How do you actually 'do' climate activism? The Green Fix take

News, resources, and a chat with London climate activist Samia Dumbuya on what activism really is.

Cass Hebron

Dec 16, 2020

**For the Christmas edition of The Green Fix, look here.**

Meme of a car making a sharp turn away from 'Hoping other people fix the climate crisis' towards a road called 'Becoming a climate activist'

You’re already an activist, probably.

Even if you’re not sure of your exact political views. Even if you don’t roam the streets with a microphone.

Activism is a word, and a definition: you act on what you care about.

If you’ve ever signed a petition, talked about a social issue online, proudly turned down a brand for its unethical actions - you have taken part in activism.

I used to avoid calling myself an activist, afraid of the connotations. I didn’t want to seem ‘angry’ or ‘preachy.’ I just write stuff online and retweet things on my breaks, I would say. Not proper activism.

Sure, there are levels of political participation. Retweeting a campaign is not the same as launching a campaign. But what the hell is ‘proper’ activism anyway, and can someone tell me how to do it?

Quote: 'Activism is my rent for living on the planet,' by Alice Walker, on a yellow background — Image source

There is no entry criteria for speaking up for what you care about. It counts even if you have 3 followers and just talk about social injustice to your postman. It counts, I have to remind myself, if I do my activism through late-night emails to a small group of subscribers and awkward conversations at (Zoom) parties.

I’m transparent: I want more citizen activists. I want people to know that we do all have a hell of a lot of power to create change - we just have to demand it!

You don’t have to change the whole world, to change some of it.

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Nestle, Coca Cola and PepsiCo were revealed as the top 3 most polluting companies for the third year in a row, in a new report by The Break Free From Plastic network.
Useful: Break Free From Plastic’s Q&A about what the report actually means
Three youth activists and the climate action charity Plan B are filing a lawsuit against the UK government for their role in financing the climate crisis.
Relevant: Tracking the rise of climate lawsuits around the world
In the 5th year anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the EU has agreed on its goal to reduce carbon emissions by net 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Useful: Is Europe on track to meet the Paris Agreement goals?
35 banks have invested trillions in fossil fuels in the last 5 years, according to a new report by the Rainforest Action Network.
Useful: How to stop funding fossil fuels and move to an ethical bank
The head of the UN urged all countries to declare a climate emergency, in a Climate Ambition Summit at the weekend.
Relevant: How many countries have declared a climate emergency?

Focus On… Climate Activism

Samia Dumbuya, founder of Seize the Vote, and Diaspora Dialogues, talks about what we mean by climate activism and how you can take part.

Black & white photo of Samia standing on a stage explaining something to the (off-screen) audience — Samia Dumbuya, climate justice activist

My name is Samia Dumbuya and I am a British Sierra Leonean born and raised in East London.

I introduced myself that way because my identity plays a huge role in how I navigate the world and activist spaces. I label myself as a climate justice activist, because the label acts as a signal to people that I care about the people and the planet.

I am just a person who cares about the wellbeing of communities and natural spaces. My activism is focused around providing space, time, resources to people from all communities and inspiring them to create change, particularly those from marginalised communities.

I founded two collectives: Seize the Vote and Diaspora Dialogues. Seize the Vote is a platform where young British people, who rarely get involved in politics, come together to talk about politics freely and without judgement.

Diaspora Dialogues is a collective where we encourage passing the mic to those who do amazing work fighting for climate justice. We created this collective because we were tired of whitewashed voices and the lack of space for climate activists of colour to be authentically themselves.

[Read: What is whitewashing in activism?]

A meeting of black women sat listening to a meeting — A meeting for Seize the Vote, equipping black women with tools to be political

What is activism?

Activism is simply taking action to make society a better place for yourself, your friends, your family and your communities.

If you asked 13-year-old Samia what activism was, she would just list you names of famous historical figures that she learnt in school, like Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, the suffragettes etc. I used to think that activism was solely for the people who shouted through megaphones and were brave enough to risk their lives for a social cause.

Over time, I realised that activism is not about being the loudest in the room. Doing research for a cause or supplying food and water for those who are active on the streets are all ways to be an activist. There is no single way to be the ultimate activist.

What does climate activism actually mean?

Climate activism is holding powerful people responsible and accountable for causing the environmental degradation of our planet through their polluting actions and corruption; whilst also educating communities on the importance of living sustainably and ethically. A nice balance, right?

Climate activism is not easy. The fight is not linear and solutions keep changing on a yearly basis. Climate activism, to me, is moving forward collectively and learning from our mistakes, in order to live in a sustainable world.

What is climate justice?

A group of people gather around a table for a meeting with paper, listening to one man speak — A meeting of Diaspora Dialogues, discussing race and environmentalism.

One of my favourite quotes is “Environmentalism without class struggle is just gardening” - Chico Mendes.

To me, climate justice is social justice. Climate justice is health justice. Climate justice is economic justice. Climate justice is for all. Caring about the planet is about caring for the wellbeing of every living thing.

This means that we have to address the inequalities and inequities in our global communities. No community in this world is isolated from each other.

If you buy from a fast fashion brand like Primark, the cheap clothing you bought is unfortunately sourced from a factory, often in a developing country like India or Bangladesh, that has inadequate working conditions and underpaid staff who rarely have worker’s rights.

Mass-producing these clothes is polluting the communities in these countries and impacting people’s health. Communities in developing countries are going to feel the brunt of the climate crisis faster than communities in developed nations like the UK. Why do the voices and wellbeing of these communities get overlooked?

Activism is about taking the steps forward to change: you may not see the finish line, but you can pass the baton to the next generation to continue the fight towards progress.

Simple things you can do to be an activist:

Start the conversation! Talk to friends and family about a cause you care about. If you find it hard to open conversations, then use resources like videos and articles to provide a background. Watching documentaries for movie nights could be a thing if your friends want to learn something new.
Check out the community groups and initiatives in your local area. You would be surprised at the amazing work already being done in your local area, you can find groups via your local authority’s website or searching on Google
Search online to find people and groups that relate to your cause. The internet is a magical place to discover like-minded people who are holding digital platforms for people like you.
Organise meetups to discuss the cause. It is so important to invest time in discussing causes with other people, it helps you bond and build trusted relationships, resulting in a sense of community.
Plan actions with people that share the same passion. The conversations may turn into actions, they don’t have to be big and complex. For instance, if you care about plastic waste, then you could arrange a beach clean-up with your friends and allies.
Make sure you rest and don’t overwhelm yourself. Rest is revolutionary and necessary if you want your activism to be sustainable and effective. Don’t beat yourself up for taking a break!
Enjoy the process, enjoy the sense of community, collectivity and connectedness.

You can follow Samia on Instagram @samiaalexandra and Twitter @samiuhhh.

So Now What Do I Do?

LEARN MORE

TRY SOMETHING NEW

Have a conversation about climate justice this Christmas. Here’s how to do it without making the family Zoom call super awkward.
Look for local groups related to what you care about. For global climate networks, check out Fridays4Future, Greenpeace, 350.org and Friends of the Earth.
Sign up to this free online course on how to create positive change.

CHANGE THE SYSTEM

Rich countries are buying up all the vaccines. Sign the petition calling for a #PeoplesVaccine, a COVID-19 vaccine free and accessible for everyone.
Stuck in lockdown? Here’s how you can be an activist online.
Host an event! Climate Action has a guide to organising a local meeting on an issue you care about (*written for the Climate Action organisation but the main advice is relevant for everyone)

IS THAT IT?

No. As much as I wish my writing skills were so good that I can summarise what you can do in a few bullet points, there’s way more than I can include in one email.

What else should this email include? Leave a comment below!

Stay in the loop

I share updates on the Green Fix, polls and additional resources on Instagram @coffee_and_casstaways. You can also say hi on Twitter.

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