Tiny Radical Acts of Humanity

No act of love, resistance, or humanity is too small.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #047: Gift a consumable

Resist the urge to get something that will be in a landfill within the next year. Consider something they’ll “use up” like candles, alcohol, soap, tea, food, art supplies, lotion, or even plant cuttings. Happy gifting, babes.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #046: Display your pronouns

So why display your pronouns if most of your friends already know them? We do it in show of solidarity with the trans and gender non binary community. We do it to signify a virtual safe space for someone who feels like their identity isn’t respected in other spaces. We do it because we’re nice people and how other people choose to identify doesn’t impact us at all so why shouldn’t we support it?

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #045: $1 gives 10 meals to Feeding America

The best thing you can do for your neighbors this holiday season is stay home. Period. After that, consider giving a few dollars to @feedingamerica Many people are going hungry today and will continue doing so all holiday season. Unfortunately, it is actually a radical act to give freely. Stay warm and safe, everyone!

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #044: Pick a few things

It’s impossible for most of us to boycott every one or everything that doesn’t align perfectly with our values. It’s important to expect more of ourselves and to do our part, but it’s unrealistic to try and do it perfectly. On any given morning we might be expected to eat local, healthy, and organic food, have an optimized morning routine, don’t waste water in your shower, use cruelty and packaging free personal care items, stay off our screens, drink coffee grown from a sustainable company, take in enough news to be informed but not so much as to trigger anxiety. There’s always more we can do—and finding manageable things is part of this account’s mission—but it’s a more sustainable lifestyle choice if we pick a few things to champion strictly and then just try our best everywhere else. You’re not responsible for climate change, mass suffering, systemic racism, the country’s massive education failures. All we can control is our part.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #043: Do not gather

The virus doesn’t care about your intentions. It’s tearing through our country and killing people because we won’t stop gathering. It could kill you. It could kill your mom. It could kill your kid. Have some respect for science, and trust that experts who spent a decade in school know more than you about epidemiology. Refusing to abide by the mask and gathering mandates is classist (poor communities are disproportionately affected), privileged (you’re putting essential workers in danger), racist (black and brown people are disproportionately affected), careless (you think you’re an exception?), unchristian like (I thought we valued all human life over everything?) and frankly just infuriatingly unpatriotic. Stay the fuck at home. Whatever excuse you have, it’s not worth killing any more people.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #042: Make a safety plan

If police do not make you feel safe, then it’s important to have a safety plan to avoid calling them. If you’ve struggled with suicidal ideation, what’s your safety plan for what you’ll do if those thoughts come up? If you suffer from addiction, what’s your safety plan in case of relapse? Consider what makes you feel unsafe or out of control and make a plan now, before you need it. Is there a crisis center you can call instead of police? Do you have a trusted friend (and backup friend!) who will come over? Emergency medicine? Emergency funds? Take care of yourselves.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #041: Stop using wrapping paper

Consumerist culture tells us that even the shit we tear off and immediately throw in the trash has to look cute. Kindly fuck that. Here’s what to use instead: ➖ The brown packaging paper that comes with online orders (bonus: this one looks so brown paper packages tied up with string) ➖ Old issues of @redeyechicago ➖ Catalogs you get in the mail ➖ Scraps of fabric ➖ Take out food bags ➖ Skip the wrapping all together and just hand your gift to them because they’re still surprised and then there’s no trash 🌲

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #040: Send a letter to a kid

Children without families would love to get a letter from you. Tell them a joke, draw them a picture, or just send a warm message. Check out Paper Bridges (paper-bridges.org) to do a good deed this week. Making another persons life a little happier doesn’t have to be a big commitment. Tiny radical acts matter.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #039: Celebrate

We were on the brink of something dark, but there’s SO much relief this weekend. Hearing @joebiden and @kamalaharris speak gives me hope I haven’t felt in years. There’s plenty more work to be done, but it’s ok to just exhale for a while. Celebrating wins is important.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #038: Thank a volunteer

Without volunteers our democratic process would be much slower. Without them, voting numbers would tank. Without them, people who live without transportation or who need accessibility assistance wouldn’t be represented. Volunteering is hott.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts. #037: Become more sex-positive — try the Savage Lovecast

A different kind of self improvement: listen to the Savage Lovecast with Dan Savage. 

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts: #036: Read something by an author of color

When you feel burned out on social justice work, simply widening the scope of what you’re taking in is tiny, but important. 

On my “to read” list: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts: #035: Vote Early

Americans: The election isn’t Nov. 3 — it ENDS Nov. 3 It starts now. Polling places will be packed thanks to voter suppression, so do yourself a favor and go vote early. You’ll save hours. iwillvote.com will show you your early voting locations! Live in a blue bubble and thinking “oh well my vote doesn’t matter anyways”? After the results are in, Trump won’t take no for an answer. We need to win by a LANDSLIDE in order to stop the rhetoric that the dems unfairly stole the election. Let’s leave no wiggle room.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #034: Sleep in

Take care of yourself today. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and sleep is arguably our most foundational need for a good life. You aren’t lazy, you’re a mammal, and you need to have a good relationship with sleep. Rest. Nap. Sleep in. You don’t need permission. (Ask me about how a prescription for sleep medicine changed my life)

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #033: Cry

First, a fact about crying: tears have cortisol, the stress hormone, in them. That means it’s a physiological relief to cry. Crying isn’t the thing we do when we’re giving up, it’s a tool that allows us to keep carrying on. Fuck stereotypes. Crying is for everyone. It’s one of our most base forms of radical self expression in a world constantly trying to strip us of our humanity.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #032: Make someone feel safe

One of many reasons why @drewbarrymore is a role model of mine: she prioritizes emotional safety.

[tinyradicalacts]

Tiny Radical Acts #031: Leave Something Unsaid

Someone made me really angry this morning. It wasn’t that important though, so I decided to say nothing. A few minutes later, all is well. It’s ok to leave things unsaid. It’s radical to extend that kind of grace and compassion both to others and to yourself. Sometimes we all say dumb shit, or we say something not dumb in a dumb way. Let it go today.