Spiritual Activism

Spiritual activism is a form of activism that is rooted in spiritual philosophies and practices to dismantle oppressive systems. It combines spiritual knowledge and passion with radical real-world action. According to Ana Louise Keating, "Spiritual activism is spirituality for social change, spirituality that posits a relational worldview and uses this holistic worldview to transform one's self and one's world." On a large scale, spiritual activism works to preserve and heal our planet and the life that resides here, while on a smaller scale, it provides an opportunity for us to grow and mature spiritually.

Below is a list of actions and resources to help you grow and get involved politically and spiritually. Community starts with you.

Take Action

• With SNAP benefits being cut, consider donating your money, time, and items to local food banks. Feeding America teams up with local food banks to distribute food across the country and makes every cent count. You can donate to them directly or use their website to find local food banks that need your assistance in your community.
• Many food banks operate within a larger distribution system, which allows them to purchase or receive food for free or at heavily discounted prices. As a result, monetary donations are often best for these food banks. More local food banks, however, may not be part of this network and therefore rely on physical food donations to remain open. When in doubt, check with your local food pantries to assess the best way to assist them.
• If making monetary donations, check to see if your company matches gifts!
• While many food banks are able to purchase food, they are unable to acquire toiletries with such funds. Consider donating toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, and sanitary items to your local food bank to fill in the gaps for families in need. Check their websites for Amazon wish lists or a list of needs.
• I highly recommend following Torok Coupon Hunter on IG and TikTok to find excellent coupon deals on toiletries. No reason to pay corporations full price when engaging in mutual aid!
• If you have local fruit trees, vines, or bushes growing on public land in your area, tag their location on FallingFruit.org and download their app. This is a great way to help feed your neighbors using what nature has already provided!
• Start a community fruit tree network in your area.
• Make your voice heard by joining the 5 Calls movement and calling your representatives to let them know how you feel about the humanitarian crisis we are facing in the United States.
• Join Post Cards to Swing States to write postcards to encourage people to vote or boost local news. I am constantly writing postcards to help, but you do have to pay for the stamps yourself. This is a great activity for groups.
• Support families in need as ICE illegally detains legal immigrants and citizens of the United States.
• Fight back against ICE and illegal deportations by:
• Educating yourself. Read How Activists Can Fight Back Against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and A Teacher’s Approach On How to Fight Back ICE.
• Support and use Turn Left PAC.
• Join United We Dream and the ACLU.
• Know your rights and don't give up.
• Download ICEBlock to report ICE locations and keep yourself safe.
• Join Veterans Against Fascism and join their book club or start your own!
• Support education programs in Sudan, Congo, and Palestine. Education is key to liberation.
• Donate to Palestinian Families in Need- Help support families trying to escape Gaza through Operation Olive Branch. These are vetted GoFundMes that directly help get Palestinian families to safety. You can learn more about the program and find other ways to help on Instagram or on their spreadsheet.

Articles

Spirituality and Activism

• Spiritual Activism: Uniting Spirituality and Activism for Transformative Change
• Decolonizing Witchcraft: Racism, Whitewashing, and Cultural Appropriation in Witchcraft and How to Decolonize Your Practice
  
• Witchcraft for Wellbeing: 5 Spells, Rituals, and Remedies to Reduce Stress During Political Turmoil

Social Justice & Anti Racism

• As A Black Woman, I'm Tired Of Having To Prove My Womanhood by Hannah Eko
• Dear Fellow White People: Here’s What to Do When You’re Called Racist by Rebecca Hains
• Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood by Rebecca Epstein, Jamilia Blake, and Thalia González
• The Blackfoot Wisdom that Inspired Maslow's Hierarchy by Teju Ravilochan
• The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• White Privilege Weariness & White Privilege Weariness (Part II) by Austin Channing Brown
• What is Fascism? by Task Force Butler Institute

Books

Spirituality and Activism

• Black People Breathe by Zee Clarke
• Heal the Witch Wound: Reclaim You Magic & Step Into Your Power by Celeste Larsen
• Outside the Charmed Circle: Exploring Gender and Sexuality in Magical Practice by Misha Magdalene
• Shadow Work: Face Hidden Fears, Heal Trauma, Awaken Your Dream Life by Danielle Massi
• Tarot for the Hard Work: An Archetypal Journey to Confront Racism and Inspire Collective Healing by Maria Minnis
• The Modern Craft: Powerful Voices on Witchcraft Ethics edited by Claire Askew and Alice Tarbuck
• Witchcraft Activism: A Tool Kit for Magical Resistance by David Salisbury

Social Justice & Anti Racism

• On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
• Strongmen by Ruth Ben-Ghiat
• Surviving Autocracy by Masha Gessen
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

People to Support & Follow

• Ashani Mfuko (Website, IG, TikTok, Patreon, Facebook, YouTube)
• Vilissa Thompson (Website, IG, TikTok, Patreon, Facebook, YouTube)
• Walela Nehanda (IG, Patreon)

Videos, Podcasts, and Other Media

• The Historical Construction of Whiteness by Kat Blaque
• Reframing Internalized Racial Oppression: Shifting Our Theory of Oppression by Dr. Kira Hudson Banks
• Want to have better conversations about racism with your parents? Here's how by NPR
• Why You Need to Keep Talking About Race with Your White Family
• Young Black Girls Face "Adultification" by NPR
  
  

Toolkits and Other Web Resources

• Anti-Racism Resources: A compilation of various media resources geared towards white people and parents to deepen their anti-racism work.
• Racial Equity Tools: A vast collection of free resources for understanding race and racism.
• WhiteAccomplices.org (download their complete guide)
• Black Disabled Woman Syllabus: a compilation of resources that accurately explains the diverse forms of Blackness that exist for Black women, and how the lives of Black disabled women meshed within that discourse.