Types of Activism
Introduction
Whenever there’s a positive change in society, we can thank activists. They work in every corner of the world on issues like racial injustice, gender discrimination, and the countless intersections of social issues. You can find activists lobbying their governments, calling for corporate accountability, and campaigning for equality. Visions and specific goals vary, but activists want a better world. To be effective, activism combines many strategies.
Explore Types of Activism
The following topics are listed alphabetically. You can click any of the buttons to learn more about the specific type of activism.
Resources
Action Tactics During the Time of Social Distancing (en Espanol)
Beautiful Trouble Toolbox Click a topic, for a list of suggested methods to protest, block, spread awareness, and gain support for your goals.
Get Up Rise Up Direct Action Fund "The purpose of the Get Up, Rise Up - direct action fund is to support activists globally to shift power through nonviolent direct actions to create a more social and ecological just, healthy, and equitable world for all. While doing so the fund also seek to advance the theories, principles, methods and tactics of strategic nonviolent direct action, building from lessons at the frontlines and add these to our collective world of social movement wisdom.
This fund is a pilot over the next 6 month as we will learn as we go how to improve and hopefully expand."How We End Consumerism 11:45 minutes video with captions talks about the problems with decoupling, then focuses on better alternatives, specifically de-growth combined with socialism. For example, ending unnecessary advertising and manufacturing to produce things people really need like homes and insulation upgrades for existing buildings, plus educating people for jobs such as at home care, education, and therapists.
Let Grow: Essential Reading List "When adults step back, kids step up. Learn more about the ways children become more capable when adults trust them to try things on their own."
The Resistance Hotline "The Resistance Hotline is a new take on a 1-800 support line offering training and nonviolent action planning support to defend the integrity of our elections and build a strong progressive movement."
Solidarity Not Aid "Around the world, grassroots movements are facing a common—if somewhat ironic—challenge: the ways in which foreign NGO funding, power, and influence are distorting the democratic pursuit of social justice. In many of the world’s most vulnerable regions, NGOs often dominate services far beyond their original humanitarian mission, systemically disempowering community leadership, and shrinking political space.
By networking grassroots movements across the world who are on the frontlines of this issue, the ‘Solidarity not Aid’ effort will map common problems, investigate solutions, and explore promising approaches that social movements and local communities can use to promote constructive engagement with NGOs to more effectively drive social change."
"Solidarity, not Aid must become the paradigm of NGO-grassroots partnerships. We hope to develop three tools to achieve this goal:
An empowered global network of grassroots social movement leaders sharing best practices for overcoming NGOization trends, as well as directly coordinating in solidarity to set the tone and conditions for local/national/international NGO involvement.
“Principles of Solidarity” - outlining core values and practices for democratic, grassroots-empowered and sustainable funding and partnerships, and encourage – and actively campaign – NGOs to sign on to and hold them accountable to.
A process of “Bottom-Up Vetting” – a grassroots interview of an encroaching NGO to insure a strategically beneficial and empowering contract (or none at all)."
Strategy Cards A box of game cards crowd funded, created by an eco-friendly co-op to help train activists. Play for fun, class room learning, or activist straining.
11:45 minutes video with captions talks about the problems with decoupling, then focuses on better alternatives, specifically de-growth combined with socialism. For example, ending unnecessary advertising and manufacturing to produce things people really need like homes and insulation upgrades for existing buildings, plus educating people for jobs such as at home care, education, and therapists.
Europe
UK
Contacting Your MP - "This is a resource for Quakers and other people campaigning for positive change. It will help you to decide on an approach, contact your MP if appropriate, and engage with them further when they respond." Includes a visual decision diagram, and links to further resources.
Toolkit for Action: Planning Effective Action for Change "There is so much in our world that needs healing and putting right, and we each respond differently to different issues. Some of us feel our strongest response when we realize the tragedy of environmental destruction or animal cruelty. Some feel their deepest hurt about an economic system that impoverishes millions, while others have a knot of fear for future generations under the threat of nuclear weapons and the business of war. Some of us are forced into action when we are directly affected by an injustice.
