This post is the transcript and recap from Episode 2 of Freshly Brewed, a show that makes activism approachable.
Episodes premiers live on (most) Sundays at 1 pm CST on Radio DePaul, with playbacks posted to Spotify midweek.
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Volunteering, ICE Resistance, & Community Activism
How to take an idea and desire to do good and actually get started on it. Plus, easy yet impactful things we can do for the community this week.
Often I have conversations with family, friends, and community members about how they want to do more. They want to give back, start volunteering, but they don’t know how to get involved or where to start. First I want to acknowledge that not knowing is okay. You’re not a bad person.
Not everyone has access to the same resources or grows up in a space that normalizes giving back or shows people how to.
Luckily, we live in an age where we have access to a lot of information. I guess this is actually for better or for worse. In this case, we’re going to focus on the “for better” part.
If you’re looking to enter your volunteer era or community activism era, here’s what to do:
1. Minimize the doom scroll
Scrolling for inspiration sounds like a good idea until you’re sucked into an endless feed and scrolling for hours, still without a clear plan on how to turn your goals into reality. Swap your phone for a piece of paper to reflect.
2. Reflect
Now with that piece of paper of fresh document from step one, make a list of news stories that have stopped you in your tracks lately.
- Which issues are making you think?
- What upsets you?
- What motivates you?
- Which story made you want to be a part of the change?
If you’re not sure, that’s okay! The United Nations has seventeen major global issues identified. Go to this SDG website to read them and see which topic you want to dive into and which area to begin focusing on as a part of the change for better.
3. Join an existing organization
There are incredible organizations already doing the work, experts on this issue, and mobilized to directly serve and support the community. The best thing you can do is to join their efforts and and continue to expand the support they have. From here you can leverage your unique skills and passions.
4. Ask questions and listen for the answer
One of the best things people can do is ask questions. Ask volunteer organizations what they need. Ask people their stories. Ask friends and loved ones to volunteer alongside of you. This is how you begin to build community.
If you want to follow along with episode 2’s playlist, when I was live on air, I paused here to play three encouraging songs. Now is a great time to take a moment to pause and listen to hope-filled music after all the reading/ reflecting.
- What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.
- Eyes Open (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift.
- DON’T LOOK BACK by Matt Hansen.
Local Spotlight:
This week I’m shouting out two phenomenal local coffee shops.
OUD
Palestinian café with two locations. One in Wicker Park and the other in River North. I love their matcha and the gluten-free lemon cake!
Brewpoint Coffee
Second shoutout goes to Brewpoint Coffee in Elmhurst, a western suburb of Chicago. I grew up in Elmhurst so this café has a special place in my heart. Though I didn’t think I could love it any more. I attended their Whistelmania event which was an ICE community resistance training workshop with whistle kit assembling.
Brewpoint utilized the resources from Pilsen Arts & Community House which include pocket sized flyers on the community training, ACLU know your rights printables, and other resources — plus the whistles.
The number one thing I took away from the training is to “form a crowd and stay loud”. This is also the slogan for the training.
ICE resistance and resources
With ICE ramping up across Chicago and other parts of the United States, I strongly encourage you to go to visit the Pilsen Arts & Community House website and read through their resources.
Please take the time to be informed on your rights, your community member’s rights, and what you can do to protect our community members who are viciously being targeted.
Remember: form a crowd and stay loud! 📣
ICE Resistance
Listener Submitted Question:
Question: How do I stay hopeful when the world feels too heavy?
Answer: This is a really great and important question. My answer to that is to pursue joy. I don’t think change can happen without the spark of joy. Lean into the things you enjoy. The hobbies that make you feel alive. Spend time with people who make you laugh, feel seen, and loved. And, if that doesn’t fully fill your cup with hope, try limiting the time you think about the doom. Set a timer and think all the negative thoughts you want. Be as pessimistic as you need to be to get it out of your system for the day. Then, challenge yourself to correct those thoughts when they cross your mind. Tell yourself that while you might not see the progress you want, progress is still happening.
Click here to access the playlist for episode 2! 🎧
Missed the first episode? Listen here!
