Mutual Aid as a Long-Term Solution
This article first appeared as a response to Urban Design Forum's call for ideas for "City Life After Coronavirus." The original article may be viewed here under the theme of "Fostering Connections."
At this time of nationwide lockdown, people are physically apart; we also realize once again, in the nonphysical sense, how discrete the country is, and so is the world. People experience different realities: some are hearing ongoing sirens, mourning without saying proper goodbye to family members and lining up for food for hours while others can safely stay at and work from home with all resources at their disposal. People have disparate solutions, and some with none for this crisis.
Longstanding equity issues surface as funding, healthcare and other resources get stretched and strained. These problems will only exacerbate, creating more polarized cities, if we do not take concrete measures to address them. One step towards a resilient and just recovery is to bridge the gaps by strengthening social connections and facilitate intergroup conversations, so people start hearing different voices and understanding each other. Many mutual aid projects have made the news since the beginning of the pandemic, and new relationships are formed everyday.
Well-resourced college students are talking to empty nest seniors. Block residents are helping their neighbors working on the frontline to take care of their children while they perform their duties. These interactions are precious, because people get to connect with others on a personal and intimate level, especially with those who they might not have the opportunity to do so in a normal world.
Longstanding equity issues surface as funding, healthcare and other resources get stretched and strained. These problems will only exacerbate, creating more polarized cities, if we do not take concrete measures to address them. One step towards a resilient and just recovery is to bridge the gaps by strengthening social connections and facilitate intergroup conversations, so people start hearing different voices and understanding each other. Many mutual aid projects have made the news since the beginning of the pandemic, and new relationships are formed everyday.
Well-resourced college students are talking to empty nest seniors. Block residents are helping their neighbors working on the frontline to take care of their children while they perform their duties. These interactions are precious, because people get to connect with others on a personal and intimate level, especially with those who they might not have the opportunity to do so in a normal world.
Many more social connections were already well-established prior to the crisis, and this trying situation only affirms the importance of reinforcing them. My nonprofit organization supports grassroots community improvement projects in New York City, and we’ve witnessed neighbors, gardeners, parents, teachers, artists, tenant organizers and activists bringing their communities together to make their neighborhoods better. Our work and that of those in our network are the complete opposite of “social distancing.”
We shall probably phrase it as “physical distancing,” as in this new reality, the community organizing work is not ceasing but only taking other forms, such as virtual communications or just standing six-feet apart. The grassroots leaders are still working hard to support their community members, and in some instances they appear to be positioned well for these tasks. COVID-19 is a pandemic and concerns all, but it is also highly personal: people are losing loved ones, trying to pay for rent and essential items and dealing with a lot of stress. Therefore, providing the necessary assistance and support requires sensitivity and compassion. Grassroots leaders usually know their group members or are known by them, so they see well or can figure out the specific needs and resources in their respective communities.
As these dedicated leaders occupy a niche in the relief and recovery schemes, government officials, experts, scholars and others with resources shall hear from them and back them up. This particular moment avails opportunities to reexamine community groups’ ongoing outreach strategies, enhance existing connections and identify new networks as well as partnerships.
Besides financial and other basic resources, cities shall cultivate an environment receptive to positive social connections. In addition to technical support on outreach strategies, providing internet connection, devices and relevant infrastructure can also be instrumental in many neighborhoods as people are connecting in new ways.
Whether to sustain the new relationships formed during the pandemic and how to achieve that goal is yet to be determined, bu we could potentially transform the mutual aid efforts to long-term rescue for disadvantaged population or emergency preparation. Reinforcing established networks will allow for more equitable development as a collective voice is often stronger and harder to suppress than an individual outcry.
We shall probably phrase it as “physical distancing,” as in this new reality, the community organizing work is not ceasing but only taking other forms, such as virtual communications or just standing six-feet apart. The grassroots leaders are still working hard to support their community members, and in some instances they appear to be positioned well for these tasks. COVID-19 is a pandemic and concerns all, but it is also highly personal: people are losing loved ones, trying to pay for rent and essential items and dealing with a lot of stress. Therefore, providing the necessary assistance and support requires sensitivity and compassion. Grassroots leaders usually know their group members or are known by them, so they see well or can figure out the specific needs and resources in their respective communities.
As these dedicated leaders occupy a niche in the relief and recovery schemes, government officials, experts, scholars and others with resources shall hear from them and back them up. This particular moment avails opportunities to reexamine community groups’ ongoing outreach strategies, enhance existing connections and identify new networks as well as partnerships.
Besides financial and other basic resources, cities shall cultivate an environment receptive to positive social connections. In addition to technical support on outreach strategies, providing internet connection, devices and relevant infrastructure can also be instrumental in many neighborhoods as people are connecting in new ways.
Whether to sustain the new relationships formed during the pandemic and how to achieve that goal is yet to be determined, bu we could potentially transform the mutual aid efforts to long-term rescue for disadvantaged population or emergency preparation. Reinforcing established networks will allow for more equitable development as a collective voice is often stronger and harder to suppress than an individual outcry.
When we surveyed and talked to community leaders in our network, we found out that access to mental health support was among the top priorities. Before rebuilding the normalcy, we have to recognize and heal the wounds first; facilitating empathetic inner- and inter-group conversations may be one of the remedies. For example, youth might experience depression as they are separated from friends, witnessing passing of close family members and receiving little instructions with remote learning. Many need to process these emotions with a close circle of people that they are comfortable with.
On the other hand, other stories need to be heard by more. Reading about homebound residents in a tweet is never as compelling as hearing about the plights in person. However, we shall also take caution to not exploit the narratives as they contain people’s real sorrow and trauma. The fast-paced and omnipresent information sharing through the web these days creates the illusion that we are more connected and know more about others than ever before.
When we become satisfied with objecting another person with a “punchy” new comment on Facebook and never go back for their response, or get into quarrels without substance, we are shutting down communications. Intergroup connections may be constructive if we can facilitate effective conversations, not necessarily aiming to reach an agreement but to truly hear the other perspectives. Cultivating social connections and promoting empathetic conversations are not the panacea to all the problems that we are and will be facing, but shall lead us to a more equitable recovery post-Coronavirus.
On the other hand, other stories need to be heard by more. Reading about homebound residents in a tweet is never as compelling as hearing about the plights in person. However, we shall also take caution to not exploit the narratives as they contain people’s real sorrow and trauma. The fast-paced and omnipresent information sharing through the web these days creates the illusion that we are more connected and know more about others than ever before.
When we become satisfied with objecting another person with a “punchy” new comment on Facebook and never go back for their response, or get into quarrels without substance, we are shutting down communications. Intergroup connections may be constructive if we can facilitate effective conversations, not necessarily aiming to reach an agreement but to truly hear the other perspectives. Cultivating social connections and promoting empathetic conversations are not the panacea to all the problems that we are and will be facing, but shall lead us to a more equitable recovery post-Coronavirus.