Activism is for Everyone

When someone says activist, what do you picture? 

Maybe it’s the life-changing work of civil rights activists. Names like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dolores Huerta likely spring to mind first. Or maybe your brain goes straight to the likes of Greta Thunberg, David Hogg, and Mari Copeny. 

These are people whose work truly changes the world. They get blockbuster films about their courage (usually years or generations later, when public opinion swings in their favor). They are lauded and critiqued, celebrated and cancelled in equal measure. They are on another level. 

But what if activists — people who act to further a cause, who campaign for change — are actually more common than these few shining examples? When you dig into the most popular media of the last few decades, you’ll start to find activists everywhere, usually exaggerated or pushed to their unreal extremes. And that’s for a reason. 

 The activists we know 

Have you thought about the citizens of Pawnee lately? Like, really thought about them? From the time capsule scene to the many council meetings, Pawneeans (the citizens of Parks and Rec's fictionalized town of Pawnee, IN) are a reliable running gag in Parks and Recreation. In show protagonist Leslie Knope's words: “These people are members of the community that care about where they live. What I hear when I’m being yelled at is people caring loudly at me.” Cue canned laughter. 

Or what about Lisa Simpson, one of the most recognizable characters of the 20th century? She’s the bleeding heart of her family on The Simpsons. She’s a militant vegetarian. She lived in a tree to protest its removal. She’s a #feministicon to many. She has likely been the earliest introduction to activism for many — and, naturally, it’s often played for laughs, because this is a mainstream television show and there’s not much room for overt, earnest social messages in the comedy of the early ‘90s. 

Maybe you’re a huge fan of Community, and when we said “activist” you immediately thought of the character Britta. Though she does evolve with the times, Britta Perry is first introduced to us as a hypocritical buzzkill for her self-serving attempts at activism. Or maybe you’ve just watched any show that included a Gen Z teenager, and they had their own special episode where their passion for social justice becomes their hilarious downfall. 

We eat these characters up. We love ‘em, and we love to hate ‘em. But there’s a reason why the “hypocritical activist” is so common. When we create these exaggerated characters for comedic effect — and do so on a grand scale across decades of television — it becomes shockingly easy not to take any movement seriously. They become scapegoats and strawmen that can distract from actual social issues. When our most consistent reference for a socially aware and engaged person is either Martin Luther King, Jr. or an eight-year-old who never grows up, how does that shape what it means to care about politics? Is there no middle ground, no tangible way to take action while still being yourself? 

Becoming a “normal person” activist 

Here’s the deal: you, as you are right now, can be someone who takes action. You don’t need to be a hilarious caricature, nor do you need to be a saint. That would mean 99% of us won’t make the cut, and that just can’t be true.  

If you need a reminder of that, just listen to Katie Laird. She’s an Account Director who volunteers with groups like Equality Texas to fight policies that threaten the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Texas. 

There’s a critical milestone in anyone’s personal development when you realize that YOU are the person that should do something. Your time might be limited. You might feel impostor syndrome or fear being labeled a hot head. But that’s all a mind game that’s working against you. You are who you are and you have what you have to give. 

You don't have to fit an extreme role, or do extreme things, or exaggerate yourself in order to take action for something you care about. You also don’t have to care about everything, 24/7/365. Activist burnout is well-documented, particularly in marginalized activists who endure both a racist, unjust society and the pressure of living up to the role of the infallible leader. 

There’s no perfect way to make a difference and there doesn’t need to be. In Katie’s words, “I’m a regular person who gives a damn and is tired of watching those on the margins get hurt and tired of feeling beat up. I'm not an extreme person, I just care extremely hard.” So be imperfect and do what you can. Just don’t sink into a puddle of hopeless inaction waiting for someone in a superhero cape to swoop in.  

With the Coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, pressure from Gen Z and the continued rise of social platforms as a driver of change, political activity has become more infused in our everyday and online lives. Experts believe that trend is only going to continue — and the noise and confusion will continue as well. Being able to focus on the things that matter to you, at your core, is crucial in order to avoid exhaustion, cut through distractions and do what needs to be done. 

At Black Sheep, we’re constantly evaluating what role we play in furthering justice and change. We are part of a larger society in desperate need of bold action and people who give a damn. But giving a damn doesn't matter very much unless you take action. We make it a habit of contacting our elected officials regularly as a means of activism and look to organizations like The League of Women Voters of Houston and the Texas Organizing Project to shine a light on the ways we can contribute. We, as people, are imperfect. But that doesn’t exclude us from caring about other people and it should never prohibit anyone from fighting for a better world. Selfless action is not reserved for the saints or the “wokest” of us all — it’s what makes us imperfectly human in the first place.