While most people join social movements to change the world, many also find a greater sense of purpose and community along the way. Across the country, activists, organisers, and volunteers are discovering that the connections they make and the larger causes they fight for can make their own lives better too.
For 76-year-old Lani Ritter Hall, the loss of her husband of over 40 years left her feeling adrift. That is, until she discovered the activist group Third Act, which focuses on mobilising older adults to protect democracy and tackle the climate crisis. “It’s been the biggest joy of my life,” she says of her newfound involvement.
Ritter Hall is not alone in this experience. From young people who bonded over canvassing efforts to older adults who have found deep friendships through their activism, the US is full of stories of individuals who have built community and a sense of purpose through social movements.
In a society fractured by a “loneliness epidemic,” as former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy described it, these spaces offer unique opportunities for connection. “Mainstream culture says you have to be productive, you have to be good enough, attractive enough, social enough – you have to be all of these things to be acceptable,” explains Gabrielle Gelderman, a “movement chaplain” who provides spiritual and mental health support to organisers. “Movement spaces can offer a radical alternative to that, where you belong and you have something to offer, regardless of who you are.”
For many, the drive to fight injustice is what first sparks their involvement. Ritter Hall, for instance, was galvanised by the overturning of Roe v Wade and the prospect of other rights being threatened. “It was time for me to step up and try to do something for our democracy,” she says.
But the relationships that develop through this collective action can be just as compelling a reason to stay involved. Emanuel Taranu, an organiser with the St. Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee, has built deep familial bonds with other activists, even considering a Palestinian American couple as mentors and family.
“We go out to dinner together, to comedy shows, celebrate birthdays together,” Taranu explains. This trust and closeness is possible, they say, because of the foundation of solidarity that comes from fighting for shared values.
Of course, activism is not without its challenges. Research has found that “high-risk activism” – actions that could result in arrest – can have negative mental health consequences for participants. Practitioners emphasise the importance of prioritising collective care to avoid burnout.
But overall, the benefits of finding community through social movements seem to outweigh the difficulties. As Mary Holzman-Tweed, a 48-year-old in Queens, New York, puts it: “We have to go out and touch people, because we never know what’s going to save us.”