Big News From Armchair Activist
Before I tell you all about news about the Big One, I want to share why this week’s newsletter is a few days late being sent out! To help promote The Big One I decided to make a video answering some of the questions I had about it as well as perhaps inspiring others to attend or find out more. It took a few days longer than anticipated!!
Creating videos is a labour of love. It also takes time and creativity! So, in respect of my time, creative juices and the labour of love that has gone into this video, AND as an act of self-love (something I am also working to be a better activist on!), I am launching a paid version of Armchair Activist.
For £5 per month or £50 per year you can support this aspiring activist to create more resources including more video activism! You can even be a Founding Member and enjoy some particular perks. Here are some of my previous videos:
EnTITLED - Boris Johnson An Ode to The Odious - a video to encourage people to sign the petition to stop Boris Johnson giving his father a title.
We Are All Leaders - An anti-racism crowdfund campaign video.
If you’d like a video creating for one of your projects, activism or otherwise, please get in touch! I hope you like the new one coming up…
The Big One
This month I will be attending The Big One, a peaceful climate action in London with the aim of gathering 100,000 people together outside the Houses of Parliament. The point? To get politicians to pay attention to public demands for urgent action, rather than meaningless rhetoric, on climate change.
To that end, I created a video to spread the word about the action both in-person AND the digital rebellion.
This protest is led by Extinction Rebellion, a group I’ve never had any dealings with, but who have previously used disruption to try and get their message across. That seems to be changing, as several commentators have suggested that they are alienating swathes of potential climate change supporters by using such measures.
Indeed, this action is deliberately planned as non-disruptive. The organisers have worked closely with the police and authorities and the event is supported by many other organisations, including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Tearfund, CND, Hope For The Future - to name but a few.
White Environmental Privilege
Extinction Rebellion has also faced challenge for its whiteness. Guppi Bola from the organisation ‘The Wretched of the Earth’ (named after Franz Fannon’s book of the same name about anti-colonial theory and which focuses on Global South voices) suggested that, in its beginnings, Extinction Rebellion was contributing to a racist narrative.
Bola pointed out that:
Intersectionality was initially ignored in favour of a ‘beyond politics’ approach which resulted in a founding document raising fears of ‘mass migration’ - potential political dynamite for the far-right to use it as a form of eco-fascism.
Focusing on getting arrested (XR has done), ignores the significant danger of this tactic for Global Majority people.
Focusing on a future threat of extinction denies the here and now impact of climate change on those in the Global South who are already experiencing the harshest effects of ‘poor air quality, hunger, public health crises, drought, floods and displacement’.
Global South voices, despite their relevant experience, have often been ignored or silenced in climate change conversations.
An open letter from Wretched of the Earth to XR asked them to consider ‘an ongoing analysis of privilege’.
“Our communities [in the Global South] have been on fire for a long time and these flames are fanned by our exclusion and silencing. Without incorporating our experiences, any response to this disaster will fail to change the complex ways in which social, economic and political systems shape our lives – offering some an easy pass in life and making others pay the cost…The fight for climate justice is the fight of our lives, and we need to do it right.” Wretched of The Earth
Open Letters Create Change?
Things do seem to be changing and criticisms seem to be being taken on board. This seemed to start within young people’s climate groups where they were talking about Indigenous communities and the need to centre Global South communities (Gayle, 2019), but seems to be spreading more to the wider organisation with greater discussion about the importance of reparations and climate justice.
These conversations are important ones for white people to be aware of, especially for those of us attending this action. Remaining mindful of these perspectives, seeking out and educating ourselves with more of them, from Global South people and organisations, is so important in us hearing ALL the voices, as we advocate for urgent climate action. Moreover, we must make hearing those voices who have been deliberately silenced our unwavering priority.
Armchair Activism
Simple Activism
Spread the word! Share the video and let people know about The Big One and climate action and climate justice.
Step It Up A Notch
Attend The Big One, either in person or digitally and find out more about climate change and climate justice.
Serious Activism
Attend a Climate Fresk Workshop to learn more about the science behind the Intergovernmental Report on Climate Change (IPCC) report.
Take The Jump and sign up to these six shifts for at least a month.
Thanks for reading and watching! Until next time - let’s keep putting the ACT into Activism.
Becky