Surfing is an art. Life today sweeps us up in the swells of tremendous change. Terrifying undertows and riptides are brewing beneath the surface of our socio-political situation. The rise and fall of waves of change palpably upheave beneath us.
And like dedicated surfers, we are all waiting to catch the perfect wave.
On April 4th, the worldwide Wave of Action launches, rolling out sequences of nonviolent actions, gatherings, and events for three months until the final crescendo on July 4th. With over 600 organizations around the world participating, it seems likely that the swell of activity will demonstrate how much the Movement of Movements for social, economic, political and environmental justice has grown.
On Occupy Radio, my co-host David Geitgey Sierralupe and I interviewed Dave Degraw, one of the co-collaborators who built the platform for the truly crowdsourced endeavor. He likens the Wave of Action as a frame. It brings attention to the amazing work already being done by activists and communities around the world. (Listen to the podcast.)
When asked about the types of events, Dave Degraw simply cannot summarize. “You name it,” he says, “and someone’s doing it.” From Move-Your-Money Bank Rallies to Meditation Flashmobs, the Wave of Action is encompassing and appealing to a diverse crowd of people . . . not all of whom are the usual suspects for activism. All of us in the Movement of Movements have articulated the need to broaden our outreach efforts and build more participation from our fellow citizens. The Wave of Action deliberately attempts to emphasize inclusivity and has seen three major groups of people responding: the former Occupy or Anonymous activists, the rising tide of indigenous rights movements like Idle No More, and the Sacred Activism circles that emphasize consciousness and envisioning a new paradigm.
Over the next three months, we will see if this massive experiment in creating a frame for our beautiful and often media-perplexing diversity works. If it does, the Wave of Action stands a chance to break through the mass deception of the American mainstream media just as the Occupy Movement did. Even more important, this constant stream of action for a prolonged period of time could very well be the push that nonviolent action needs in order to break through to popular awareness.
We can all help by using social media and alternative journals to bring attention to the efforts of the Wave of Action. The coordinators ask people to use the hashtags: #WaveOfAction #GlobalSpring #ReOccupy #BeTheChange. As citizen journalists, we can share news of the wave, pass on images, videos, and tweets. We can cheer on the endeavors of our fellow activists and use the Wave of Action website to find local events in our area.
Just like a surfer, with a little bit of timely paddling, we can leap up on this wave and ride it like a pro.
Occupy Radio interviews Dave Degraw on the Wave of Action.
Author/Actress Rivera Sun is a co-founder of the Love-In-Action Network, a co-host on Occupy Radio, and, in addition to her new novel, The Dandelion Insurrection, she is also the author of nine plays, a book of poetry, and her debut novel, Steam Drills, Treadmills, and Shooting Stars, which celebrates everyday heroes who meet the challenges of climate change with compassion, spirit, and strength. www.riverasun.com