Zandra Yeaman

Same...was lovely to see you x

Was a lovely evening. Thanks for the invitation

15/ Activism is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes strategy, resilience, and collective action. There is much more than this short thread, so feel free to add examples that inspired you!

14/ Disability Rights: The disability rights movement has fought for accessibility, equality, and inclusion. Key victories include legislation that provides legal protections and improved accessibility in public spaces and employment.

13/ LGBTQ+ Rights: From Stonewall Riots 1969 to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in many countries, activism has fought discrimination and won legal protections

13/ Civil Rights Movement USA: The 1960s Civil Rights Movement achieved seismic victories against systemic racism, including the Civil Rights Act 1964. Martin Luther King Jr. Rosa Parks. Fred Hampton, Malcolm X, many Black Scholars and grassroots organisations united millions.

12/ Housing Rights: The post WW2 push for social housing led to significant reforms, including expanding public housing. Recent campaigns like the Grenfell Tower Justice movement and tenant organisations continue to fight for safe, affordable housing and against evictions.

11/ Workers Rights: Activists have fought for fair wages, safe workplaces, and labour protections.

In the US, women like Ida B. Wells highlighted the intersections of sexism and race in their fight for voting rights, contributing to landmark changes like the 19th amendment.

10/ Women's Suffrage: In the UK, women's suffrage activists used protests, hunger strikes, and civil disobedience to demand voting rights. Their activism led to the Representation of People Act 1918, granting voting rights to some women, and eventually full suffrage in 1928

9/ Museum Activism: museums, once bastions of colonial narratives, are transforming due to activism. Campaigns have called for the repatriation of looted artifacts. Activists also push for museums to confront histories of oppression, amplify marginalised voices, and racially diversify leadership.

8/ Black Lives Matter: Recent movements continue to tackle systemic racism. BLM, sparked by police violence, has brought global awareness and catalysed policy reforms, including police accountability and corporate commitments to race equality

7/ India's Independence: Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance also targeted racial discrimination under British rule. The mass movement helped dismantle colonial dominance and inspired global anti racism.

6/ Environmental Justice: Environmental rights often intersect with fighting racism. Movements for Environmental Justice highlight how marginalised communities, especially people of the global south, disproportionately face environmental hazards.

5/ Activism for Palestine: Activists around the world continue to advocate for Palestinian rights, opposing occupation, and systemic injustices. Campaigners push for peaceful resistance through economic and cultural means, drawing attention to human rights issues in the region.

4/ Fighting Apartheid: Decades of activism in South Africa and global solidarity campaigns fought institutional racism. Nelson Mandela and others in the anti-apartheid movement triumphed with the fall of apartheid and the election in 1994

3/ Abolition of Slavery: Abolitionists like Olaudah Equiano and grassroots campaigns led to the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. In the US, people like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman fought tirelessly, culminating in the 13th Amendment, which abolished Slavery in 1865

2/ Haitian Revolution (1791-1804): Enslaved people in Haiti led one of history's most significant uprisings against slavery. Leaders like Toussaint Louverture and Jean Jacques Dessalines defeated colonial powers, ending enslavement and establishing the first Black Republic.

1/ Political Activism has shaped history, dismantled injustices, and enabled voice to the voiceless. It's a powerful reminder that ordinary people can challenge oppressive systems. Some inspirational examples 🧵