On the weekend my husband and I watched the movie 'Bordertown'. It is about women and families who are forced to work in the factories that make televisions and computers for North America since NAFTA in Ciudad, Juarez, Mexico. But it is more than a movie about women and their families who have been forced off their land with no options beyond working in the factories. Over 300 of the women have been murdered and many many more are missing with little recourse.
I know more about the women of Juarez this morning after watching the movie because it made me feel both hopeless and hopeful. As we watched the movie and then the special commentary about the making of the movie and the results of making the movie, I felt, on some level, like there was nothing I could do to make a difference.
However, that overwhelming feeling did not persist. I decided to take a hopeful stance. After watching the movie itself, we purposefully tuned into the information provided by the producers to see how we could 1)find out more; 2) learn how we might be able to make a stand beyond as individuals. I found myself asking myself the hope-focused question, "What are the smallest things that I can do?"
Hence this posting. I feel I can go forward knowing that I have begun to "do something" to affect a change. I am aware of violence against women, but until this morning, I had not ever opened the Amnesty International website - a website that I will spend more time on - not only to inform myself, but to have conversations with others who, too are feeling overwhelmed about injustices around the world. Being informed helps me to take the appropriate action. I may not know what I need to do now, but I do know that I am moving in a direction that will help me to know what I need to do in the future, one step at a time.
Similarly, there are times when someone will comment on the futuility of the "small" things I do to affect environmental changes. However, if I don't make these small changes in my life, I feel hopeless about the fate of our planet and for the children who will be left to try to survive. For example, I use public transit whenever possible after working with grade five students last year. I was pleasantly surprised to see that our Federal Government, too, is doing their part. Canadians can now use their bus fares to offset their income tax. A small measure? I think not. This change is a huge change in mindset. I imagine that Canadians will consider, if not begin to use public transit when they see another advantage for doing so.
I believe that it is the small things that we do to make a difference that encourage us to take the next steps whether individually or collectively. We may not be able to stop all the injustices, but we are moving in the right direction when we ask ourselves, "What is the smallest thing I can do?" to move toward a desirable future for all.
