1. Talk to the groups/people organizing and participating in those actions. I can’t tell you what your community needs, but the people who are dedicated to helping your community might be able to, and they probably have some less-social actions you can help with. Maybe they need someone with a bike to distribute messaging, or a graphic artist to design it, or a Spanish speaker to translate it. Maybe they need someone good with spreadsheets to help organize their free store, or maybe they have an infoshop or bookstore collective you can work at. Maybe Food Not Bombs has a group of 3 or 4 regulars who meet at someone’s house to cook beforehand and you can help with that. I’m sure they’d be happy to accommodate you however they can if you’re willing to help!
2. Work on personal independence, take personal action, and develop skills. While communities working together are always more productive, learning how to make/fix stuff on your own can still be a significant means of resistance. Use your free time to learn how to do the things you’ve always wanted to do! I have resources for DIY stuff in my practical tag if you wanna take a look. You can also take small actions on your own, like guerilla gardening, writing to prisoners, donating to free stores/food shares, putting up graffiti/covering up fascist messaging, etc
3. Use whatever techniques you use to handle anxiety in other situations. Don’t feel like you’re less of a rebel or less helpful just because you need help. In my experience, leftist circles are very supportive of people with mental illness, and no one will judge you for it (and if anyone does, you’ll probably have twice as many coming to your defense). I don’t have experience or expertise in social anxiety, and even if I did I couldn’t tell you what works best for you, but if you need to take breaks, bring a trusted friend, stay to the sidelines, etc., that’s fine! I’m proud of you for whatever you’re able to do ✊💕I hope that helps, anon! As always, anyone who knows a bit more about social anxiety can feel free to add to this!
One thing I used to do when I first started going to political meetings was to always make sure I helped with washing up at the end. That way, when I was travelling home on the bus and was thinking about all of the Horrid Errors I had doubtless made, I could be like ‘okay but you did in fact do the washing up, and that was helpful’
There are a load more things that people can do that are Practical and useful in this kind of a way:
– TAKING MINUTES. oh god taking minutes. Nobody ever wants to and it’s SO important and it’s a great thing to do if you don’t feel like talking much but want to participate. Even if the minutes aren’t amazing or wonderfully detailed it will STILL be great if you volunteer to take minutes and everyone will be thinking ‘god I’m so glad I didn’t have to’.
– Training to be a Legal Observer at actions/demonstrations. This is a UK thing but it really helps to have people at actions/demonstrations who are there to just watch and document everything that happens so that they can be witnesses in case the police try something. It REALLY makes a huge difference in how the police act. LOs need to be independent so they can’t take part in the action itself or carry placards, but everyone there will see the LO bib they’re wearing and know that they’re doing a valuable job. You can usually get LO training through Green & Black Cross, look them up and find your local group.
– Cooking for big meetings or events & generally bringing food. This is a thing where it helps if you’re working with a group that already has a commitment to incorporating social reproduction into political organising (shoutout to Plan C whoo); if you are then a lot of the time meetings/events will either be fully catered by members or else will incorporate a shared meal. Either helping with cooking or bringing nice food is never not going to be welcomed. Even if it’s not a thing that your group does, if you bring nice snacks people will generally appreciate it.
– Design some of your own stickers, put them up places, people will appreciate that you put stickers around -> instant social bond without any conversation. Similarly, if you make your own nice banner, that’s cool. I made an applique one I bring to demonstrations when I’m going on my own and everyone’s like ‘oh that’s pretty’ so then I know I’ve made some people happy and I can relax.
Also honestly it is FINE to go to a meeting or whatever and not say anything. The usual struggle in meetings is getting everyone to shut the hell up so that we don’t run over. If it takes you like 6 months of going to feel like you can say a thing, I’ll bet that most people won’t even notice and those that do will just be like ‘oh yeah anon’s kinda quiet’.
Reblogging for that second reply.
Also: if you can bring a friend (who may be less into activism but enough to want to be with you at an activist thing) that can sometimes help. The friend becomes the first one to start a conversation, asks you a question which means you have to answer and are now part of the conversation, and hey, you’re talking to a stranger. And the next time you go to that activist thing without a friend, there’s one person there that you’ve spoken to at least once.
QueerAnarchism 