Sometimes, when we think of activism, we imagine the big moments that make the news, like the protests after George Floyd's murder or the passage of laws that protect people. Yet, there are many levels on which individuals can take action and our impact is dependent on who and what we're trying to influence and change.

Below is a diagram of the three levels on which you can take action and how you can have an impact.

Last week, we spent some time processing our emotions using the NICE method:

1. Name your emotions and what triggered them

2. Investigate the thoughts that created them

3. Clarify how you can and will respond

4. Emerge ready to turn feelings into action

Now, it's time to put the fourth step into play. Our feelings can tell us a lot about what kind of internal work we have to do. Below are some questions to ask yourself when you want to turn your feelings into action.

You might be thinking:

I have so much work to do on myself before I'm ready to take action in my community!

It can feel like we need to know everything before we can take action, but as poet Maya Angelou said, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." So even as we work through the internal work, we have to also be doing the external work of addressing racism in our communities and our society.

There are a few reasons people don't jump right into taking external action:

• They're scared they'll make a mistake

• They're not sure where to start

• They're trying to take on too much

Even though taking external action can be scarier because our mistakes might cause harm, it is a privilege to feel like you don't have to take action when you see injustice. Because your life is not at risk, you can choose not to take action. As we learned, though, we cannot just accept a position of privilege.

So, where do you start when you want to take action? Take a look at the steps below for taking action:

Taking action can be scary because of the risks we have to take. There are many "safe" ways to take action in our communities that don't require us to get uncomfortable or put our privilege on the line. However, the "safe" ways are significantly less effective. This is the difference between being an ally and a co-conspirator.

For instance, in Scenario #2, where a White friend makes a racist joke. An ally might notice that it's wrong and maybe even talk to the friend who made the joke about it privately. A co-conspirator would tell their friend directly in the whole group so everyone understands that it's harmful even just to laugh. The co-conspirator would have the patience to have the conversation and answer questions, but also take the risk to be unliked in that moment.

"Whiteness is like a bank...your ATM card just replenishes itself. So spend it. As the kids say, 'cash out.' It comes right back."

So the question is, how can you cash out your privilege in the spaces you occupy?

She also reminds us that there are different levels of risk.

There are big risks, like:

• organizing a walk out

• giving up an opportunity so someone else can have it

• confronting authority figures.

There are small risks, like:

• addressing a classmate

• sharing a resource

• backing up a Black peer's argument in a group setting

You have to know what level of risk you are willing to take. You also should know the level of risk you want to be ready to take someday.

Sometimes, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement or attention that can come from taking action. However, as White folks, it's important to remember that anti-racism is not about making us feel better, it is about making the world a better, safer place for BIPOC folks. So here are some questions to ask yourself if you're not sure if your action is centering BIPOC lives.

WEEK 4

Internal Work: the work we do on ourselves to become better people and co-conspirators

External Work: the work we do in our communities and societies to make the world a better place

WEEK 3

White Supremacy Culture: the attitudes, values, beliefs, and ways of being created to justify and uphold racism and keep White folks in power

Decentering: taking privileged groups out of the spotlight to focus on the experiences, feelings, and needs of marginalized groups

WEEK 2

Dominant Culture: groups of people labeled as "normal" in a society because they have the most power to say what's normal because they historically have the power to make the laws

Subordinate Culture: groups of people who don't fit the narrow definition of "normal" created by the dominant culture

Privilege: the benefits people get from holding an identity that is part of the dominant culture

Marginalized: when a group of people is treated as insignificant, powerless, or lesser because of their identity

White Privilege: the benefits White people get simply for being White

Common Decency: the opportunity, kindness, and trust given to privileged people that everyone else should have

Unearned Power: imbalances of power that allow privileged people to get away with harmful actions.

WEEK 1

White Supremacy: the ways that our society is built to create a hierarchy with White folks on top. It is the ways the laws, norms, and expectations of our society put White people first, while harming Black people , Indigenous people, and People of Color (BIPOC).

Oppression: unjust treatment and harm over a long time due to your belonging to a group that has less power.

Interpersonal Harm: hurt done by one person to another.

Systemic Oppression: harm done by systems like laws, institutions (education, medicine, prison), and societal norms

Anti-Racism: actively working to end systemic racism by changing your thoughts, actions, and the society around you

Active Ally: someone who is against racism, mostly in their thoughts and words

Accomplice: someone who is against racism through their actions and behaviors

Co-conspirator: someone who is actively working with BIPOC communities to end racism by taking risks in their daily lives