Community Activism has been a prominent hallmark of western communities and one of the main reasons why we have an educated and informed public that participates willingly in the smooth functioning of our democracies.
Self-monitoring communities with activists who keep a tab on their social ills and other shortcomings, whilst actively identifying opportunities for growth, function as cohesive economic units that are conducive to change, progress, and upward social mobility. Activists within a community are just regular people, who, in addition to fulfilling their role as responsible members of the community, go the extra mile to make things better for everyone like ensuring safety for all residents, addressing social, economic, and political concerns — big and small, and uplifting the economic and social status of the people in the area.
Activism starts at the school level with our basic education. It could be something as simple as students forming anti-bullying squads to support victims of bullying incidents or educating fellow students about its long term negative repercussions to reduce the occurrence of such incidents proactively. Other examples of Community Activism include anti-harassment squads that monitor the streets, local support bodies for women who are victims of domestic violence, vigilante communities that ensure that the homeless are fed, run community kitchens for the needy, and so on.
Activists aren’t limited to addressing the negative elements of the society or taking only corrective measures; they’re also big proponents of pre-emptive actions like free education, better laws to govern the community, and so on. In short, community activists keep pushing for reforms that enrich the lives of the residents in more ways than one.
To sum up, Community Activism has been central to our progress over the last few centuries. It has ensured that new grassroots movements gain proper traction and turn into opportunities for growth and development for entire nations whilst keeping social ills at bay locally.
