You have nothing to be afraid of (except these two things)

Turns out activism is a pretty far–flung topic. In our activism blog series, we’ve covered things like whether or not to even call it activism and why momentum can be difficult to maintain when progress is difficult to measure.

Condensed

Getting off the Seesaw: An Illustrated Ode to @Dviyer

We live in interesting times. Like a 24/7 roller coaster, the news cycle and feelings of helplessness in the face of big issues can relentlessly nudge us toward the edge.

“We activate audiences around things that matter.”

An Act(ivism) of Destruction

Ask about an activist, and sometimes all you’ll hear is they’re too mainstream, too liberal, too vocal, too aggressive, just another feminist, just another phase. It’s said with an inflection that seems to undermine the history, personal stories, emotions, struggles and successes accompanying the word.

Activism as Identity

We are firm believers in the power of tiny habits – those small, daily, recurring actions that build up over time into something far greater than one single grand gesture.

The Mighty Power in Your Tiny Actions

The fear of not belonging is a pretty freaky-strong psychological phenomena for us humans. In days gone by, social isolation could mean the difference between literal life and death.

Stuck in the middle with you

Find what matters in your life and how to take action to be the social-impact-driven human you want to be.

Distil your personal purpose for creating positive change

The Value of Knowing Your Personal Values

Embrace incrementalism to make huge change through tiny habits and daily action

The mighty power of tiny actions and incrementalism

In trying to define activism, we constantly use the phrase “bringing about positive change or progress in a community.”

The 10 Suggestions

Activism is changing and here’s what we know

We activate people around things that matter. It’s our bottom line. It’s who we are. We’re activators, or more colloquially, activists. And here’s the thing—activism is changing. We don’t know what the future holds; all we know is that we’re gonna be here for it. As part of that, Black Sheep is embarking on a year-long campaign that will dive into the uncharted depths of our work, shake us loose from what we think we know and open a realm of possibilities that we’ll share with you, our clients and just about anyone who is willing to listen.

We activate people around things that matter.

Regular

1969. Activist was defined as “a person who does things with decision and energy.”

Activist. What’s in a name?

A view from the inbox of Aimee Woodall: Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Bless This Mess: Fixing Giving Tuesday

Empowerment through education and bucking the damn system

Our collective brains are abuzz with back-to-school feels – but education is a daily obsession at Black Sheep.

Our collective brains are abuzz with back-to-school feels – but education is a daily obsession at Black Sheep. Read on for two book reports covering the promise of student-empowered learning and the impact of education on an unlikely Ph.D. candidate with a conflicting past.

Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Learning

How to Build a Movement: The 4 Pillars of Community Activation

Movements change people.  Changed people change the world.

Do something about gun violence and #WearOrange

So, here we are. Again. Reeling from more school shootings, questioning our priorities as a nation.

So, here we are. Again. Reeling from more school shootings, questioning our priorities as a nation. In our home state, we watch for real action against gun violence as Texas Governor Abbott apparently has a plan.

WTF is a GDPR?

You’ve probably received enough privacy notice emails that a flag has gone up, and you’ve started to do a bit of research. 

A note from a Zennial: Breaking generation stereotypes with activism

You know the phrase ‘being stuck between a rock and a hard place’? As a so-called “Zennial,” that’s where my generation lives.

You know the phrase ‘being stuck between a rock and a hard place’? As a so-called “Zennial,” that’s where my generation lives. It’s uncomfortable, it’s awkward – but here we are. Ready to change the world.

She’s Always Buzzing Just Like Neon, Neon

“This is a roadside attraction,” said Wednesday. “One of the finest. Which means it is a place of power.”

RESCHEDULED: A Community Gathering and Human Rights Conversation

Our world today is full of daily struggle and strife. But we didn’t need to tell you that—you’re living and breathing, too.

