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Activism has been the conduit of change for the betterment of societies since civilization began. Throughout the course of history there have been societal issues that have prompted some one to rise up in support or condemnation of them for the best interest of the people. These issues have ranged from social injustice; oppression; inequality, environmental degradation; hunger; corruption, etc. The list is endless.
There are a great number of widely publicized personalities and those who were less known but all of whom made great contribution towards transforming their societies and the world at large through activism. William Wilberforce was a great anti-slavery activist, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X fought against the oppression of African Americans and demanded for equality. Bob Marley and Lucky Philip Dube were activists through their liberation songs; the iconic Nelson Mandela was an activist against apartheid in South Africa; Barack Obama was a civil rights activist while Wangare Maathai, the Nobel peace laureate, was an environmental activist in Kenya.
So what is Activism? The Oxford dictionary defines Activism as “the policy or action of using vigorous campaign to bring about political or social change.” According to Wikipedia, “Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, or environmental change”
Whatever the definition, one thing is clear – activism is advocacy. It may be advocacy for or against emerging societal issues with the sole interest of the masses. Such advocacy aims at changing a social behavior or attitude towards a phenomenon or subject. It may also be aimed at influencing policies and government actions on issues.
In our contemporary society, there are often issues that require to be addressed and behaviors to be changed. There are always emerging issues such as environmental concerns (like pollution, climate change and desertification), HIV/ AIDS, high rates of population growth, corruption in governments, nepotisms, gender disparities, violence by governments against the masses, and social injustice among others.
The leadership, those in authority, and sometimes the populace, in most cases lack the will to address these issues merely because of ignorance or in preservation of their personal interests at the expense of interest of the masses. At this point, in order for the right thing to be done, right action to be taken, right policies to be developed, some one or a group of people must rise up to advocate for the required change. This is the time when activism comes in handy. Generally the world over, activism has been and still remains the tool and vehicle of changing and transforming the society at any level – right from the family, community, nation or indeed the world.
Activism requires sharp minds, exuberance, passion, energy, commitment and determination to be effective. This makes young people better placed as activists. And in a world where everyone in authority seems to be asleep, closed, rigid and blind to issues of concern, activism becomes the main tool to wake them up, make them listen and give them sight. Therefore it is actually young people who can transform the world.
Just as Dr, Seuss once said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” Activism means that someone or a group of people must do something to better the world. Young people can play the part of an activist in society by advocating for positive change or action. One need not necessarily do something of national or global significance to be an activist.
“A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things,” once said US president Barrack Obama. It’s the small things we do that transforms the world; the “plant a tree” movement that you initiate; the protest you organize against a company that dumps its waste into a water source; the advocacy you do for HIV counseling and testing in your village; the lobbying you do with the local government to create a law barring drug peddling in the area. These are what add up to activism.
And activism is a calling, it’s an inner urge where one is deeply convinced that the state of things is not okay and that some changes ought to be done. As Mother Teresa said, “do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” A true activist is not pushed into action. A true activist is proactive. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world!
So how does one undertake activism? Activism, just as the word suggest involves action. And the action should be geared towards making a positive change. There are various approaches to activism. The situation of concern and its context determine the approach to be employed. Activism can be undertaken in the form of letters to national newspapers or publications. It can also be undertaken through political campaigns, boycotts, street marches, strikes, sit-ins, hunger strikes, social media, persuasion, lobbying and community education and awareness creation around a cause.
Activism is a very powerful tool to impart change and bring about transformation. In fact, Joss Whedon says that, “because it’s no longer enough to be a decent person, it’s no longer enough to shake our heads and make concerned grimaces at the news. True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself.” However, negative activism can destroy a society and a people.
Negative activism is that which does not keep in mind the interest of the people and is undertaken in the wrong way with the wrong motive. To undertake positive activism, the concerned society should be made to understand clearly the importance of the cause being advocated for and their support must be engaged. Negative activism in the contrary is undertaken without educating the people and usually is done out of personal interest and may be so destructive. It is therefore important always to keep in mind that it is only positive activism that is the key to transformational change.
MIKE OKOK
Positive Activism as a Pathway to transformative change
Michael is a youth activist of the New Vision Community Development Programme, Siaya County, Kenya