Resources
It’s never been more important to come together and take care of each other. Climate catastrophe has arrived, and it will get much worse. If we are to survive and thrive, it will require us to have strong community ties to help us through the tough times.
Community care resources
Over the last ten years, the concept of community care has become more widely discussed as an alternative to practices, structures, and institutions that sustain injustice. We see it as key to surviving the climate crisis and related crises of care. But what do we mean by community care?
We see community care as a set of proactive and responsive practices that help strengthen relationships within a community. The goal of community care is to create strong, interconnected communities where members know and care for one another. By creating an interdependent ecosystem, we can do things like share resources, reduce waste, share and teach skills, and receive support when we need it.
When we are a part of strong, thriving communities, we can feed each other; keep each other safe when climate crisis comes to our door; share resources to deal with evictions and housing instability; build community resilience; and much more. These are uncertain times. But we keep each other safe.
12 Things to Do Instead of Calling the Cops
Zine from May Day Collective; Solidarity & Defense
We Keep Us Safe: Building Secure, Just, and Inclusive Communities
Book from Zach Norris
A Care-Based Approach to Transformative Change
Research article by Angela Moriggi, Katriina Soini, Alex Franklin, and Dirk Roep
Care Must Be a Collective Practice of Survival, Not a Site of Profit Extraction
Podcast episode by Kelly Hayes, *Movement Memos*
Radical Care: Survival Strategies for Uncertain Times
Academic paper by Hi‘ilei Julia Kawehipuaakahaopulani Hobart and Tamara Kneese
Be an Activist!
Zine from BCAN
Housing justice resources
In 2024, the Beacon City Council unanimously passed Good Cause Eviction, which will help protect tenants from exorbitant rent hikes and unfair evictions. We were able to convince the council to tailor the law to cover the maximum possible amount of people. Read more about about Housing Justice at the links below.
New York Tenants Have New Protections From Unfair Evictions & Rent Hikes
Legal guide from Housing Justice for All
Who Gets to Live in Beacon?
Zine from BCAN
Know Your Rights Guide
Legal guide from National Lawyers Guild
Direct Action Support & Safety Resources
There are many past movements of resistance we can learn from as we continue to fight for a better future. Many organizations have also created tools that we can use to center community safety and justice as we fight for what we believe in.
We Keep Us Safe
De-escalation guide from BCAN
Action Safety and Community Care in Times of Rapid Response
Training guide from Ruckus Society