Finding The Social Justice Issues List

Finding The Social Justice Issues ListWe are all looking for resources that provide information and work on specific social justice issues. As an advocate I have a variety of resources at my disposal.I have always been taught that the 'power to do' is always where you find it easiest. As a community organizer I used this method to develop relationships with leaders in community organizations and make connections with agencies. The key was getting the word out that I had the power to help those who needed it.As a facilitator, I use this same toolbox to help individuals identify their expertise in areas of their lives. As an example, when I talk with people I will ask them what they do for a living and how they do it. Then I ask them what social justice issues they see affecting their lives and how they are doing about them. I then help them to write down a 'toolbox' of activities and projects that they could do in their own lives. Then I meet with them and help them find opportunities to expand their ability to help others.My toolbox will include those issues that I am passionate about, from working with troubled teens, to children in foster care, to children that live in dangerous neighborhoods, to adults with learning disabilities, and much more. If I have been involved in any of these areas as a community organizer, I have developed a toolbox of issues that relate to the issues that I help others.When I began my activism many years ago I did not have access to the Internet and as a result I made use of my personal experience to try to find out about social justice issues. While the Internet can be a great resource, we cannot rely on the information we find there for our agenda.The internet is an amazing tool, but it can not and should not replace the face-to-face meetings that can give you the opportunity to connect with other activists that can discuss the issues in your community and the issues impacting you personally. My community organization experience and research have taught me, 'There is a wealth of information on the Net, but only a limited number of resources that can provide real and valuable guidance for what you need to do today. There is also a broad spectrum of social justice information and resources available in the mass media. These sources are great, but they are not necessarily the best source of information about specific social justice issues in your area.When it comes to researching specific issues that directly impact you and your family I prefer to use a social justice issues list that you can print off at home or purchase on the Internet. This list contains a variety of information about the issues that affect the community you are in. It will also have links to public events that you can attend to learn more about the issues you are facing. It is important to follow the links to get to the information that is most relevant to you and to your family.As a participant in any issue that affects my community, I am always grateful to have the information and tools that I have been able to access in order to find the resources I needed. As a community organizer I have had access to the greatest resources to help me learn about different social justice issues and in the end I am able to make a difference. In order to continue to be effective, I have to stay current with the information that I am able to find in the mass media. As a teacher I teach and I use social justice issues lists in my classrooms as a tool to teach the social justice issue information that is being discussed.