8 Ways to Join the Fight for Social Equality
Economic disparity, gender-based discrimination, racial injustice—there are numerous types of inequality that still affect our country today. Despite the major strides that have been made towards a society that is welcoming and considerate to all, instances of injustice serve as stark reminders that we are still a long way off. But that certainly doesn’t mean we should stop in our pursuit of the noble, important goal of justice and equality for all.
The fight for equality is complex and multifaceted, involving many different voices from a diverse range of social backgrounds. While certain issues affect specific groups of people, the road to equality for marginalized communities can only be won with a coordinated and thoughtful effort from all. Whether you’re championing your own community or simply want to achieve a fairer society for everyone, take a stand today with our top 8 ways to do your part in the fight for social equality.
What is Equality?
Equality is a word that we are regularly exposed to from a very young age, but it can be difficult to define in a way that’s easy to understand. In simple terms, equality refers to the state of being equal. With a specific focus on people’s rights, opportunities and social status—the fight for social equality aims to achieve fair and equivalent treatment for all.
Most people agree that an equal society is something that we should all strive for, but this can be difficult to legislate for at the political level. The Equality Act, for example, has been repeatedly discussed in the US congress since the 1970s, but only passed through the House of Representatives in 2021. Despite this, the bill failed to overcome a Senate filibuster and has not made progress since. The bill aims to introduce protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity—and while this is a goal that many Americans support, the complications of politics make it increasingly difficult to achieve.
What is the Difference Between Equity and Equality?
While equality simply means treating everyone the same, equity is a similar philosophy which takes the noble ideas of equality a step further. Equity is the idea of recognizing that everyone has different needs, and should be provided with the resources and opportunities they need in order to achieve an equal standing with the rest of society.
Here’s a simple way to think about it. Imagine that a husband, wife and their young daughter are trying to watch a neighborhood parade, but can’t see over their backyard fence. While the father and mother only need a small boost in height to get a great view, the young daughter needs a little more help. An equality-based approach would give equal-sized step ladders to everyone in the family, whereas equity would give a larger stepladder to the young daughter, because she’s the person that needs it most.
8 Impactful Ways to Promote Social Equality
The fight for equality is far from over, and there’s never been a better time to get involved. With many communities still struggling to be heard and a staggering 10% of Americans controlling 60% of the nation’s wealth, it’s easy to feel like equality is something that can never be fully achieved. However, aims that once seemed impossible have been overcome in the past, and the combined efforts of community are often the driving force.
From donating and volunteering with charities fighting inequality, to rallying your local community through the power of crowdfunding—there are endless resources available today that can make examples of equality a little easier to achieve. If you’re unsure of how to get involved, here are our top 8 ideas that you can use to join the fight for social equality and justice.
1. Start a Petition
One great way to get started is by creating a petition for a cause that’s near and dear to your heart. Online platforms like Change.org and Moveon.org make the process quicker and easier than ever, allowing you to set up and start sharing your petition in a matter of minutes.
A petition for social equality can be in support of any relevant cause—whether it operates on a local or national level. If you’re passionate about achieving equality in your local community, a petition is a great way to initiate small change while opening the door to wider progress. The process can be tricky if you’ve never experienced it before, but there are tons of petition strategy guides from trusted resources that will help you along the way.
If you’re not ready to start your own petition, consider signing one instead. Through the organizations mentioned above, you can find thousands of petitions that have been started by others and need support today.
2. Contact Your Elected Representatives
As a US citizen and concerned community member, you should feel empowered to contact your elected officials and voice your opinions on enacting legislation that promotes social equality. Through petitions, phone calls, and letters to your state and local representatives, you can push for politicians to support bills and policy changes that help to combat injustice.
To find your congressional district member, you can use resources like House.gov to track down a physical address, phone number or e-mail address. Once you’ve gathered this information, contacting your representative more than once is the key to making sure that your voice is heard. You can also encourage your circle of family and friends to do the same. By putting pressure on elected officials, we can do our part in creating change and pressuring politicians to follow up on their promises.
