Focus on Goals, Solidarity, and Villains

I also love this thread because it reminds us as organizers and change-makers to focus on our goals, who we’re in solidarity with, and who the villains and/or people in power actually are. https://t.co/g7iNJgWeST

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

I recently had a conversation with some people identifying as activists about blocking traffic in climate protests. I place this in the same category as throwing soup on a famous painting: this stuff may be cathartic, but it’s not usually the best use of our efforts (🧵).

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

Protests are a powerful way to object to something to people in power. They need a goal, and should have clear demands that should be articulated to the people who are in power. Rallies, on the other hand, are for raising awareness, building capacity, and hyping up a crowd.

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

In my opinion, tactics like throwing soup on a painting, dumping manure on a street, or blocking a highway for 90 minutes are visible actions that may get press, but they aren’t necessarily effective in that they don’t articulate clear demands to a specific audience in power.

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

Here in the US, a majority of people fall in the “Alarmed” or “Concerned” categories on climate. If the goal of blocking traffic is to “wake people up,” you’re operating from some incorrect assumptions: 1) people aren’t aware, and 2) lack of action is due to a lack of awareness.

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

I’m not saying protest isn’t effective or that we shouldn’t be using it as a tactic on climate! Rather, we should be thoughtful about tactics. Protests are great for identifying villains (e.g., banks, fossil fuel industry) and making clear demands of those in power (e.g, divest).

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

Treating “people” as a monolith for protests misses the opportunity to take a group of folks largely on your side and provide them with clear pathways for deepening their engagement in the movement. Climate is an everything problem, which means we should be building solidarity.

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

You want to convince people to join your cause? Show up as a coalition for theirs. Provide local trainings on climate change, engage in mutual aid, work at the local level to expand green infrastructure and build grassroots support for green candidates.

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

Protests work best when they target leaders, with a diverse coalition that articulates clear demands from those who have their hands on the levers of power (i.e., not moms working two jobs trying to do school pickups on time).

We should be aiming for impact over catharsis.

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

I often hear climate activists say “no one’s doing anything!” And my first response is that not doing enough isn’t the same as doing nothing. My second is to ask, are you doing mutual aid? Are you working in your community? Are you studying other movements? Building a coalition?

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

This is why it’s so critical to center justice in the climate movement. Our solutions (including our activism) cannot repeat the same harms that got us here in the first place. No one should be considered disposable. Social justice isn’t a distraction, it’s everything.

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

And if you’re just joining an activist community, be ready to do a lot more listening than talking. Recognize that many people have decades of experience that shapes their approach, including effective messaging, managing risk, protecting the vulnerable, and centering justice.

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023

Continued in my replies to @TutusNTinyHats (who brings up good points!): https://t.co/Pjuaby122Y

— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 16, 2023