Advocacy and allyship can quickly become surface-level, as it does not necessarily require any sort of social action on the advocate’s part. Even if an advocate sees themselves as speaking for a group, they may not be sharing the full perspective of a marginalized group, they may be misrepresenting their struggles or desires, or they may be involved in actively oppressing the group themselves. Good intentions can turn harmful easily when trying to be an effective advocate or ally.
Therefore, advocacy should be combined with action to be the most effective. However, here are some ways that you can become a more informed citizen and advocate in terms of the climate crisis.
- Get informed! Use our resources alongside resources other organizations have taken the time to put together to inform yourself about the climate crisis, the current state of policy, and climate justice. Learn from multiple perspectives, often marginalized groups are left out of the conversation – seek out voices from those groups so that you can become most informed.
- Gain knowledge specific to your community. Search out organizations that are already doing valuable work within your community surrounding the climate crisis or other environmental initiatives. Listen to what they have to say! Climate change is affecting us all. Become familiar with the unique challenges and threats your community is facing, as well as the achievements they’ve made towards equity and sustainability.
- Start sharing. The simplest way to advocate is to begin conversations about topics like climate change or climate justice, even if they are uncomfortable. Since you’ve gained all this knowledge about the climate crisis, it’s your responsibility to communicate it with people you know and love. The easiest way to begin positive change is through a conversation!