ACT for Social Justice: Advocacy, Consulting, Training

03/07/2020

"The generosity of spirit that inclusion carries also informs us of who is leading the way: the same forces that maintained exclusionary policies until the realization dawned that fashions have changed. So now that this longstanding behavior is being actively reversed under the aegis of inclusivity, anyone formerly excluded should be grateful, no?"

"Inclusion" was designed by those who decided that it was time to get inclusive, and as long as they set the terms, the formerly-excluded still lack agency.

02/10/2020

Joanna Macy is a Buddhist philosopher of ecology and lifelong environmental activist who believes we’re at a moment in history with “the possibility to unravel or create a life-sustaining human society.” In this interview, she shares wisdom on the ecological, political, and personal issues of our time. It’s worth a listen.

The philosopher of ecology whose path wound from the CIA to Tibetan Buddhism to the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke.

01/31/2020

Following the important conversation on Oprah’s latest book club selection? Big yes to this: “The team cared from day one about getting everything right, even down to a single sentence of the marketing copy. That is how it should be.”

Author and publishing professional, Patrice Caldwell argues that the gatekeepers of the publishing world are keeping diverse stories from being told.

11/06/2019

"Focusing on cure gives false hope, when a certain condition is obviously permanent. It encourages people to put their lives on hold. We all need to live our lives in the moment; we need services and supports, access, equal opportunities now. Internalizing the commonly held opinion that, unless cure is possible, life will be sad and pitiful is extremely damaging."

Activist and author Nadina LaSpina discusses how she helped build the disability rights movement into a global force.

10/28/2019

As Betsy Devos’s general counsel at the Department of Education for the past two years, Steven Menashi has worked to strip away critical rights and legal protections for women, sexual assault survivors, LGBTQ people, students, and people of color. The Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote 10/24 on his nomination as a federal judge on the 2nd Circuit, which includes millions of ppl in NY, CT, and VT--but the hearing/vote has been pushed out, with date TBD. Call/write your senators, sign the petition--and keep getting the word out.

Steven Menashi could do even more harm as an appellate judge than he has already done as the architect of the disastrous policies promulgated by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. He is an acolyte of presidential adviser Stephen Miller, the infamous architect of immigration policies that have terrifie...

10/23/2019

Yes.

“The Seminary’s ties to slavery are a part of our story," Barnes said. "It is important to acknowledge that our founders were entangled with slavery and could not envision a fully integrated society... We did not want to shy away from the uncomfortable part of our history and the difficult conversations that revealing the truth would produce.”

10/22/2019

Strong account of cultural appropriation

My artwork was about appropriation. San Francisco's Asian Art Museum tried to appropriate it.

10/02/2019

In thinking about a bday gift for my dad, I found The Intentionalist, a fantastic site that led me to a Latino-owned + LGBTQ-owned coffee shop local-ish to my dad, a place where he now has a gift card awaiting him.

From the site's About page: "It all starts with everyday decisions about where we buy a cup of coffee, work out, or pick up a birthday gift. Whether you identify as a localist, activist, or just a good neighbor, Intentionalist helps you contribute to the businesses that keep our communities vibrant and diverse."

While the site didn't bring up results for several of the cities/towns I typed in, the administrators appear to be continually updating, which is great.

On a related note, we started a list of POC-owned businesses the other month, which you're welcome to add to, share with your networks, and otherwise use to support businesses with people of color at the helm! https://rb.gy/a13ca4

—Kristen, white mama to a white son living in Northampton, MA

Spend Like It Matters Small businesses are important to the social and economic fabric of our communities. From bookstores and restaurants, to stores that have sustained families for generations, local businesses are part of the heart and soul of the places where we live and work—they’re places ...