As Quakers, we are led by our faith in our concern for suffering, violence and injustice – by a spiritual truth that stirs deep within us. If we take heed of this leading, we are surely urged to act to change things. The next obvious question is: how do we bring about change?"
Turning the Tide "If you’re part of a group or are involved in a project you’d like to develop further, you can request training from Turning the Tide, a Quaker program offering training to people taking nonviolent social action – www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/socialaction-training-and-tools."
UK Parliament: Contact your MP You can contact your MP when you, or people living in your area, are affected by decisions made by the UK Parliament or by the Government. MPs represent all the people in their local area, whether they vote for them or not.
Who is my MP?
When should I contact my MP?
How do I contact my MP?
What should I do if my MP hasn’t answered my email/letter?
What can I ask my MP to do?
What if the House of Commons is in recess - can I still contact my MP?
What if my MP is a Minister, Speaker or Deputy Speaker?
Can I contact other MPs?"
Adnoddau Cymraeg "Darganfyddwch y gwahanol wasanaethau, cyfleoedd ac adnoddau rydym yn eu darparu i siaradwyr Cymraeg i'ch helpu i ymddiddori yn Senedd y DU. O'n gweithdai cymunedol a gynhelir yn Gymraeg, ein gwasanaethau ymholi, os oes gennych gwestiwn ynglŷn â'r hyn sy'n digwydd yn Senedd y DU neu adnoddau ar gyfer ysgolion."
North America
Climate Victory Gardens "Planting a garden has the power to change the world. Climate Victory Gardens are part of the climate solution by restoring soil health to draw down carbon. Everyone can grow a garden, and everyone can take meaningful action on the climate crisis." Includes advice for beginner gardeners and seasoned gardeners.
You can also register your garden here!
Food Security/ Gardening
Create A Community Greenspace (for Bumble Bees) "This guide offers support to community groups, housing associations, local authorities, schools and other organisations who want to develop a bumblebee-friendly greenspace within their community or local area.
It provides guidance on identifying your space, securing funding, designing and creating your space, and of course top tips for enjoying your new bumblebee haven as a community!" (PDFs available in English and Welsh/Cymraeg)
This is specifically written with bumble bees in mind, but gives some great ideas for how to go about creating a public garden, how to fund raise, and how to get people involved.
Europe
UK
Create A Community Greenspace (for Bumble Bees) "This guide offers support to community groups, housing associations, local authorities, schools and other organisations who want to develop a bumblebee-friendly greenspace within their community or local area.
It provides guidance on identifying your space, securing funding, designing and creating your space, and of course top tips for enjoying your new bumblebee haven as a community!" (PDFs available in English and Welsh/Cymraeg)
This is specifically written with bumble bees in mind, but gives some great ideas for how to go about creating a public garden, how to fund raise, and how to get people involved.
North America
Green America - "Green America harnesses economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society."
Groups
Beatiful Trouble Creative tools for a more just world. Also in Arabic, Espanol, Francais, Italian, and Portugese.
BlackOUT Collective "The BlackOUT Collective is a radical direct action full service organization that provides on the ground support, training and deep space visioning in communities that prioritize the liberation of Black people. BlackOUT Collective address “anti-Blackness” and views direct action as a critical movement strategy to achieve this outcome both in terms of internalized oppression as well as historic and contemporary of white supremacy.
Using direct action training and support as a vehicle, we help organizations craft strategies that win; in addition to training newly formed formations comprised of politicized Black people. In the past three years, we have witnessed the power of direct action to create instant accountability and its ability to quickly amass power in Black communities. We aim to increase and harness that power."Boomerang Bags "Connecting and empowering local communities to tackle plastic pollution at its source."
Maps
North America
USA
GreenAmerica: Climate Victory Gardens "To protect the privacy of our gardeners, pins are not exact locations. Please note: It may take a couple of weeks for your garden to appear on the map as we work on upgrading it." Map shows public and private climate victory gardens
Explore our Action Map page to see where people are taking action near you!
Grants
International
Animal Charity Evaluators "ACE Movement Grants (formerly “Effective Animal Advocacy Fund”) is for anyone who is interested in making the animal advocacy movement more effective."