To engage in social change at this moment in time requires
consistent attention, deep reflection, and committed collective
action.
We are living in a period of overlapping social, economic, and
environmental crises, accompanied by failures in public systems and
institutions. It’s not surprising, then, that when we attempt to
engage in social change efforts, many of us feel like we are on a
seesaw, swinging from outrage to overwhelm. For those who are just
beginning their social change journeys to those who are weary and
disillusioned, how can we effectively anchor our commitments to
equity, solidarity, and justice?
This is the entry point for Social Change Now: A Guide for
Reflection and Connection, Deepa Iyer’s heartfelt offering to
individuals and groups seeking to initiate or deepen their actions in
service to social change values. Relying on two decades of work
supporting social movements, Iyer introduces a new approach called
the social change ecosystem framework, which includes a map of ten
roles, from visionary to storyteller to disrupter to experimenter, as
well as practices to identify values and strengthen our social change
ecosystems. Over the past three years, people and organizations
around the world have used the framework to respond to the pandemic,
express solidarity during the uprisings against anti-Black racism,
and support multiracial coalitions struggling for reproductive
rights, immigrant and refugee protections, and climate justice.
Social Change Now goes well beyond presenting ideas and
frameworks. It’s also a practical guide that contains detailed
descriptions and real-world examples, reflection prompts (with room
to write responses), and accessible tips that can immediately be put
into action. Social Change Now is a resource that will
accompany individuals and organizations not only in times of crisis,
but throughout their lifelong social change journeys to build
connected communities and equitable systems in our world.