If you’re looking to create connections and support those in your community, learn about what mutual aid is and why it’s always been important in building solidarity.
Question: What is Mutual Aid?
A form of political participation, building new social relations for survival, or community members taking responsibility to care for each other?
Answer: All of the above!
Mutual aid has an incredibly long history because inequity has existed for so long. In particular, mutual aid has been especially important in marginalized communities and in social justice movements.
Due to COVID-19, systemic failures have become even more obvious. Mutual aid efforts aim to not only fill in these gaps, but also build long-term networks of solidarity.
Here’s how you can get involved!
Build Your Pods
Think about who is part of your support network. This could include your family, friends, or neighbors, but also community groups and resources. Who can you depend on, and who can depend on you?
This worksheet from Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective can help you better understand who you can organize mutual aid efforts with. Though originally created for dealing with abuse and community accountability, this is also adaptable to developing mutual aid networks.
Find Mutual Aid Networks
Mutual aid can take many forms, from community fridges to child care to emotional support.
- Check out mutualaidhub.org for a map of mutual aid resources across the US!
- Because these are grassroots efforts, they might be harder to find. Connect with local organizers to see if any mutual aid efforts are going on near you!
Create a Mutual Aid Network
If you’re looking to create a mutual aid network yourself, this toolkit from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and organizer Mariame Kaba is a good starting point! It also includes suggested further readings.
Learn and Reflect
Mutual aid efforts should be transparent, consensus-based, and centered on those in need. It is meant to connect us with our communities, as well as provide opportunities to reflect and learn about current systemic failures.
It’s important to remember that mutual aid is not charity. These efforts don’t blame individuals for their circumstances, but instead focus on building reliable social relations to care for one another now.
Sources
[1] “What is Mutual Aid?” Big Door Brigade.
[2] Schupak, Amanda. “Behind America’s Mutual Aid Book Lies a Long History of Government Neglect.” Huffington Post. 02 Jul 2020.
[3] McMenamin, Lexi. “What is Mutual Aid, and How can It Help With Coronavirus?” VICE. 20 Mar 2020.
[4] Mingus, Mia. “Pods and Pod Mapping Worksheet.” Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective. Jun 2016.
[5] Kaba, Mariame and Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria. “Mutual Aid 101: Toolkit.” 18 Mar 2020.
[6] Spade, Dean. “Solidarity Not Charity: Mutual Aid for Mobilization and Survival.” Mar 2020.
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Written by Alice Liu. Illustration by Susu Schwaber.
