With that in mind, you don't have to start a youth-led movement like Margolin did, and you can take or leave what you want from her book. At just 18 years old, Jamie Margolin has risen to become a celebrated climate justice activist. But she didn't succumb to her insecurity. Activism is defined as: "the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change". "I didn't like it when people condemned me for it, and it also kinda rubbed me the wrong way when I was praised, like, 'You're so brave,’" she said. If you have a blog to talk about overlooked societal issues that also makes you one, Margolin says. Follow. But even people who celebrate Lizzo for doing things like wearing leotards—otherwise known as putting clothes she likes on her body—is also offensive, even if unintentionally so. ‘I don’t want to shame Greta Thunberg, but…’: Activist dubbed ‘anti-Greta’ by media RIPS INTO ‘climate alarmism’ 4 Mar, 2020 21:34 . "They thought that they were complimenting me by saying that I was unapologetic, and I'm like, 'What do I have to apologize for?'". Mashable, MashBash and Mashable House are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis, LLC and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. SEE ALSO: Coronavirus has pushed activism indoors. Nazar saw the op-ed and messaged her on Instagram to say she wanted to help make Margolin's climate justice aspirations a reality. Open communication, on the other hand, can help avoid misunderstandings that can unravel your work. Margolin used some of these tactics when she started as an activist. And it follows, then, that she should be acknowledged for her activism beyond revolutionizing body image: The singer has been politically active, as well. This way, they avoided picking Indigenous people at random and with no forethought. It''s a wrong perception that artistes should not talk about politics. Call elected officials, tweet at them, show up at meetings. Showing up at the rally isn’t the only way to use your time, energy, and … They avoid me at all costs. "You can take action however works for you and your community," she explains. Think about it. Given this work, it's no surprise then that she's been recognized by the BBC in its 2019 100 Most Influential Women roundup, as well as in Teen Vogue's 21 under 21 Class of 2018 list. But activism just takes a regular person doing the best they can, says Margolin. On top of that, you should avoid tokenism. Margolin credits a Teen Ink op-ed she wrote about climate change with connecting her with Nadia Nazar, who is now a Zero Hour co-founder. She even joined 12 other young people to sue her home state of Washington for contributing to climate change. She searched for local youth environmental organizations and called one. You can't barge into the lives of the people you want to … “I certainly don’t want to make any movies before the election. "Your why is something that will likely never change; it is what you are fighting for that you cannot live without," Margolin says. As for the question of whether volunteering with children or animals counts as activism, “service is always needed, but if you want to be a political activist, you need to work toward changing policy or a political outcome,” Stark says. The thing is, there are very few careers that can be defined as “activism” careers. If she hadn't cemented this "why," Margolin wouldn't have become a climate justice activist or started Zero Hour. But though she helped create an international movement from scratch, Margolin wishes she had a guide to lead her through the ups and downs of activism, especially when she first started organizing. Discussion. I would want to be an activist at home. "How are you going to advocate for a more compassionate, fair, democratic, kind, and functional world if you are not fair, democratic, kind, and function within your own organization?" "What motivates me to keep going as an activist is because of what's at stake. Coronavirus has pushed activism indoors. This is why Margolin stresses speaking up when something is wrong. Reading that brought me back to a discussion facilitated by the Think Tank on May Day, where we got to talking about what it meant for us to be activists. She felt inferior. What leads someone to become an activist? Make your beverage habit more eco-friendly with these reusable tumblers. Here's how major groups are adapting. To do so, Margolin suggests putting away any distractions like your phone and taking time to be alone with your thoughts until you emerge with your "why." Gen Agustsson 3 July 2020 Reply. If you read Margolin's book and you're new to activism, Margolin suggests first doing what you're comfortable with. I can’t drop everything to show up for a protest, or meeting, because I have to find childcare, and my kid goes to bed at 6:30 PM. During the event, Margolin says Zero Hour worked hard to build and maintain relationships with all Indigenous participants and made sure they attended to their needs during the summit. On top of that, Margolin has testified before Congress on her experience growing up amid the negative impacts of climate change. Despite its title, Margolin says this book is for people of any age. i agree about how to be an activist at home! At the end of almost every chapter, Margolin includes an interview with an activist, such as LGBTQ rights activist Pidgeon Pagonis, immigration rights activist Prajal Jain, and mental health advocate Greisy Hernandez, who all employ different strategies to advance their causes. You can't barge into the lives of the people you want  to help, says Margolin. 