchy, the System: An It, Not a He, a Them, or an Us” . It encapsulated what “the system” actually is and how all of us are consciously and unconsciously apart of it . “The System” everyone blames for the downfall of society is not this grandiose mystery figure. Many are not only unfazed by that fact but also wouldn’t do anything outside of there comfortability. The other reading that intrigued me was “There is no Hierarchy of Oppressions” was incredible as well . It introduced to me the notion that you do not fight for just your form of oppression, but all forms of oppression. The line that stands out to me was sexism and heterosexism both arise from the same source as racism, that line widened my eyes. It made me look at why we are so quick to point the finger at the murderer but not the negative societal elements that built the murderer. Dealing with the root of the issues instead of the problems that blossom later on. We have to remember that we are the moving pieces within the system, we control the system that is oppressing and destroying us.

I appreciated this weeks reading “Hot to Think Like an Activist” for breaking down what can at times seem like a daunting or overwhelming task. Frequently I feel the biggest road block to activism is just figuring out where to begin. I chose to watch “United in Anger” and I found it interesting to imagine how different that fight would have been in our current era of social media. As Syfret points out, social media has been extremely helpful in speeding up activism, and just in being able to get information out. One of the things I’ve always admired about the Act Up movement was their organization in getting information out to what was then quite an isolated and hidden community. Also, their ability to adapt in battling an unknown adversary. Of course they had stumbles and infighting along the way, but it’s amazing when you consider how what they fought for and were able to achieve shaped a lot of the policy that helped us in this current pandemic. Syfret’s comments on unity in diversity also makes me think of the strength allies  lent to the movement. The invaluable contributions of other members of the LGBTQ+ community outside of the heavily effected gay community, those who recognized that it was a fight for the community as a whole, and those outside the community who recognized that this wasn’t just a gay issue. And the visibility people like Madonna and Princess Diana brought to the crisis. That marginalized community needed the help of those outside it, especially as AIDS was decimating and weakening them.