Building a more equitable and just world in the face of diversity is a collective endeavor. Our actions in society contribute to the creation of safe spaces where empathy helps raise awareness about our own and others' needs and transform realities through true inclusion.
It is precisely small efforts that, little by little, generate great changes. Everyday actions shape our environment, and thus, as a community, we can cement the society we, from our spiritual perspectives, want to leave our children : one in which equality, social justice, representation, and many other human rights are truly respected.
"We are much stronger when we reach out to each other, not when we attack each other; when we celebrate our diversity and together tear down the mighty walls of injustice," American activist Cynthia McKinney once aptly said.
Therefore, considering that religious communities believe in the importance of a true commitment to building a more equitable world, we want to share with you some actions you can implement in your daily life to contribute to change:
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Check your privileges and approach people different from you
Human beings have many differences, and at least at the beginning of our lives, we are partially conditioned by factors such as where we are born, our family's purchasing power, access to education, and countless other situations that leave us at a greater or lesser disadvantage compared to other people.
It's important to examine your privileges and how they place you in society. This will not only allow you to be grateful for your life experience, but will also help you understand other people's contexts—associated with other traits such as ethnicity, gender, disability, etc. — and their opportunities.
This awareness will be the first step for us, as religious communities, to begin breaking down the barriers that exist and contribute to further deepening inequality due to individual conditions.
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Share care work and demand equal opportunities
"Women do three times more unpaid domestic and care work than men," according to UN data, which also points out that this involves wasting energy and time that women could be using to advance their professional and personal projects, widening the gap with men.
Therefore, being aware of this difference is not enough if concrete actions are not taken to promote gender equality. Men's willingness to share caregiving duties and demand equal opportunities for all is ultimately fundamental to improving this factor.
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Say no to adult-centrism: recognize the particular needs of children and adolescents
Do you remember the attention and care your parents gave you when you were a child? Did you experience an adolescence in which you couldn't understand why older people couldn't put themselves in your shoes? Don't repeat the patterns with which minors have been treated throughout the generations. This not only creates unsafe spaces for them, but can also trigger unfair behavior on our part.
Children, young people, and adolescents have their own needs that must be addressed. At a young age, there is much to understand about the world, and adults are responsible for patiently guiding them if we want to build a more equitable society.
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Try to be supportive if you have the possibility.
Giving to those with less is essential to improving community life. And while meeting basic needs with contributions to food, medicine, and other care is key, solidarity isn't just about material things.
Share your knowledge and your time to support certain tasks, donate blood, help elderly people in situations that may be difficult for them — such as moving or carrying a bag—and, why not, volunteer somewhere that needs extra hands or start your own activity to collect resources and donate them to those who need them most.
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Commit to a cause
Commitment to a cause means you'll gain an inside look at one of the many reasons people around the world are currently mobilized. You'll become aware of the challenges posed by economic, gender, and ethnic inequality, and a long list of other factors, and you'll be able to contribute, to the best of your ability, to making that cause visible and considered in public policies or in everyday life.
Just like these, there are several small efforts you can include in your daily life to transform the world and contribute to true inclusion. It's about reviewing our history, understanding that not all people have had the same opportunities, and that, as spiritualities, we can contribute to changing the various paradigms that have become normalized in society.