2. Before Zero Hour held its Youth Climate Summit in 2019 in Miami, which trained over 350 people in climate justice activism, the organization asked Indigenous people to speak at the summit. Margolin was intimidated when she attended her first meeting. Though, it doesn't have to be a one-day process and you can take breaks. But in an appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, the musician revealed that she’s slightly sick of being overly identified with the latter—in other words, that she’s a complex human and would like to be treated as such! Here are six steps that can help advance your activism, as suggested by Margolin in her book and during a phone conversation with Mashable. Mashable, Inc. All Rights Reserved. She wants to protect the land where she grew up. "Read the whole book. Instead, she got to work. Fighting for and aiding oppressed groups is not easy, nor is … "Especially the people who hate, that doesn't really break my heart,” she said. Instead, she offers a litmus test: If social media were to disappear tomorrow, you'd be in trouble if it were the main crux of your activism. ", "I know I can outrun any of these bitches in any way, every way. To that end, Margolin suggests listening to people who are most impacted by the issues you're fighting for and working together to put in place the solutions they suggest. Whether it's physical, mental, spiritual, financial bitch. "I don't think people understand the power they have with the phone at their fingertips," says Margolin. Powered by its own proprietary technology, Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the globe. "No one knows what's better for their community than the actual community affected," says Margolin. I have to consider my child’s safety when I make the decision to engage in a protest, or a direct action, even if she isn’t in attendance with me. After the election, I have to decide whether I want to continue working as an actress or be an activist full-time. Often, they seem to be at odds with each other. "I want to be an activist because I'm intelligent.". "That's what missionaries did. Not everyone is willing to call those people out for saying hurtful words, but the ones who do are doing the work of an activist. TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript: McKenna Pope's younger brother loved to cook, but he worried about using an Easy-Bake Oven -- because it was a toy for girls. "A social media post might pressure someone to take action or raise awareness on a topic, but tweeting by itself does not stop a pipeline, change a law, or aid your community," Margolin explains. But I don’t want to be labeled as an activist. Anya Overmann. From an Activist Women to “Friendly” Men: No, I Don’t Want to Be Your Friend. Margolin decided she too could be an environmental activist and attended more meetings to learn about the environmental movement. However, don't confuse caring with expertise, she advises. 3. "It's all about seeing the human behind something.". Better Business Bureau Accredited Business. Yet, “just a… And I know that I'm a fucking bad bitch. I'm 'bout to run around your motherfucking bank account. Give Back with Your Time. Identify why you care about the issues you're mobilizing behind. Instead, Margolin and her co-founders reached out to Indigenous people they already knew from their work and those who had participated in past Zero Hour events. |, A purple shampoo hack that will truly keep your blonde hair from going brassy, 10 Reasons Why You're Dreaming About Your Ex, 7 ways to clean gunky earrings to make your bling sparkle like new, 10 tricks to make your hair look super shiny and healthy, Fire, water, earth, or air—here's what your zodiac element reveals about you, 15 ways your relationship changes after the honeymoon stage ends, 15 movies about love that are actually super depressing, campaigned for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. It fuels everything she does. Lastly, because I am an activist! Instead, form genuine relationships with the people you're serving, she suggests. "I want to be able to get to the end of my life and feel that I've done my best," Jane Fonda tells us. You will almost certainly experience depressing setbacks, but activist movements take time. is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company. "Action looks different for different people," explains Margolin. In the end, it boils down to acting from a place of humanity. "The beauty I'm seeing now is diluted as opposed to what it once was," says Margolin. Life as an Amazon activist: ‘I don’t want to be the next Dorothy Stang’ Socio-environmental activists are an endangered species in the Brazilian Amazon, with regularly occurring assassination-style killings like those of activists Chico Mendes in 1988 and Sister Dorothy Stang in 2005 creating an ongoing climate of fear. “Like, I'm fine. Unfortunately, many people still use derogatory language that is harmful to those it targets. Why would anyone want to be an activist when politics are so droll? Don’t be a bystander. It’s exactly this willingness to call out reductionism that’s made Lizzo such an integral figure in the body acceptance movement. Aaron J. Thornton, Getty Images, Lizzo Is Sick of Being an Activist Just Because She’s “Fat and Black”. Even though Lizzo has been vocal about her body acceptance journey, she told Letterman that the constant attention she’s received solely for her body can become exhausting—and that goes for both the positive and the negative attention. Initially, Margolin had no clue how to get involved in the climate change movement. "I've had some long-building conflicts with people in my own organization, not because of anything malicious, but because people didn't communicate their needs and what they thought I was doing wrong and so I didn't know what I was doing wrong," she says. Your dream is a symbol of a bigger problem. "Activism and change making doesn't have to be this elaborate, difficult thing that is unattainable," says Margolin. Chances are, you've heard of the work Zero Hour's done. I kind of want to think of myself as a normal person. "If it [your "why"] doesn't come from a place of genuine caring then you're not going to last because the work is so difficult, slow, and uphill," says Margolin. Tip No. Abraham Mugo 18 January 2021 Reply. This isn't accidental. When it was my turn to speak, the only words on offer were something like “I really don’t like to think of myself as an activist. "I want people to really understand my way of doing things is not the end-all and be-all. Leaving issues unaddressed causes tension and contributes to disharmony. It was also one of the organizations behind the 2019 Global Climate Strike, the largest climate protest ever. Research shows parental beliefs, individual personality and a sense of community can all prime someone for a role as an activist. In it, Margolin lays out the steps she took to