Pots-and-Pans Protests Raise a Racket for Justice
Editor’s Note from Rivera Sun
Nonviolence comes in thousands of shapes and sizes. It’s a force, a field of potential, a method of making change, even a way of life. While this week’s headline celebrates the Latin America-wide cacerolazo (pots-and-pans protest), I’m also uplifting a few stories that show the wide-ranging potential of nonviolence, from small acts of kindness to commemorating nonviolent heroes to making radical change. And don’t miss the new section on “Youth Action” – my favorite story this week is a 17-year-old’s impressive circumventing of censorship by using a TikTok make-up tutorial to disguise a global message about the Uyghur detainment camps. …
What’s the secret to success for nonviolent movements? Try solidarity. Instead of “going it alone,” movements can amplify their message, leverage collective power, and build strength by seeking solidarity from aligned organizations and groups. Read more >>
Building a culture of nonviolence means commemorating and honoring those who wage nonviolent struggle and take nonviolent action. Milwaukee Public Transit System just gave us a great model. For three days around Rosa Park’s birthday, the Milwaukee Public Transit System reserved one seat on every bus as a tribute to Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin, and those who strove for racial justice on public transportation. The tribute included a sign to inform riders and a red rose laid on the seat. Read more >>
How else can we foster nonviolence? We can build a school culture that values acts of kindness, peace, and empathy. Many of us have heard or experienced the stories of school bullying, but here’s a report from Ireland that shows another world is possible. This primary school in County Cork has decided to do away with other homework for the entire month of December, replacing it instead with ‘acts of kindness’. Students are urged to “be the reason someone else smiles today”. Note: this school is teaching the “spirit of Christmas”, but this same type of program could be framed differently for a multi-faith or secular school. Read more >>
Here’s an example of what happens when we build a culture that respects human dignity, equality, and inclusion. When the hijab of a Muslim soccer player in Jordan started to come off, several women from the opposing team – who were not hijab wearers – rushed to this player’s side — effectively halting the game — and used their bodies to protect her from the crowd’s view until she was able to fix it. This story isn’t just good sports-woman-ship, it’s a nonviolent action of solidarity and compassion. It’s also a good example of how nonviolence can extend far beyond protests into our everyday lives. Read more >>
From small actions to large interventions, nonviolence takes many forms. As the state of Illinois legalizes marijuana, one city is making sure past harms are addressed by the newly legal industry. Healing systemic and structural violence (like racism, mass incarceration, drug war disparities, and economic injustice) requires systemic and structural nonviolence. In a bold acknowledgement of the racism and injustice of drug policy and current cannabis profiteering, the City of Evanston uses cannabis revenue as a source of reparations funds for African-American residents. Read more >>
Don’t miss this week’s news stories on the COP25 mass protests, the 4,000 Germans who blockaded trains at 3 coal mines, the pots-and-pans banging solidarity protests that swept through 12 Latin American countries, and so much more!
Rivera Sun, Editor
Photo Credit: People bang pans and pots during the ‘Cacerolazo Latinoamericano’ at a concert in support of the strike against the government of Colombian President Ivan Duque, in Medellin, Colombia . This was one of many cacerolazo (pots and pans banging) protests that took place in at least 12 Latin American countries. [Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP]