| TAKE ACTION! |
| It is important that people take action in order to see things done. We cannot sit around wishing for change, because it will never happen without getting up and doing something! Beginning the Journey encourages you to take action! Eight Simple Things You, Your Friends, and Your Family Can Do to Act. Take a Look At Yourself Every good activist knows that, like it or not, he or she has biases and prejudices, too. The key is to examine them and learn more about others so you can challenge these biases in yourself. Be an activist. - Listen to your own language, and watch for when you stereotype people. Work on doing it less. And less. And less. - Get to know, really get to know, people from different backgrounds and perspectives from your own. And let them get to know you. - Acknowledge how you feel when you are treated differently because of who you are, what you believe, where you are from. - Think about what you're good at. Use those talents to make a difference. Take this online assessment at Southern Poverty Law Center to see your hidden biases. Once you've decided to take action, you can SIGN THE DECLARATION OF PEACE AND TOLERANCE. Get the Facts Straight Research and find out about hate crime incidents that have occurred in your community and what was done to respond to them. NewsWatch - The story behind the news Hate in the News - From SPLC Find some good books that may help you in your efforts against hate. Get the Word Out It is important to educate others about prejudice, its impact, and what can be done to prevent it. What can you do to educate others? You can also visit the links page, and find diversity educators that you may be able to bring to your community. Visit Beginning the Journey's BANNER PAGE and put a banner ad up on your website! Don't Put Up With It Sometimes, people make denigrating jokes and statements about other groups. You don't have to put up with it. Call them on it. Report a Hate Crime Stopping Hate Speech - It Begins with Us! Coordinate an Event Coordinate an event that brings diverse people and groups together. What events can you think of that bring people of different backgrounds together? Email Beginning the Journey with your ideas. We may be able to offer assistance, and your ideas may be posted here! Be A Media Watch Dog Sometimes, T.V., movies, and music portray individuals in a stereotypical manner. Media "watchdogs" are people who look out for these oversights and speak about them. There are plenty of organizations you can report to that will get the word out when you see something you don't like. What can you do to be a media watchdog? FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Be a Creative Guru Activism is fun! Use your creative talents and strengths to address and respond to hate in your area. What is your creative talent? Email your ideas to Beginning the Journey. Who's Who? And, Who is Doing What? Can You Volunteer? There are other individuals just like you who have the same goals and objectives. Find out what they are doing to address prejudice in your community, and tell them what you are about. Consider joining forces with them through collaboration. Volunteer your time! Visit the Links page to find more organizations. Find a human rights group in your area. Check out Strategies for Resisting Bias and Preventing Hate Violence at P.A.H. Watch this space for action that you can take. And sign up for the mailing list because updates will come your way! You can also make a donation to Beginning the Journey. Subscribe to Beginning the Journey's E-mail mailing list, THE COMPASS, and receive Action Alerts and Program Updates! Click here to subscribe! |
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