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To Help Each Other
can be simple
T. Thorn Coyle
May 04, 2024
Hello friends,
While on one of my daily walks, I saw a sticker that read Mutual Aid Truck. I’m a big fan of mutual aid—sharing resources, trading skills, uplifting each other—so I snapped a photo and moved on.
Mutual aid is an organizational model where voluntary, collaborative exchanges of resources and services for common benefit take place amongst community members to overcome social, economic, and political barriers to meeting common needs. This can include resources like food, clothing, to medicine and services like breakfast programs to education…Resources are shared unconditionally, contrasting this model from charity where conditions for gaining access to help are often set, such as means testing or grant stipulations.
When I got closer to my neighborhood, I turned onto the street where our home sits and saw a man with a bicycle and a large burlap sack on a long stick. He was rifling through a recycling bin. This was early afternoon, so most of the cans were not out on the street yet for pick up the next morning.
“Are you collecting cans?” I called out.
“Yes!” he replied.
“I think I’ve got a bag for you at home!”
You see, like many people, my household separates out cans into a separate sack for the gleaners, to make it easier for them to collect without having to dig through a big bin. I went quickly home, grabbed the bag of cans, and met him at the sidewalk where he waited patiently.
After we thanked each other—him for the cans, and me for helping me get the recycling where it needed to be—I had a thought.
Mutual aid really is that simple. Mutual aid is about allowing ourselves to support community, in as many ways as possible, large or small.
Wishing us all the power of mutual support.
Thank you for being here — Thorn
I wrote an essay for my Patreon people this week, about using collective action to confront those who want power and control over others. It’s called Too Much to Say.
Also, for any writers among you, my Midlist Indie Author Mindset book campaign ends Tuesday, May 7th! I appreciate your support!
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