Our world today is full of daily struggle and strife. But we didn’t need to tell you that—you’re living and breathing, too. Each week, the already long list of tragedies and injustice grows longer and longer. For things to change, we must better understand where we fit in the fight for equality, access and justice, and learn how we can join those organizations that are taking action to make a bigger impact.

Ode to Working Women: American Business Women's Day

No matter your impact space, the last few years have taught us that our causes are interconnected. Researchers are now dealing with what the White House calls “converging crises” across industries. As a purpose-driven organization, we’ve spent years discussing everything from environmental racism and climate change to education and housing. But until recently, we hadn’t yet looked into an issue that’s affected by all of the above: food insecurity.

Food insecurity affects millions of all ages and backgrounds across America, particularly impacting the BIPOC community and hitting kids especially hard after millions have lost access to free school lunches. 

The pandemic has only exacerbated the fragility of the inequitable American food system. In 2022, the Census Bureau reported a 41% increase in households saying they did not have enough to eat after Congress stopped pandemic relief programs. 

That's over 40 million people who are experiencing hunger—or the fear of hunger—on a regular basis. With rising food and housing costs, that number is only expected to grow. 

Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life. This can include not having enough money to buy food, living in an area without access to healthy food options or experiencing disruptions in food supply due to natural disasters or other crises.

According to Feeding America, the causes of food insecurity are complex and include:

Systemic racism and racial discrimination

The devastating effects of food insecurity

Access to fresh, healthy food is a basic human need and a social determinant of health and wellness. Without equitable access, we see an impact on:

Health: Without nutritious foods, people are at an increased risk for chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and mental health disorders—particularly as many turn to cheap, caloric-rich foods in lieu of fresh, prepared meals.

Education: Children who experience food insecurity are more likely to have lower academic achievement, be suspended or expelled and suffer from behavioral and emotional problems. 

Financial wellness: Food-insecure households often spend over 25% of their income on food, making it challenging to budget other expenses like housing, healthcare, education and utilities. This is more harrowing given that food-insecure households also spend more on healthcare due to their poor diet.

Words matter. Food deserts and food apartheid are related terms you have probably heard but are distinct concepts.

Food deserts refer to geographic areas where residents lack access to affordable, healthy and fresh food, often due to a lack of grocery stores or other food retailers. These food deserts can occur in both urban and rural areas and affect people of all races and income levels.

Food apartheid, on the other hand, refers to a systemic and intentional form of discrimination in the food system that leads to unequal access to healthy food based on race and income. This terminology recognizes that food access is not simply a matter of geography but a result of historical and ongoing inequities in the food system, including racism, poverty, and systemic inequality. 

There are organizations across most major cities to fight these issues, namely urban farms and dedicated neighborhood markets. However, given the multiple converging crises, issues like food insecurity are often overlooked in favor of more hot-button issues. That’s where all of us can step in.

What can social justice-minded people do to help solve food insecurity?

While food insecurity offers no easy solutions, there are many ways to get involved.

Poverty USA offers some smart systemic change recommendations:

Reduce food waste - we throw away 30% of the food we produce

Here are a few ideas you can engage with at the individual level:

Find your nearest co-op (like Plant It Forward) and volunteer and shop there

Call your representative to advocate for policies that support access to healthy, affordable food.

Support local farmers and community gardens

Educate yourself and others about the causes and consequences of food insecurity

Donate to organizations that are working to address food insecurity, such as Feeding America or the World Food Programme

Food insecurity is incredibly complex, but it’s one area we can actually make great progress on as individuals. Supporting these local, fresh food sources improves the entire community’s health—AND it means more delicious, interesting meals on your plate. That’s a win for everyone. 

What is food insecurity and what can we do about it?

Food insecurity is a complex issue affecting millions of Americans, with systemic factors like poverty, racism, and geography playing a major role, but there are steps we can take to combat it.

The Black Sheep blog is turning up the volume on community engagement, social media strategy, Houston happenings and what it means to lead a purpose-driven life.

The Black Sheep Agency | Social impact and nonprofit blog

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The Politics of Food Access