Anonymity. Fear. Indifference. “Us” versus “Them.”
These emotions foster all kinds of harassment and disrespect towards others, be it street harassment, racial profiling/harassment, homophobia, or able-ism.
Some ways to counter this are to get to know your neighbors, smile and nod at people on the street, and make friends with people who don’t look like you, who are a different sex, gender, race, class, etc. Learn about other cultures and people and ways of living. Be respectful.
To this end, I love the annual spring “Neighbor Day” when you can meet or reconnect with neighbors to build a strong community bond and increase the chances that they won’t harass you and that they’ll have your back if you are being harassed.
And today I learned about the “Night Out for Safety & Democracy” on August 6, a chance for “residents to rise up and voice their ideas and opinions on public safety.”
While Justice for Families in Oakland, CA, is organizing it, it looks like you can hold your own forum anywhere. Info.
Artist Micah Bazant designed the poster for the event and wrote, “In the course of designing them, George Zimmerman was found innocent for the murder of Trayvon Martin, and the poster’s message took on a new level of meaning and urgency.”
Download an 11×17″ PDF of the poster in English, or in Spanish and share it.
H/T to Girls for Gender Equity
