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Ayesha Khan | Whitby, Canada
2018 was an unbelievable year. Human rights, feminism, diversity, representation, and the environment were some of the many issues that reached tons of milestones the past year. While there were certainly some fallbacks , 2018 will go down to be a historic year in terms of advancements in activist endeavors.
Every new year, I tell myself that this year is going to be the year when I do more for my community and make a difference. By the time the year begins, I forget my goals and I don’t make progress in doing the activism I wanted.
I made a list of resolutions for the new year to help you (and I) become better activists and make progress in changing the world:
1. I will find ONE cause that I care about to work on this year.
Unless you’re as productive as the founders of this website, Maryam and Nivaal, who can work on multiple causes at the same time and make amazing progress, you should stick to one cause to work on. An issue or cause that you deeply care about should be your main focus this year. Stick to this cause for the whole year, and start making a change in that issue. If you try to focus on multiple causes at the same time, your focus will shift from one place to another and you won’t be able to give your all to creating change in one area.
2. I will attend as many events and say yes to every opportunity that helps me network.
A big part of successfully making a difference in your community/the world is to make connections with other activists and organizations. These connections lead to so many opportunities to help you make an impact on issues and get involved in projects. Never think twice about saying yes to an opportunity because you feel that you won’t succeed in the opportunity you're given or that you’re not ready to pursue it. As Lemony Snicket says; “If we wait until we’re ready, we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives.”
3. I won't be afraid to reach out to people in high positions (ie politicians) and ask questions
The best way to have an impact on a large scale is to talk to politicians or people of influence. Use social media to reach out and question their policies that relate to your issue. Start an initiative and involve the politicians you reached out to.
4. I will use social media to spread the word about my issue/initiative
One of the most accessible tools out there, any form of social media can help you start making a difference and make your impact reach larger audiences. Create an Instagram, Facebook or Twitter page that raises awareness for the issue you have dedicated the year to. This is the simplest way you can become a better activist.