Intro to Mutual Aid Activism

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Community fridges full of fresh produce for the taking; rent parties to support tenants facing eviction; markets where everything is donated and everything is free. Mutual aid projects understand that in times of immediate and ongoing disaster, neighbors help neighbors. In this seminar, we will study the work of organizers and activists participating in a range of mutual aid projects in DC and elsewhere. We will learn about mutual aid's long history, which includes the Black Panther Party's free breakfast program; in addition, we will learn about the philosophies of mutual aid, which includes the argument that mutual aid is distinct from charity and instead operates in the tradition of solidarity. The course is organized around keywords and the relationship of the keyword to mutual aid. For instance, when we study the keyword "debt," we will consider Andrew Ross's judgment that practices in support of alternative economies not only exist, but actually have a much larger impact than is usually acknowledged. Finally, students will have opportunities to plan and build together: How do you want to contribute to existing mutual aid projects? What are the new projects that your communities need?