With the US presidential election looming we’re taking a moment to reflect on the power a person can have. Whether you’re keeping up from across the globe or still trying to fill out your mail-in ballot, here’s a reminder of all the little ways we can make BIG change. As Martin Luther King Jr once said: “You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results.”
Here are 5 ways to start today:
LOBBY, PLEASE
The White House – or your country’s equivalent – might feel far-flung, but governments are not as impenetrable as we sometimes think. American democracy for example was intended as a government of the people, by the people, for the people, so everyone has a role to play.
We often hear narratives like “the system is broken” or “the game is rigged”, yet ordinary citizens have fought to successfully change US laws. In June of this year, for example, a group of attorneys and LGBTQ+ plaintiffs won an effort to finally ban employment discrimination against transgender people. A landmark victory and a win for human equity.
We’ve had to fight policy as well. To make the Ansari XPRIZE possible, we had to sort out a pesky little thing like, legalizing private space travel. From the inception of the competition in 1994, to the (literal) launch a decade later, we persevered with the unwavering belief that change was within reach. We joined forces with a few like minded friends and got the The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 passed into law.
When you’re in the business of incentivizing radical breakthroughs, sometimes the world has some catching up to do. As new technology is created, the way we measure its success must evolve too. Before the XPRIZE Progressive Automotive Prize, there was no federal measure of MPG for electric cars. And so the MPGe was born at the 2007 New York Auto Show, where it was first announced as the main merit metric for the Progressive Insurance Automotive XPRIZE -- remember that next time you’re Tesla shopping.
Lobbying, legal challenges, and civic action are things we can get involved with or push for to affect the change we want to see in the world. So write to your local politicians, go to a protest, run for office, sign – or even set up – a petition. And if you need help…
LEND A HAND, A BUCK, OR A BRAIN CELL
No person is an island, right? You have value to add - consider if that’s time, money, or expertise.
Have some time? Consider volunteering – at your local shelter to help those who find themselves homeless, at a food bank for those who are food insecure, or at a polling place to help people have their voices be heard. Maybe you have resources or money - If you can afford to, set up a monthly direct debit to support an organization you care about, even one-time donations go a long way right now. Can you impart wisdom or knowledge? If so, think about what services can you provide to organizations you admire – from leadership, becoming a Board member or offering insight on a specific subject. Experience and expertise are infinitely valuable to social change movements.
MAKE SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS
Nowhere has the weight of individual action come into sharper focus than in our battle against the coronavirus pandemic. While some political leaders floundered in taking measures to slow the curve, or even denied the virus altogether, we can put on our masks to protect one another, wash our hands, and keep our distance. The power of personal responsibility has never felt more prescient – and together we can rise to the challenge.
Change is incremental, which means that we all have the opportunity to play our part. Just take climate change – one person recycling, cutting down on single-use plastic, and reducing their carbon footprint is meaningful. If an entire nation does it, the effect on our planet is immense. When Swedish 15-year-old Greta Thunberg skipped school to protest for climate change in August 2018, people started listening. But less than a year later, when more than one million school kids skipped school to protest with Thunberg, the whole world sat up and paid attention. “I have learned you are never too small to make a difference,” Thunberg once famously said. Likewise, no change is too small if we collectively take action.
The possibility for a better future is in our hands – it’s up to us what we make of it.
10X YOUR IMPACT
Do you have an idea that can change the world? A new solution for rapid COVID-19 testing? A piece of technology that turns CO2 into usable products? A way to upskill American adults quickly in order to tackle unemployment? Over the past 25 years, XPRIZE has incentivized the world’s most creative innovators to help solve the greatest challenges facing humanity, with the support of donations from benevolent changemakers. We work hard every day, incentivizing people to transform the world for the better, and we want you to join us.
TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER
We can only care for other people and for our planet if we also care for ourselves. Energy is not infinite, and the idea that true dedication requires us to use all of it can lead us to burn out. Mindfulness, exercise, and other ways to switch off our brains are more important than ever in politically tumultuous times. Be kind to yourself, and to others. We are all in this together.