Reclaiming Agency Over Virus COVID-19
We must take charge of our survival.
Update: This article/tactical briefing was written prior to the commencement of Global Quarantine for COVID-19. While the activist tactics here might yet be relevant for other such mobilizations, for a quarantine-friendly tactical briefing refer to our Mystic’s Guide. (This article is cool too…maybe).
The Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) is yet another wave in the existential threats adding to the centrifugal crises facing Humanity.
In such moments of exponential change, leaving the course of redress exclusively to those in power almost always results in policies heavily skewed in bias of elite interests, leaving in their wake many of the most vulnerable.
It’s important, therefore, that we reclaim our agency as citizens during such events especially, to participate in the democratic exercise of mutual-aid and exerting demands in our interests as the 99%.
As such, those of us most engaged with building the capacity to mobilize collectively must take this charge of ensuring survival for our communities.
Methods of Mobilization
Last year, France’s Yellow Jackets, and Hong-Kong’s Student Rebellion demonstrated more than just their discontent in the streets.
They utilized new tactics for mobilization that cracked open the possibilities for how vulnerable communities could come together to assert their power.
From new employments of colour to build solidarity through uniformed demonstrations (left);
To tactical hand gestures that organized delivery of supplies and resources to protesters (below);
These methods can now also be transposed to protecting our communities from COVID-19.
To the Mobilizers
“Coronavirus is a deadly opportunity for tremendous social change. Activists should fight to ensure that the best possible social changes are achieved during the pandemic.” — Micah White, PhD
Already, there have been clues to what form this mobilization could take.
In New York, a petition was created for employers to mandate work-from-home in order to limit outbreak. And in China, streets are emptied as they are disinfected to kill the virus.
What social changes could best protect our communities while also enabling new spaces of political participation for the People?
We will combine the tactics of the Yellow Vests and the Hong-Kong Students to form a new tactic: Disinfection Parties.
Mobilizers will storm city halls with uniformed human-disinfection-chains and procure cleaning supplies through organizing gestures.
People everywhere will force their representatives out and create a public assembly that instructs them to act in the People’s interests.
Our assemblies will call on representatives to create a public trust that entitles a portion of publicly-subsidized corporate profits to fund a Universal Basic Dividend for everyone; we will demand a mandated 3-day workweek for all non-essential positions; as well as weekly city-wide disinfection sweeps until the risk of COVID-19 has subsided.
Combining these tactical innovations and achieving victory for our demands houses much needed social changes for larger future mobilizations.
Legalizing public assembles that capture power over local legislatures, providing greater leisure time for citizens, and funding a UBD will allow mobilizers to call for the Global Climate Mobilization that will be required to further ensure our survival through solving abrupt-climate-change.
It is we who must heed the call of these accelerated times and rise as the force of stabilization. As we’re collectively offered the gift of the greatest change humanity has ever experienced, one question rings awake our hearts.
What’s your part?
Read our strategy briefing to activists here.
