Tired of injustice? Get fierce. At Rain City Rock Camp, we believe in more than just getting fired up about what we care about—we believe in doing something about it. To us, action is fierce, and we want to make taking action more accessible to everyone.
Activism Made Easier
Intentional activism takes time and energy—it just does. Whether it is jumping into a last minute rally, moving your social plans around to attend a political discussion, or weeding through social media posts to find ways in which to get involved, staying politically active is a choice and a commitment. Since RCRC is in it for the long haul, we’ve been brainstorming some activism “hacks” to help us boost stamina so that we can continue to advocate for what we believe in.
- Check Out Our Community Calendar
My Facebook events page is a mess and I often find myself imagining a better way. The Community Calendar is way for folks to see what is going on in our community in one comprehensive space. We dream that this will be a platform for events, rallies, discussions, workshops, and anything else relevant to fierce activism. Go to the events page on our website to review our submission guidelines, submit an event, and check out what is happening. Special shout out to Jenn Johnson and her magic tech powers for making this happen!
- Keep a Protest Pack Handy
I learned a valuable lesson after dropping my dinner plans to attend a rally that lasted for 5 hours: hanger is real, and can be prevented with proper provisioning. If you find yourself consistently attending rallies/protests, shave some time off your preparation process by having a “protest pack” ready to go. Mine includes the following:
- Water bottle
- Granola bars
- Extra sharpies (for sign-making purposes)
- Hand warmers
- Chap-stick
Resistance does not imply self-deprivation, which brings me to my next point!
- Fierce Self-Care
To effectively make an impact, we believe in showing up as our best, most rockin’ selves and staying awesome. This takes self-care. Whether it is making sure you have what you need to stand in the rain at a rally or asking for support when the news has you feeling down, take care of yourself! Seriously. We don’t have to be run down and ragged to show that we care about the world.
How is RCRC Staff Getting Involved?
In any way that we can! Each week at our staff meeting we share an instance of how we “got fierce,” and support one another in partaking in events that support both our mission and our personal beliefs.
Additionally, tomorrow we will be honoring International Women’s Day by participating in “A Day Without Women,” a one-day strike demonstration of economic solidarity. Translation? We won’t be coming into the office to recognize the justice and human rights of women and all gender-oppressed people.
We understand that choosing not to work on Wednesday is a privilege, and that many individuals do not share this privilege. Thanks to organizers of The Women’s March and International Women’s Day, we’ve compiled some additional ways in which you can get involved on Wednesday.
- Wear RED in solidarity
- Strike from paid and unpaid work
- Avoid spending money (with exceptions for small, women and minority-owned businesses)
- Host a screening of / watch “Embrace,” a documentary on body image (available on iTunes, YouTube, Amazon Video & Google Play for $3.99)
- Download and share A Day Without A Woman graphics here.
- Tweet and post what you’re striking for on 3/8 using the hashtag #IStrikeFor.
- Post a photo of yourself on social media with this caption: “A #DayWithoutAWoman is a day without me.”
- Be Bold. Take a Stand. Close the Gap. Read this.
Have Ideas? Let Us Know!
Our intention is to help one another get involved in ways we are each able to, and in a way that is sustainable. We welcome all ideas about how to do this, and encourage everyone to submit to our community calendar. Thank you for reading and stay fierce!