This article has been updated to reflect additional resources
It’s that time of year again when many of us are in festive feels, good moods, and sampling far too many indulgent foods. When we’re making lists, giving hugs and kisses under mistletoes, and maybe even balling our fists from frustration and elbowing our way through crowds hoping to snag a discounted deal we’d otherwise forego. For many this is also the time of year that is not so sentimental but rather somber especially if you’ve lost someone, live far from loved ones, or find all the fuss way too much and become overwhelmed.
If you’re looking for a way to perhaps bring some balance back and offset all the “taking in” here’s a lovely listicle I’ve compiled just in time for GivingTuesday to consider making a donation, signal boost, and/or just learn more about. This “global generosity movement” is happening December 3rd but is something to strive for throughout the year and put into normalized practice. So many marginalized folks and orgs doing such great work in human rights, social justice, and service often go unheralded. Maybe you too also get joy learning about and contributing to the bright lights that add sparkle and spunk. We can feel spent from the heaviness of the daily newscycle and negative world churn out.
As a disabled Black woman, I use much of my lens and lived experience in my advocacy work, writing, speaking, board service, providing consultancy, etc. Disability, and especially intersectional lens is not always included in diversity conversations and so much of the work continues nearly 30 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act passing. So I’d like to take a moment to spotlight some disability-related orgs and projects. This is by no means an exhaustive list, just some suggestions to direct support to folks doing great work:
Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf (HEARD): “is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that promotes equal access to legal system for individuals who are deaf and for people with disabilities.”
Disability Visibility Project: “An online partnership that is dedicated to recording, amplifying, and sharing disability media and culture.”
Fireweed Collective: “Fireweed Collective offers mental health education and mutual aid through a Healing Justice lens. We help support the emotional wellness of all people, and center the needs of those most marginalized by our society.”
Autism Women & Non-Binary Network: “organization with a mission to provide community, support and resources for Autistic women, girls, nonbinary people, and all others of marginalized genders.”
Our Space Our Place: “to Prepare blind youth for their future as productive and successful adults by promoting their self confidence, determination and social and independent living skills through activities which support self exploration, social integration and the investigation of college and career opportunities.”
Ramp Your Voice: “A self-advocacy and empowerment movement for people with disabilities”
POOR magazine: “POOR Magazine is a poor people led/indigenous people led, grassroots non-profit, arts organization dedicated to providing revolutionary media access, art, education and advocacy to silenced youth, adults and elders in poverty across the globe.”
Kriphop Nation: An org dedicated “to educate the music, media industries and general public about the talents, history, rights and marketability of Hip-Hop artists and other musicians with disabilities.”
Through the Looking Glass: “a nationally recognized center that has pioneered research, training, and services for families in which a child, parent or grandparent has a disability or medical issue.”
Sins Invalid: “is a disability justice performance project that centers people of color, queers, nonbinary and trans people with disabilities.”
Project LETS: “We build peer-led communities of support, education & advocacy for folks with lived experience of mental illness, trauma, Disability, and/or neurodivergence.”
And me, because speaking up includes doing so for self as well and it’s quite alright to ask for assistance when needed. Any amount you are comfortable forwarding helps. Also, I love paying a portion forward by giving others in need, thanks in advance! Here are a couple ways to support, here and here.
Wishing all a joyous holiday season and may the mood and generosity stretch all year-long!*
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*respectfully noting more somber feel and less celebratory due to pandemic and protests.
