How do we build the mass movements required to challenge this moment of democratic destruction by the forces underlying Trump and other authoritarians—hyper-capitalism, white supremacy, misogyny, climate denial and other interlinking social injustices? 

While there is no single solution to such enormous, multi-generational problems, a collaboration of North American activists co-led by Anima CVO Shakil Choudhury and author and elder Dr. Loretta Ross, have been reflecting honestly on our experiences of social activism over the last year, identifying both our strengths and weaknesses. We have explored what has worked well to engage people as well as roadblocks that have limited our ability to “expand the tent” including cultures of callouts, cancelling, purity politics and perfectionism. Our belief is that pro-democracy forces cannot be marshalled into movements with real power unless progressives learn to “call in” the “persuadables”, that large mass of people who are open to justice ideals but feel silenced or repelled by some harsh, shame-and-blame practices that are common within DEI activism. 

The result is Just Compassion, a framework and set of practices to achieve social justice and human rights goals, using an ethos of love, fairness and forgiveness to get us there. 

This special Anima Cafe will share our work to date, introducing the 8 principles of Just Compassion as well as related practices social change makers can utilize whether they work in progressive organizations, justice initiatives or movement spaces. Please join us for this important session that provides a long-term strategy to achieving justice goals!