Solidarity with the Victims of Domination

1. Learn their stories/realities

• Invite/listen to them speak (e.g. immigrants, victims of sexism and hate violence)

• Watch videos about their struggles (e.g. LONG WALK HOME, DEAD MAN WALKING, CRY FREEDOM, ROMERO, MALCOLM X, PLATOON, PHILADELPHIA, etc).

• Read their stories (e. g. Maryknoll Magazine and News Notes - www.maryknoll.org; Christian Peacemaker Teams - www.cpt.org; biographies of Mandela, Rosa Parks, Cesar Chavez….)

 2. Read/view stories of advocates for these victims for inspiration

• Dorothy Day (LOVE IS THE MEASURE by Jim Forest)

• Jean Donovan (SALVADOR WITNESS by Ana Carrigan) 

3. Stand with them & develop personal & mutual relationships (“doing with” vs “doing for”)

• Join their worship community, community organization, project, or events/actions as “allies”

• Participate in direct service opportunities where relationships can develop (e.g. Meals on Wheels, mentor at-risk students or ex-offenders, Habitat for Humanity, include others in holiday events)

 4. Economically support/empower groups struggling against their domination

• Buy directly from small local producers and local service providers

• Shop through Fair Trade groups; buy “Third World” handicrafts

• Support consumer boycotts (www.boycott.org for descriptions of current boycotts)

• Twin with a faith community, school, village or self-help project ( e.g. Haiti Parish Twinning Program - www.parishtwin.org; or Heifer International - www.heifer.org)

 5. Political action on their behalf

• Bread for the World (re poverty/hunger in US and overseas - www.bread.org

• NETWORK, a lobbying effort coordinated by women religious – www.network.org

• Children’s Defense Fund (re children’s needs in the US - www.childrensdefense.org

• Amnesty International (re prisoners of conscience worldwide - www.amnestyusa.org

• Pax Christi USA (peace initiatives from a Catholic perspective - www.paxchristiusa.org

• Voices in the Wilderness (re peace/justice in Iraq – www.vitw.org)

 6. Live more simply and share the savings

• Fasting, libraries for books and videos, recycle shops, neighborhood/church coops

• Donate a similar older item for each new item you buy (e.g. clothes, books, computer)

 7. “Solidarity Days”

Focus one day a week or month on a specific group, fast & pray for them, read about them, write letters, make an economic sacrifice on their behalf, invite others to respond.