This is a tricky thing- guilt, shame fear can be really powerful emotions when we start to speak up. And this is something that comes up for me still! Even last week having a conversation with a friend about attend the Invasion Day rally brough up these feelings for me. My trauma history impacts me in such a way that I find being in crowds very challenging and when it comes to public facing advocacy there can be a lot of challenges when it comes to accessibility. Because I really struggle with crowds and it makes it really challenging to show up in person at something like a protest. This does bring up a lot of feelings of inadequacy- I am human and this is something I navigate. I share this because I think that there can be a lot of expectations that come with stating a journey of activism. You are not alone if you feel guilt or shame and I want to specifically say that it is ok to choose the way that you speak up. Protests and rallies are very inaccessible spaces for those of us who experience disabilities, are neurodivergent, have mental health challenges, are chronically ill or are immunocompromised. But the thing is I DO care! I want change! I want equality! Accepting that while I might feel limited by my experiences right now- I still have a voice- and speaking out in my way is my form of resistance.
It is an absolute myth that there is one way to be an activist and there are a lot of people out there with opinions. It does not matter how you show up- there will probably be someone louder, wiser, more articulate and more knowledgeable on the cause. But activism is not a race- it’s not about comparison to others- it’s about collectivism and community and the immense power of solidarity. The judgements and options are tactics that try to keep us quiet and maintain the status quo. But really we all have so much more power in our combined voices than we can even imagine!
I have a small collection of activism resources that I will share too- things that I find inspiring and I hope you do too!
