Growing as an activist at the Anti-Racist Youth Lab

This year, I was selected as one of the delegates representing Alberta to be part of the first cohort of CRRF's Anti-Racist Youth Lab. The CRRF is an organization that facilitates the development, sharing and application of knowledge and expertise to contribute to the elimination of racism and all forms of racial discrimination in Canadian society. The Youth Lab was an intensive but amazing experience where I grew exponentially, gained a wealth of knowledge through workshops and met incredibly motivated people working towards the common goal of bettering the world. Though I couldn't possibly replicate how eye-opening attending the Youth Lab was, I hope I can impart some of the insights I gained to all of you, whether you're also a youth leader or a social activist.

Gatekeeping activism is not activism

So often, in immersing yourself in activism work, you can often feel dehumanized. At these times, we must remind ourselves that we, as activists, should not be divided; we all have the same goals of building toward our future. The analogy of one dish, one spoon was a profound reminder that the world has its own agency; we as people don't own the resources of the world. Thus, we must remember that we need to share our resources and consider how we distribute them between people. Every person provides different backgrounds, knowledge, and skills, but ultimately, we are all people, and by attempting to gatekeep activism, we only prevent ourselves from making the progress that we could be.

Social activism and storytelling are parallels

Though deceivingly disparate, the work of social activists can often be compared to the art of storytellers. Firstly, both challenge tradition. By creating new narratives that challenge hegemonic codes and institutions, both have the power to rewrite dialogue and change the world. Secondly, both stem from empathy. In the same way, storytelling allows people to connect on a deeper level; activism is also an expression of personal values and beliefs; we are compelled to spark growth in the world. So often, as activists, in trying to create positive impacts, we internalize the negative feelings inflicted upon us by what we see. For self-preservation, it is crucial to constantly ensure you are releasing this pain, and thus, storytelling is an invaluable outlet for social activists to convey inner feelings.

It is not just about the now; it is also about the future

I often find myself caught up in the rush of my work; I'm always thinking about what's in the immediate future. However, in focusing so much on the next step, I sometimes neglect thinking about the direction of my work holistically. It is also important to consider building sustainable initiatives by building capacity. This entails creating initiatives that provide resources that will allow your project to carry on even after it ends, impacting the community in the long run. Examples include workshops that provide training to teach others to develop their own initiatives, products like short films that demonstrate the values of the project, and more. This is especially helpful for grant applications as it allows organizations to see how participants remain engaged with the community. Grants are an invaluable resource to help fund your projects, and it is your job to make these funders see why you are the best at what you do and that you have considered everything in applying for these funds. Remember: organizations fund people, not just proposals, so having initiatives with long-lasting impacts will make your application more convincing.

Keep it succinct and accessible; get to the core

Communicating your initiatives is central to its success, and to facilitate this, crafting key messaging is a useful tool to quickly engage with your audience. This can then be translated into various platforms, from social media advocacy campaigns to speaking at conferences and community events and more. This also will help allow you to mentally condense your mission and work towards what it's really about, reminding you of the foundation of what you're doing. Your key messaging should come down to a couple of main points you want your audience to take away from your message: what are your objectives? And how are you approaching them? And always finish on a call to action, spurring others to get involved.

You are enough

So often, as a social activist, it feels like I'm not doing enough; I'm not progressing enough, I'm not working hard enough, I'm just not enough. But as I spoke to the many other youth leaders, I was reminded that progress isn't a race; for us to carry the burden of the entire world's problems is impossible. We are all working collectively to better the world in any capacity, and that is already enough. The solidarity I experienced as I reflected on my experiences with the other leaders resonated deeply in my heart and reassured me that it's okay to take a break; change will come eventually. Breaking out of the activist grind for self-care will help me become proficient in the work I do and prevent burnout, which would only further set back my progress. Though difficult, having hard stops that separate work from personal life and knowing how to say no are skills that are as important as hard skills because, as important as it is to advocate for others, you also must advocate for yourself.

I hope you were able to take something valuable from this article. As social activists, much of our work revolves around what lies within our personal experiences, beliefs, and feelings that compel us to make a difference in the world. At times, it can be easy to get lost in the fight for change, but we must remember that this work should also empower us; it is an expression of who we are and what we stand for. All in all, this experience was an amazing opportunity, and I sincerely hope that some of you will also get the chance to join future cohorts of the Youth Lab in the years to come!