Sunspot Sunday #1 | Social Justice & You

June 14, 2020

Aaron Piña
Aaron Piña
All Black Photo, with the text '#Black Lives Matter' with the CNH Circle K Mast head

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” - Angela Davis

Hello CNH, 

    In light of recent events, it is necessary to grasp the extent to which our black community members have been impacted by systemic racism, that has truly reached a point of no return. We as the CNH District have been working diligently to ensure that we can aid in the movement, as we as Circle K International Members aim to “realize humanity’s potential.”

 

    As we look to the future of the CNH Districts' involvement with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, and various other interactions with social justice in society, the 2020-2021 District Board has developed various resources to engage clubs and ensure that our call of solidarity surpasses just a statement. We recognize that the conversation around this is not one that may be easy to grasp nor have, so additionally, resources have been indicated in the document to better understand what it means to be fighting against racial injustice, and how to maintain solidarity that extends past performance. 

 

     For the Original Statement, and Resources, see below: 

 

    Additionally, it may be hard to figure out what you can do as a Circle K member to contribute to the cause, so below are ways that you can contribute through personal or club facilitation:

  • Host Petition Signing Events! 
    • Utilize CNH BLM Resource List for Petitions that will help
  • Host Fundraisers for Local/National Orgs Supporting the Movement!
    • Utilize CNH BLM Resource List for Local Orgs to support
  • Have a Social at a Black-Owned/Local Business! 
    • Local and BIPOC businesses need our support now, more than ever. Aim for socials in local businesses that will put funds back into local communities, avoid large corporations that contribute to gentrification, and maybe find your new fave food spot! 
  • Reach out to Community Partners for Ways to Contribute!
    • Protests can sometimes come with unintended ‘leftovers’ so reaching out to community members, groups, cities, etc to host cleanups while maintaining solidarity with BLM is possible! 
  • Engage, Inform, & Go out and Exercise Civic Duties! 
  • Amplify the Voices of our Black Community Members!
    • Solidarity in a social justice movement means working to amplify and ensure that the voices of those who need it most, are heard. Work with community partners and organizations to aid in educating others and supporting the movements in any way we can, such as: through social media engagement, facilitated workshops that work with ~willing~ BIPOC leaders to engage on these topics, continually recognizing and working with these groups even after social media may move on from it. Solidarity and social movements don’t fix issues overnight.
  • Continue Fighting!
    • As touched on previously, it is more than a “one and done” effort for movements such as this - and it is necessary to continually and justly work in these movements, maintain diligence, and ensure that the last week is more than just a blip in the movement. 

 

    Further, it is necessary to note that for some, this has been the most exposure to social movements, racial injustices, and, in general, being in a setting where the injustices that many face are discussed on large scale proportions. It is important to remember, even as passionate as you may be, it is okay to take a break, take a step back, and breathe & reflect. Burnout occurs in every part of our lives, and it is now that we need to practice proper coping mechanisms to overcome obstacles such as this, to ensure that we are able to continually work to support the communities that have constantly been put down. 

 

   For tips on coping with and reducing burnout, see below: (Note: these are only references and should not be considered as a professional mental diagnosis, please seek advice from a medical professional for pertinent concerns) 

 

    We are in unprecedented times, that have proven to be positive in bringing our community of Circle K Members together toward a common goal. Now is the time to act and make history as we combat the injustices impacting the communities that some of us are a part of and to ensure we maintain our Circle K Pledge in every setting that we are in. Together, we are going to be able to make real, prevalent, and long-lasting change. Together, we are going to continue our fight for the realization of humanity’s potential. Together, we as members of the CNH District of Circle K International will combat racism and injustice, improve our communities, and truly make history. 

 

    Thank you for your time, and I am excited to see what the future holds for us! See you soon for more Circle K related content every ‘Sunspot Sunday’, and remember to say Sunny CNH! 

 

Yours in Passion and Service, 

Aaron Piña 

20/21 CNH C&M External Relations Chair

 

Acknowledgments

Any items referenced in this post are the property of the author(s), there are no claims of ownership in any of the aforementioned websites/resources.

‘CNH District Statement’ provided in part by the 2020-2021 CNH District Board Members

‘BLM Resources’ provided in part by the 2020-2021 CNH District Board Members & California State University, Fullerton

‘Ways to Contribute’ provided in part by board members of the Circle K Club at the University of Nevada, Reno.