successfully affect change on an issue she cares deeply about while also mobilizing young people around the world to do the same. Look to Zero Hour as an example: The majority of its work isn't tweeting and posting pictures. With that said, activism is an overly broad, unspecified and unfocused concept. Whenever possible, support people of color with your voice and your business – especially women. I Don’t Want to Be an Empath Anymore is the kind of book you immediately feel understood by; the kind of book that feels so perfect and obvious, you’re a little surprised it didn’t exist before it did. You wanna see me run, bitch? Being an activist doesn’t mean limiting yourself to one type of activism … If you find yourself passionate about making a difference, then studying activism as a major at college sounds like a great idea. “I don’t want to sound like I’m inflating my importance or relationship with him,” a chuffed Biden told reporters, “but we have listened to each other. So at age 13, Pope started an online petition for the American toy company Hasbro to change the pink-and-purple color scheme on the classic toy and incorporate boys into its TV marketing. Though, Margolin has been published by a number of prominent outlets such as the Washington Post and the New York Times, she started by posting articles on the teen blogging platform Teen Ink. Use these tools to connect with fellow activists and get the attention of people in charge. "I want to be an activist because I'm intelligent, because I care about issues, because my music is good, [and] because I want to help the world.". Still, while she's found success in using social media, she cautions against using it as the major engine of your activism. "I want to be an activist because I'm intelligent, because I care about issues, because my music is good, [and] because I want to help the world." Be respectful of the people you advocate for. But, like Margolin, the more involved you become, the more you'll gain knowledge to speak on the issues you're passionate about. That was something I self-identified with for a long time. Say something,'" says Margolin. It organized the 2018 Youth Climate March which brought hundreds of young people to the National Mall in Washington D.C. to demand action on climate change  — and inspired sister marches in  25 other cities. "Michigan is going to be so crucial, and how Michigan votes is going to be so crucial between trying to make America great again or finally bringing America together. One of the concerns I hear in my work with people in various stages of the coming out process, is “I don’t want to be an activist or in-your-face, I just want to be me.” I feel that too: I want to just be. So while you want to change the world, you still need to take care of yourself. Climate change threatens to obliterate its beauty, as it's already changing the Pacific Ocean's ecosystem, killing salmon, and destroying forests, Margolin explains. I have friends who dedicate a comparable amount of time making sure I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I know I am weird. ©2021 For example, you can boycott brands that don't align with your personal values (such as those that test on animals) or speak up if your family members spew anti-immigration comments. Before getting involved in a cause, it’s important … As an activist, I use my voice, and the collective voice of others, to bring about change. You want to make sure that you don't come from a place of saviorism.". What Makes an Activist? Lizzo is iconic just as much for her Grammy Award-winning music as for her pivotal role in the body acceptance movement. BBC in its 2019 100 Most Influential Women roundup, Teen Vogue's 21 under 21 Class of 2018 list. Hello Giggles is part of the Meredith Beauty Group. She used social media to connect with other fellow youth activists and grow Zero Hour, wrote to her local elected officials for the first time after the 2016 presidential election, and penned essays, blog posts, op-eds, and editorials. You don’t need to tell me that it’s weird. She recently campaigned for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in her native Detroit, where she addressed the importance of voting in the swing state. "I'm sick of being an activist just because I'm fat and Black," Lizzo said, according to Buzzfeed. her experience growing up amid the negative impacts of climate change. So Margolin wrote a book, Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It (which was released Tuesday and includes a foreword by Greta Thunberg), to help other activists and those in the making become successful organizers. You wanna see me run?". She says she was surrounded by people her age or younger who had been involved in the climate movement for years. Hello Giggles may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 5: Counter the hate and division in the current President’s rhetoric with being really, really kind, especially to people who look different than you. There are certainly activists. Matthews: I don’t want to downplay how important it is to have a person who’s taking up the mantle of advocating for this new idea. And I'm successful and popping. Get Creative and Have Fun. But it made sure it wasn't pulling in Indigenous voices just for the sake of checking off a box. As she says, "the Pacific Northwest will forever own my heart." Hi, we are hosting a mental health virtual summit for youth in St Johns County on Saturday November 14th. Artivism, where participants make, present, and engage with art that highlights some sort of political … According to me, an actor has to be an activist. I do not stay silent when others are being oppressed and when the rights of others are being neglected. Here's how major groups are adapting. “I don’t have to tell you guys that this is the most important election of our lifetime," she told the audience. And that's a better zinger than we could ever hope to come up with ourselves. So, doing any kind of activist work here is very difficult, since most of the staff will always see me as being “mentally ill.” Are you deeply concerned about racial inequality, gender inequality, climate change, environmental protection or eliminating poverty?
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