Margins Magazine - Volume 3 Issue 1

MARGINS
MARGINS
Visual Credits: Vinicius Henrique Photography, Micheile Henderson, & Element5
During this time, it is common for people to
experience increased levels of distress and anxiety
as a result of social isolation. It becomes difficult
to navigate the negative mental health effects and
strive to balance normalizing the new normal and
adapting to the new environment of advocacy. A
quote popularly used when addressing activism
burnout said by mental health advocate Kristin
Keim is "rest is not the enemy of change. It is one
part of its fuel." The combination of the resurgence
of the BLM movement and the stress of social
isolation has led to a hybrid mental health crisis
amongst many advocates, allies, and people of
colour. The later of this article explores strategies
and resources for managing mental well-being
while part-taking in the BLM movement.
Addressing Burnout
Being socially distant while unlearning and
recognizing systemic racism has exacerbated
feelings of hopelessness and guilt. In addition
to trying to navigate these political and social
injustices, activists are trying to cope with their
struggles amid a pandemic. Sustaining the
energy and passion on some days can be difficult.
Advocacy burnout referred to the long term, the
accumulative and debilitating impact of activismrelated
stress (Chen et al. 4). As we are all learning
new methods to advocate for ourselves, our peers,
and our communities. Different people have
different strategies for managing burnout, a few
useful examples include:
• Taking breaks in-between big projects:
whether you are reading books, listening to
podcasts, or creating advocacy content, it is
important to avoid jumping from a project
to the next. Doing so will allow you to give
your mind and body a chance to recover.
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• Schedule time for yourself each day: this
might look like taking a couple of minutes
to turn off your phone and other devices,
participating in meditative and breathing
exercises to release the muscle tension in
your body. (Katz Ressler) I love grabbing a
snack and enjoying some funny YouTube or
Tiktok videos.
• SLEEP: When you are well-rested, you will
have more patience, clarity of thought, and
the ability to focus. A great way to develop
a habit of resting and sleep could be to have
a night-time routine- like developing and
investing in a skincare routine!
• Take time to reflect: Whether it's journaling
alone or speaking with a friend, having time
to think about the things you're doing is so
important. This will allow you to identify
your feelings and their underlying causes.
This allows yourself to assess your emotions
and figure out what your next steps are
while prioritizing your mental and physical
wellbeing.
• Separate yourself from the issue:
channeling your passions and devoting your
efforts to a case is extremely admirable. At
the same time, with that much investment to
an issue, there is a risk of tying your selfworth
to the success, progress, and failure
of your cause. You are you, and you are still
human. It is important to use your feelings as
fuel for advocacy but also as an indicator for
when to take a step back and recharge.
• Celebrate the little victories: build on the
little successes and enjoy the low hanging
fruit. These moments are a part of building
momentum for the long journey.