The summer is a great time to relax and recharge. It’s also a great time to take stock of your activism work and give it a refresh.
With warmer weather and longer days, you can fill your free time working to change the world for the better. And some of it may be easier than you think. That’s why we’re sharing nine easy ways to kickstart your activism this summer.
Keep reading to find out!
Start a summer reading list
The summer is a great time to pick up that reading list that you may not have had time for so far this year. And why not make that reading list a bit more activism-focused? Reading books that are focused on changing the world for the better can help kick your activism into high gear and get you inspired to take action this summer.
Check out this list of activism-focused books to read ASAP!
Brush up on your activism knowledge
Whether you’re just starting your activism journey or a seasoned professional, it can’t hurt to refresh your memory on some of the basics. With your spare time this summer, check out the book, “Becoming a Citizen Activist.” From strategies to stories and advice, this book will empower any first-time activists and remind any seasoned activists just why they started in the first place. Need a little inspiration to get started? Check out these amazing women who are working to fight COVID-19!
Join our movement focused on addressing the world’s biggest changes
There’s a lot going on in the world right now —from the COVID-19 pandemic (which is far from over), climate change, inequality, rising inflation, and alarming increases in global hunger and poverty. It can feel pretty overwhelming.
But we refuse to accept that these global crises are too big to fix. That’s why we started GenerAction. We have the power to rewrite the future and rebuild the world for the better. Ready to get started this summer? Join GenerAction now to learn more about how you can take action.
Make a donation
One of the easiest ways to get involved is to donate. Whether it’s a monetary donation or a donation of clothes, books, and more, it’s a great and simple way to do some good this summer. Not sure where to start? Charity Navigator is a great resource to find trusted charities focused on the issues you care about most — from the war in Ukraine, to racial justice, to gender equality.
Test your knowledge
Quizzes are a fun way to test how much you really know about crucial global issues. We’ve got three new quizzes on three important global health topics: tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. Over the past two decades, we’ve made amazing progress tackling these deadly diseases. But COVID-19 is threatening that progress.
Brush up on your knowledge of tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. And once you’ve learned more, take more action by demanding funding to keep tackling these diseases globally.
Make sure you stay informed
Activism can be delivered right to your inbox. When you join ONE, we’ll send you emails with actions you can take throughout the year to fight for global change, as well as other tips and advice on activism. Join ONE now to receive our emails. (And if you don’t follow us on social media already, join us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook).
And if you want to stay up to date on the latest news, data, and analysis on how COVID-19 and other global crises are impacting Africa, sign up for our Aftershocks newsletter.
Sign a petition or pledge on a topic you care about
Signing petitions or pledges may seem like small actions — but they do have an impact. They help build awareness and momentum around crucial issues. This gets the attention of the public, which then gets the attention of political and business leaders, and puts pressure on them to act.
We’ve got two important causes that you can add your name to now. First, our Jobs Now Africa Campaign is addressing the urgent issue of unemployment across Africa. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 30 million Africans lost their jobs, and a lot of Africa’s youth population are struggling to find decent jobs or any job at all. We’re looking to reverse this trend by creating 5 million decent jobs in Africa each year by 2025. Join the call to action on jobs in Africa.
And second, we’re demanding global leaders end this pandemic once and for all. How? By getting vaccines to everyone, everywhere. It’s the only way we’ll get out of this endless spiral of variants, testing, lockdowns, and boosters. If you’re sick of living in a pandemic, sign our petition to end it.
Volunteer your time
Another simple and easy way to get involved this summer is to volunteer. The season is all about having some surplus free time, and a great way to fill it is by volunteering. Plus, volunteers are vital to the work that organizations like ONE and others do, so you’ll know that whatever you choose to do will have a big impact no matter what. If you need a place to start, check out some of the ways you can volunteer with ONE now.
Watch a documentary
Like your reading list, the summer is a great time to catch up on films and shows. A way to squeeze some activism into that list is by adding some documentaries to it! Check out this list of 11 documentaries and films you can watch now to change your worldview. And in case you want to skip the view time and get straight to what you need to know, check out our 10 takeaways from HBO’s new documentary, “How to Survive a Pandemic.”
