1/ Since it's #GivingTuesday, and I've been asking folks to donate to @MotherJones, I thought I'd review my own donation history to various things/COVID causes this year. Honestly this year has been so haphazard, am I doing as much as I can/should?
2/ So for starters, I kept paying anyone I normally paid at least as much as what I normally paid them, whether I could take part in their services or not. So stylists, housekeepers, trainers, babysitters...all these sorta folks.
3/ In the doing at least a much as before territory: increased monthly donations to public media. Renewed all subs. Ditto schools/museums/dance companies. Local restaurants and bars via takeout, merch, employee donation funds. Bought ton of books, stamp, seeds, BIPOC goods...
4/ Covid donations to Navajo Nation. To various local art collectives. To various journalists who were laid off. Via a match a journo fund, $500 to a guy who had to walk me through an app I hadn't used before. To some families of police violence. All somewhat scattershot...
5/ After a month or so, I knew I needed to get more systematized. So, some donations to @SFMFoodBank, and then $200 a month to the food bank organized by Carnival/Latino Task force, that distributes near my house.
6/ Some bail out the protestors funds. And some mutual aid efforts. And the ACLU. And Fair Fight.
7/ A thing about 2020 is that not only is the need so great, but that the amount of things you feel pulled to give your money, time, or outrage to has been so immense, so varied, so overwhelming, it's impossible to focus, or even to track.
8/ So while I surpassed some admittedly haphazard goals about how much/what to give to—I feel I can do more, and better. And consider where my time and money can be best spent as we enter a new phase of all this.
9/ A lot of non-profits get the bulk of their donations in December. This year, when there are so many new and urgent needs I feel like I have to somehow do more for both the classic but vital arts/journalism/local front AND the urgent food/racial justice/health front.
10/ Anyway, I know we're all exhausted, physically and emotionally, but also financially or at least energy wise about giving so much. (Esp when those at top aren't doing shit.) But think about what you can do for whatever is most important to you/your community.
11/ What you should try and avoid is paralysis. You can't give to everything, but give to some things, be it money, time, or energy.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
