The Peace and Social Concerns Committee is working to help New Garden Friends Meeting incorporate more immediate social and economic justice actions into our everyday lives. Thus, every weekly newsletter will include one Anti-Racist Action suggestion and one website whereby members can find minority-owned business to support, if they so choose. The Meeting is not endorsing or advertising these businesses; we just feel it’s important to spread dollars more equitably to all community members and entrepreneurs. Suggestions for future ideas/submissions can be sent to Traci Claywell, 336-554-1534 by call/text or email to ([email protected])

Anti-Racist Actions You Can Take Now:

Seek Solidarity, not Charity. One of the core tenets of mutual aid is the idea of solidarity, not charity. Solidarity involves collectively working together to solve the root causes of structural inequity. Many nonprofits function on the idea of charity, utilizing a top-down, hierarchical structure that keeps the power in the hands of the givers. According to “What is Mutual Aid? A Primer”, created by the Climate Justice Alliance at www.climatejusticealliance.org  ”Mutual aid consists of the collective actions it takes to support community well-being and reaffirm that all lives have inherent value. We all have needs and we are all capable of helping each other to fulfill some of these needs. This approach is distinctively egalitarian and rooted in reciprocity and agency.”

  • Get involved in the existing mutual aid networks in your area. Find them by Googling “your city+mutual aid.” (Many of these networks appreciate non-financial support as well!)
  • Evaluate what kinds of groups, organizations, or people you’ve given money to in the past. How did you evaluate whom to give to? Has the white savior complex infected your giving philosophy?
  • Research the organizations you support. How do they stack up against Dean Spade’s chart https://tinyurl.com/y3ewk6yc on mutual aid vs. hierarchical charitable programs?
  • Go to https://tinyurl.com/y3o8p44k to read how she differentiates between Mutual Aid Projects and Charitable Non-profits. According to the website, Dean Spade is a trans activist, writer and teacher. The November 10, 2020 edition of the “Anti-Racism Daily” email was the source of this week’s Actions. Learn more by subscribing to antiracismdaily.com to receive “daily (or weekly) actions to dismantle white supremacy.”

Local Minority-Owned Business You Can Support Now:

Another Facebook Group to join…Search for and ask to join a private page with over 10,000 members, “GreensboroBLACK Food Mob”. You will have to read a few rules and answer a couple of questions before being allowed in, but once inside, you will find a smorgasbord of businesses, pictures, videos, and menus, all focused on Greensboro’s eclectic food community. You could begin by exploring the DISCUSSION and MEDIA tabs at the top