Getting Involved In Activism

By:

Apr 29, 2017

Almost 100 days into Donald Trump’s presidency, the intense protests that surrounded the inauguration have waned.

But for those who are still seeking ways to work for reproductive rights, criminal justice, immigration, and more, we’ve compiled a list of organizations within The New School and throughout New York City that welcome more help.

For those who are unsure of how to get started, we have insight from students, staff, and faculty across the university.

Finding your role:

“Always have your eyes peeled and your ears open” says Laura Walton, a New School student and coordinator of #FreeTheNewSchool, a subgroup under Student Health Services working on issues of incarceration. Walton says that daily reading about the issues she’s passionate about “allows me to incorporate my mission into my daily routine.” Attending protests, writing letters, and making phone calls are some forms of protest, but not all forms of activism are the right fit for every individual. “Activism isn’t always about marching,” Walton said. “Information is so essential when supporting a cause.”

Environment

350NYC

What they do: “350NYC is the the local affiliate of 350.org, a grassroots network of volunteer-run campaigns in over 188 countries working to prevent climate chaos.”

How to be involved: Attend a general meeting first to get started, then join one of the three working groups: fossil fuel divestment, local sustainability solutions, and climate education.

Get started: Visit here for Manhattan or here for Brooklyn.

Green Thumb

What they do: “GreenThumb provides programming and material support to over 500 community gardens in New York City. Workshops, which are the access point for supplies, are held every month of the year, covering gardening basics to more advanced farming and community organizing topics.”

How to be involved: Contact an individual garden and ask for involvement opportunities, which could include joining a core garden group or subcommittee, signing up for a bed, or hosting open hours.

Get started: Here

Recycle a Bicycle

What they do: “Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB) is a community-based bike shop and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that facilitates job training and environmental education. RAB is dedicated to the health, development, stewardship, and empowerment of NYC youth.”

How to be involved: Attend volunteer nights Wednesdays 7-9 in Dumbo or Thursdays 6-8 in Long Island City to help take apart and rebuild bicycles. No previous experience necessary.

Get started: Here

Criminal Justice

#FreeTheNewSchool

What they do: “Our mission is to bring awareness and abolition to the private prison industrial complex, mass incarceration, and the school to prison pipeline.”

How to be involved: Members meet twice a month to plan events (such as film screenings and panel discussions) and discuss current events.

Get started: Contact Laura Walton at waltl281@newschool.edu

Communities United for Police Reform

What they do: CPR is a “campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, bringing together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change.”

How to be involved: Event-based and project-based activities, including graphic design, leafleting, and translating.

Get started: Here.

Books Through Bars

What they do: BTB aims “to address educational inequity. Prisons have slashed educational programs and the federal government still denies Pell Grants to those in prison. Our work decreases isolation and empowers those behind bars by providing resources and community.”

How to be involved: Come to any of the packing sessions at Freebird Bookstore in Brooklyn to help match letters from incarcerated individuals with books to send them. Check the event calendar for dates.

Get started: Here

Racial Justice

Black Girls Code

What they do: “Black Girls provides young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming at a time when they are naturally thinking about what they want to be when they grow up.”

How to be involved: Tech instructors/assistants, social media, office help, etc.

Get started: Here.

CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities

What they do: “Works to build grassroots community power across diverse poor and working class Asian immigrant and refugee communities in New York City.”

How to be involved: Volunteers for direct action, outreach, office help, interpreters/translators.

Get started: Here.

Make the Road NY

What they do: “Make the Road New York (MRNY) builds the power of Latino and working class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services.”

How to be involved: Internships available in development, organizing and advocacy campaigns, English and computer tutoring, and development of the college access center.

Get started: Here

Immigration

Arab-American Association of New York

What they do: “Our mission is to support and empower the Arab immigrant and Arab-American community by providing services to help them adjust to their new home and become active members of society.”

How to be involved: ESOL assistance, citizenship practice, women’s advocacy, bystander/upstander training, office support.

Get started: Here.

The New School Dream Team

What they do: “A group for undocumented students and allies to come together and discuss possibilities for changes, as well as foster a supportive environment at TNS.”

How to be involved: Undocumented students and allies come together and discuss possibilities for changes, plan events, and work to foster a supportive environment at TNS.

Get started: Email dreamteam@newschool.edu or view their Facebook page.

Mixteca Organization

What they do: “Mixteca Organization Inc.’s mission is to empower the Mexican and Latin-American immigrants of the New York area by providing access to services that enhance immigrants’ quality of life and will allow them to reach sustainable social and economic development.”

How to be involved: Volunteers and interns for support with community events, graphic design/video/marketing, organizing workshops or fundraisers, clerical work, English tutoring, and more.

Get started: Here

Women’s Rights

Planned Parenthood Defenders

What they do: Planned Parenthood provides reproductive health care, sex education, and information to women, men, and young people worldwide.

How to be involved: “Sign up as a Defender and we’ll be in touch with everything you need to help out at critical moments. Some weeks, we’ll ask you to help flood a key member of Congress with calls. Sometimes it might be writing a letter, showing up for a rally, or inviting friends over for an emergency meetup.”

Get started: Visit here or go here to learn about more opportunities with PP

Day One NY

What they do: “Day One partners with youth to end dating abuse and domestic violence through community education, supportive services, legal advocacy and leadership development.”

How to be involved: Public awareness campaigns, outreach, grant writing, research, event planning.

Get started: Here

LGTBQ+

TVAEC – Transgender Visibility Acceptance Education Compassion

What they do: Educational poster campaigns about gender and sexuality, looking to expand to more methods.

How to be involved: Educational campaigns through posters/social media.

Get started: Email transvaec@gmail.com

Queer Collective at TNS

What they do: “The Queer Collective is a student-run organization under Student Health Services that works to create safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty that are inclusive to all identities and bodies.”

How to be involved: “Every semester we plan and organize programming with the helpful input from university students as to what is needed and wanted for the community.”

Get started: Email queercollective@newschool.edu or visit their Facebook page

Ali Forney Center

What they do: The center “provides LGBTQ young people housing and a continuum of supportive services to help them thrive and prepare them for independent living.”

How to be involved: Volunteer in meal prep, tutoring, administrative assistance, special events and fundraising, or general shelter upkeep. There is a three month minimum commitment for volunteers.

Get started: Here

Health

Food Not Bombs

What they do: Food Not Bombs “collects fresh food every week that would otherwise go to waste, because it’s no longer pretty enough to be sold” to cook and distribute free meals.

How to be involved: Volunteer with an existing group, or start your own chapter by finding volunteers, soliciting donations from produce stores and other businesses, raising funds to cover other small costs, and setting up a schedule to cook food and serve it in a public space like a park.

Get started: Visit here for Manhattan or here for Brooklyn.

Campaign For New York Health

What they do: “The Campaign for New York Health is a statewide coalition dedicated to passing and implementing legislation for universal health care in New York State.”

How to be involved: Lobbying, translating, tabling, outreach, graphic design, fundraising, social media, collecting testimonials, and more!

Get started: Here.

NYHRE – New York Harm Reduction Educators

What they do: NYHRE “fights the stigmas associated with drug use and sex work every day. Our cornerstone services – syringe exchange, education and outreach – are central to our mission.”

How to be involved: Office work, teach classes, art projects with participants, learn how to recognize and treat drug overdoses, or become an UPRISE peer-to-peer health educator and advocate (large commitment).

Get started: Here.