How To Level Up Your Activism
By Jody Bell
“I have learned you are never too small to make a difference,” said Greta Thunberg at the age of 15 years old.
The activist has become a household name for her ‘Fridays for Future’ strike, which spread to become an international movement. School children from every inch of the world continue to make headlines for going on strike in the name of her climate change initiative – now Thunberg has spoken at the United Nations, won numerous awards, and is a globally recognized activist.
The truth is, her movement was built off of nothing but passion. She started by writing essays about the topic, posting pictures of her striking on Instagram, and her sheer dedication organically inspired thousands to join her.
Thunberg’s story is not isolated – in fact our generation of young activists are following suit and combining their passion with social media, business tools, and the plethora of resources that technology has given us access to. With the right set-up, it’s possible to create entire movements from your childhood bedroom with nothing but a laptop and motivation.
That being said, just because it’s possible doesn’t mean it’s easy. The journey of activism can be incredibly daunting – especially when you are still getting started.
Here are a few tips to make the most out of your passion and take your activism to the next level!
1. Channel and learn from entrepreneurship
Oftentimes the world of business and activism are considered separate – and entrepreneurship is then looped and isolated within business. In reality, activism needs fundamental business concepts and a founder with an entrepreneurial mindset to turn an initiative into a movement.
When I was 15 years old I became passionate about educating and supporting American children with undocumented parents. I began researching this topic – understanding how to prepare for potential parental deportation and helping friends who were going through this difficult situation. While I loved this work, I knew that this information and initiative needed to spread. I joined Girls With Impact – an entrepreneurship focused mini MBA program – which guided me through a 12-week business plan, helped me create a press release, and then mentored me through media relations. After months of work, I had an Associated Press article about my organization run on the New York Times, Washington Post, US News, and more.
I came from a background of activism, and would have never naturally gravitated towards business to help aid me in my initiative’s goals. However, after going through the process I can wholeheartedly say that without Girls With Impact and an intentional business plan, my organization wouldn’t have gotten nearly as much traction as it did.
Since then I’ve decided to major in business, started multiple socially focused businesses/podcasts, and I’m pursuing sustainably centered investment strategies as a profession. I’ve gained an entrepreneurial mindset, and that has turned me into a confident activist ready to turn initiatives into entire movements through the power of business.
2. Remember you’re not alone
Like entrepreneurship, activism can be incredibly lonely.
What makes the two similar is the sense of ownership associated with the initiative. Being a founder of something and watching it evolve from nothing to a movement with tangible impact makes you feel attached. As a result, there is often avoidance of delegating tasks and reaching out for support.
However, what’s crucial is to remember that the core of activism is selflessness; the work you are doing isn’t for you, it’s for others. Thus, what may be best is to give a little ownership up for the sake of the initiative as a whole – even if this feels wrong.
Reaching out to likeminded schoolmates, organizations with similar goals, and teachers/administrators at your school are all great ways to start.
3. Don’t let your efforts consume you
When I was working on building out my organization, I became so engrossed with the work that I failed to take care of myself.
Amongst the sleepless nights, late submissions of my schoolwork, and skipping meals, my family became concerned about my wellbeing. My mom said “when you’re on a crashing plane, you know they always tell you to put your own oxygen mask on before you help others. That’s because you can’t give if you’re empty” and it has stuck with me ever since.
The thing about activism is that you don’t have a set schedule or to-do list. You simply have problems and the ability to ideate and solve them. Thus, you truly never feel like your work is done.
Without setting boundaries for yourself, this could end in burn-out – which in turn can make it harder to continue your efforts. To make a sustainable impact that you can continue to contribute to, you often need to take a step back and sometimes lessen your responsibilities.
4. Remember – it is humanity at the core of activism, not anger
While this may be a given, sometimes you become so attached to your initiative that you personally get angered by watching injustice occur.
This is a perfectly natural response, but it can sometimes cloud our judgement as activists. For example, if you are passionate about climate change, and get comments on your initiative’s Instagram page that are denying the existence of climate change, you may want to lash out and respond in a hateful way. However, is that really going to benefit your work and movement? The answer is no – in fact, lashing out with hate as you confront opposition could make your organization look less legitimate.
Thus, when you are confronted with obstacles that immediately trigger a fight response, try to take a breath and remember the goal of your initiative.
This advice barely scratches the surface – outside of this you also need to consider the mechanics of actually building/running an organization, delegation, public/media relations, and so much more. Overwhelming is an understatement.
That being said, if you have passion on your side you’re absolutely unstoppable.
Jody Bell, 20 is Girls With Impact’s Editor in Chief and a program graduate from Greenwich High School. Girls With Impact is the nation’s only online, business and leadership program for girls 14-24, turning them into tomorrow’s leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.