We connected with the author of the acclaimed new book History Teaches Us to Resist ahead of her Great Thinkers master class at 92Y, The History of American Protest, for a dose of practical wisdom about how to get involved in a protest right now, intergenerational activism, climate change, and why you should never give up on progressive action.
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What advice would you give to someone who has never actively participated in a protest movement before — who has been intimidated to do so, but wants to get involved right now?
Join a local protest. Find out through social media when the group meets participate, show up reliably when you can, always practice non-violence, and avoid protesters who engage in violence. Soon you will become experienced and able to help new activists.
Your upcoming 92Y class, The History of American Protest — part of our Great Thinkers series — takes the long view on protest movements. Why is a historical perspective important?
Successful protest movement takes time, and those who hold power always think you’ll soon give up. Don’t. Keep the goal simple and model persistence.
In an interview with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show in late January, you said that combatting climate change was the single most pressing issue of our moment. We've been through a lot since then. Would you give a different answer today?
The effect of climate change is still, over the long term, the most important issue. It cuts across every demographic category and a vaccination won’t stop it. Racism and unfettered capitalism make it worse for some people just as the virus does. It remains a tough issue over time and should be important to everyone.
What has surprised you most during the pandemic and throughout the protests that have been happening since late May?
What I haven’t been surprised about is the disparities in effect on groups already marginalized. I have been pleasantly surprised that the protests against racism and the negative effects of capitalism continue despite efforts to funnel protesters off into believing that protest is not essential to politics.