3. Organize a peaceful protest
Of the many freedoms granted to us by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, the right to peaceful assembly is perhaps the most important when it comes to achieving social equality. Peaceful, non-violent protest is a cornerstone of US history, and has been used to promote meaningful change from the Boston Tea Party to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
Thanks to an abundance of online resources, organizing a protest, sit-in, or walk-out doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it might feel at first. Organizations like the National Youth Rights Association (NYRA) offer free and trustworthy information on how to organize a protest, while the American Civil Liberties Association provides a detailed guide to protestors’ rights.
4. Fundraise for Social Equality
If you want to play a more active role in supporting the fight for equality, fundraising is always a great idea. By creating a fundraiser, you can generate funds to assist organizations that oppose inequality in a variety of ways. From supporting local advocates and protests to funding wider social initiatives, there are endless worthwhile causes that an equality-based fundraiser can support.
Online crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe make it quicker and easier than ever to start your own fundraiser. Once you’ve created your page and crafted your fundraising story, you can immediately start collecting donations and sharing your fundraiser across social media. With GoFundMe, you also benefit from our built-in community of donors and other organizers who are always on hand to help.
Not sure how to get started, or whether starting a fundraiser is right for you? Read our helpful guides to find out exactly how GoFundMe works, and get useful answers to all your fundraising questions.
5. Donate to Equality Fundraisers
Making a donation to organizations and funds dedicated to social equality is another meaningful way in which you can make a difference. By supporting some of the nation’s most impactful civil rights organizations, every donation to an equality fundraiser supports important issues such as LGBTQ rights, gender equality and the fight against racial injustice. These organizations and movements need the help of ordinary people to continue upholding and expanding basic human rights to all people.
Ready to offer a donation and play your part in the fight for social equality? You can start by celebrating black joy and supporting one of the many GoFundMe fundraisers that are currently leading the fight against racial discrimination.
6. Volunteer with Local or National Organizations
When it comes to battling inequality at the organizational level, the need for help and resources is never-ending. Volunteer work is one of the most impactful contributions that you can make towards securing social equality for all, and there are a variety of local and national nonprofits that are in constant need of support.
Many nonprofits and volunteer organizations receive very little funding and often run low on resources. However, they are tasked with doing some of the most important work in protecting our civil rights and advocating for marginalized communities. Online platforms like VolunteerMatch allow you to easily find volunteering opportunities in your local area, and cover a wide range of equality-based issues. By signing up as a volunteer, you can bolster the work of nonprofit organizations and take part in vital projects that promote social equality.
7. Support Local Businesses
An often-overlooked way of promoting social equality is by supporting small businesses that are owned by people from marginalized communities. Businesses all over the country have a difficult time succeeding, but this is especially true for businesses owned by members of minority ethnic groups.
People from minority and indigenous backgrounds are less likely to be approved for small business loans, meaning that many people’s dream projects are not even given the opportunity to get off the ground. By shopping with and supporting minority-owned businesses in your local area, you can give them the best possible chance of surviving and thriving in the future. All you have to do is a simple Google or LinkedIn search for minority-owned businesses in your state or local community. Or, play your part by sending a donation to one of the many business fundraisers launched by people of color who need your support today. You can also find out more about the push to support women and minority owned businesses through the U.S. Department of Commerce website.
8. Continue to Educate Yourself
You have already made meaningful strides in educating yourself on social inequality by reading this article, but the journey doesn’t stop here. Continue to learn more about human rights and social injustice by engaging with authoritative and trustworthy resources such as Inequality.org, which regularly publishes informative news on issues such as racial, economic and gender-based inequality.
Because we all come from different backgrounds, we tend to view the world from the perspective that we’re most familiar with. However, this isn’t always beneficial to everyone in society, especially when coming from a background of social privilege. By learning more about marginalized communities and their struggles, we can work towards creating a more equitable and accepting society for everyone. A quick search on Google can lead you to an endless stream of information about injustices faced by minority communities, and you can also check out our useful resources for equality.
Make Your Contribution to the Fight for Social Equality Today.
The fight for equality is something that people from marginalized communities face every single day, but it’s not a challenge that they can take on alone. We can all do our part in securing equal rights for everyone in society, regardless of their gender, race, or religious creed. Thousands of people sign up to GoFundMe and support the battle for social equality every day, but the need for additional help is constantly expanding.
Whether you’re looking to support a worthy cause, volunteer your time or even put your own fundraising ideas into action—GoFundMe provides the quickest, easiest and most impactful way to play your part in this essential fight.