Photo by SHVETS production on Pexels.
Info & Actions for Palestine
Since October 7Hopefully by now, you’ve heard about what happened on October 7, 2023. (If you haven’t, read/watch about how Israel’s current siege on Gaza began.) it’s been over 100 days of nearly nonstop missles, bombs, and gunfire. Most of the over 2 million people in Gaza have been displaced, and over 30,000 have been killed.
If you weren’t aware, this started long before four months ago. The Nakba (Catastrophe) started in 1948, and some consider it to be ongoing. (The settler-colonial violence and genocide has certainly been ongoing.)
I have a blog post with a brief outline of the Colonization of Palestine, which includes links to more information. It may be a good place to start if you don’t know much. I also made some maps of Palestine that may help visualize the places in the news.
The Palestinian Youth Movement has compiled a recommended reading list [Google Docs] that will take you a lot deeper.
How to Help Palestine
- Here are all the Palestine ResistBots currently active.
- Support Palestinian-run organizations like Makan, Adalah Justice Project, Direct Aid for Gaza, Care for Gaza, and Palestinian Medical Relief Society.
- Donate to the Red Crescent, UNRWA, Good Shepherd Collective, or Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. There are more links to donate and non-monetary actions to take on this Palestine Resources link tree.
- There are petitions, donation links, and resources on this Justice for Palestine link tree.
- Follow accounts that talk about Palestine, like @Hind_Gaza, @TameeOliveFern, @sasa_ghada, @JoelFarran, @WalidMahmodRouk, @Madhoun95, @intifada, and @MiddleEastEye.
- Boycott brands that support Israel. See the official BDS movement website for the best info or this great BDS 101 Twitter thread (images with alt). I made a list of alternative brands, too.
- I made a Twitter thread of ways to participate in the #StrikeForGaza, but these actions can be done any time.
- Learn and talk about what’s happening in Palestine on social media! #FreePalestine #CeasefireNow #EndTheGenocide.
Info & Actions for Sudan
Since April 15In April 2023, a conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out, then intensifed. As each group tries to preserve their power and take more, civilians are caught in the middle.
Moreover, foreign powers are backing both sides. Eygypt, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Iran, and Israel’s Foreign Ministry are supporting the SAF while the UAE, Central African Republic, Russia, Chad, Libya, Israel’s Mossad support the RSF.
Nearly 11 million people have been displaced and over 13,000 have been killed. Almost 25 million people are in need of humanitarian aid.
This thread from @NasAlSudann, with alt text added by @ZanderLisle has more details. Al Jazeera also gives an overview as of January 31, 2024. I have made some maps with context, too, but my information so far is limited.
Here’s a more recent thread from Nas Al Sudan (alt added by me).
How to Help Sudan
- Active ResistBots for Sudan.
- Support Sudanese-run organizations like Hadhreen, Darfur Women Action Group, and AWAFY. Hometax [Twitter] has set up a Go Fund Me for relief in Sudan. This page lists vetted fundraisers by grassroots organizations.
- Donate to Sudan Solidarity Collective, Urgent Relief Campaign for Sudan, or Sudan Relief Fund.
- Follow accounts that talk about Sudan, like @sighahh, @Dicktator1117, @BSonblast, @Kandakat_alhaqq, @KholoodKhair, @AlMigdadHassan0, @minlayla77, and @SudanTribune_EN. Here’s a list by Saroyah you can follow.
- Check out this link tree from Nas Al Sudan, which gives more information and more ways to help. This one from Kandakat has even more actions and donation links. And have a third one, this from TalkAboutSudan.
- Learn more and talk about what’s happening in Sudan on social media! #KeepEyesOnSudan #EyesOnDarfur.
Info & Actions for DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo)
A brief summary of what’s happening:
DRC is being exploited by Western nations for its resources, especially coltan, which is used in electronic devices. Countries like US, UK, and France have been aiding Uganda and Rwanda in invading coltan-rich areas.
On top of the invasions, multinational mining companies—the ones doing the direct exploitation—enslave men, women, and children to work in their mines.
Due to all of this, millions have been killed, millions more have been displaced, and survivors are assaulted in various ways.
I have a whole page with DRC infographics, places to learn more, and how to help.
Things I’m Pondering/Researching
These are questions or topics I welcome information or resources on, if you happen to have them.
If you’re curious, too, keep an eye on this page. I’ll link to answers when I get them.
Active: How to organize a boycott of the United States?
Current question:
When including a list of folks doing related work, with the intent of looking into some level of partnership (anything from shoutouts on social to shared labor or funding)… What would be a helpful amount of information?
Keeping in mind, I’m a non-organizer who wants to provide a sufficient starting point for the would-be organizers, but I also want the info available sooner rather than later. If you’ve got thoughts, LMK on Twitter.
Running Updates on this project:
- The BDS movement has a lot of information on their website about how they chose their targets and why. Start with What is BDS?, Economic Boycott, or Criteria for Choosing the Optimal BDS Target.
- Ethical Consumer has a short guide on Starting a Boycott.
- The AFSC has a database of companies contributing to prisons, occupations, and border control that can be searched.
- I’ve shared some information via a few tweets: Land Back is Boycott US, US Major Exports [thread], and US Revenue FY 2024 [source in thread].
- I’m now reading Buying Power: A History of Consumer Activism in America by Lawrence B. Glickman (available from Internet Archive). I tweeted some thoughts about it so far. (It’s a thread quoting a thread quoting a thread. I’m sorry, but that’s kinda how my brain operates. 😅)
- My proposed table of contents [Twitter], which I’ve already expanded on [also Twitter], but am taking suggestions on sections to add if I’ve missed anything that might be helpful.
- I stumbled across a website that has a bunch of resources on tax resistance (/protest/boycott). There will be a section on this in my proposal, as taxes are—by far—the US’s biggest source of income. The website is for the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. They also have links to a bunch of other sources—for the US and around the world—in the Resources section on their site.
- Update re: tax boycott: I’ve made a massive Twitter thread of basics on War Tax Resistance. I also made a Word doc for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with the thread.
How to remove the US from the UN, or remove the UN altogether?
The US has declared itself above international law, and is protected from being expelled from the UN. How do we remove the power the US has granted itself and hold the government accountable for its human rights violations?
Is there another way to remove power from the US?
How do we shut down Biden? What will it take for the cost of him supporting genocide to be greater than whatever benefits he’s getting from it?
How do we shut down his funders?
How do we shut down the US?
Do constituents have any power to oust their federal representatives?
My congressperson and senators all have several years left on their terms, but they are both actively and passively harming people now. Is there a way to remove them from office or force them out before then?
How to Support My Work
Buy my novel, Through the Mirrah [Amazon]. (Learn more about it first here.)
Buy Through the Mirrah-related swag.
Buy 4 for Now (my blog)-related swag.
Hook me up with a remote job recommendation. My portfolio is here. Contact me on Twitter or via email.
Donate to me on Ko-Fi or via Venmo @kcotenti.