The goal of social justice is to end discrimination and achieve equality. Everyone should be able to access opportunities, participate equally in society, and have their human rights respected. Since 2007, the World Day of Social Justice has been celebrated on February 20th. Each year recognizes a different theme, but the focus is always on how social justice reduces poverty, strengthens equality, and makes societies better. What are some ways to celebrate Social Justice Day? Here are 15 ideas:
| # | Social Justice Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Donate to a social justice organization |
| 2 | Volunteer |
| 3 | Create a personal action plan |
| 4 | Research your area’s most pressing social justice issues |
| 5 | Write letters or sign petitions |
| 6 | Host a community panel |
| 7 | Host a fundraiser |
| 8 | Organize a food drive |
| 9 | Take a class |
| 10 | Host a listening party |
| 11 | Watch a movie |
| 12 | Host an art night |
| 13 | Host a book club |
| 14 | Bring social justice into the classroom |
| 15 | Examine your school or workplace’s social justice initiatives |
#1. Donate to a social justice organization
Countless organizations are working to achieve social justice goals around the world. Social Justice Day is a great opportunity to learn more about these groups, what they’re doing, and how you can help their work. Most organization websites make it easy to donate online. They may also run a specific fundraising campaign for Social Justice Day, so you know exactly what your money is going toward.
Here are 10 social justice organizations to consider donating to!
#2. Volunteer
Nonprofits, grassroots community groups, and other organizations need lots of help meeting their goals. Volunteers are essential to the social justice movement, so in honor of Social Justice Day, consider volunteering your time! You don’t need to volunteer on February 20th for it to count, so choose a day that’s convenient for both you and the organization. If you want to participate in social justice more often, organizations love regular volunteers. Can’t volunteer in person? Many organizations offer remote options. Check out the VolunteerMatch website, which helps connect volunteers with organizations with virtual opportunities. You can search by location and cause area.
#3. Create a personal action plan
Social Justice Day is just one day, but the world needs people committed to social justice all year round. To celebrate the holiday, consider creating a personal action plan. What social justice issues matter the most to you? What can you do to promote social justice at work, at school, within your social circles, within your spiritual community, or in any other area of your life? Creating a personal action plan helps you reflect on your values and how you can live them out in tangible ways.
#4. Research your area’s most pressing social justice issues
You’re likely aware of global social justice issues like poverty and gender equality, but what affects your community most urgently? Is a lack of affordable housing a problem? A lack of funds for education? Hunger? On Social Justice Day, take the time to research what social justice issues are right outside your door and what local organizations are doing to address them. If you’re already involved in local social justice work, use Social Justice Day to raise awareness!
Want to learn more about social justice? Read our Social Justice 101: Meaning, Principles, Facts and Examples article.
#5. Write letters or sign petitions regarding a specific social justice issue
There are always social justice issues working through the political system. For Social Justice Day, find out what legislation in your area protects or threatens social justice. With a group of like-minded people, spend a few hours writing letters or signing petitions you can send to your local politicians. There may already be letters or petitions circulating, so be sure to sign your name to those, too. Not sure how to write an effective letter? Amnesty International offers tips such as keeping your text brief, polite and factual.
#6. Host a community panel
Community panels are a great way to bring together various sectors of society to discuss the most urgent social justice issues. They’re based on the belief that the best decisions are made by involving those most impacted by a decision. A panel can focus on specific cause areas – like homelessness or education – or on local issues as a whole. If you’re interested in hosting a panel, you first want to decide on the location. Libraries, universities, religious centers and other places are good choices, although you can also hold community panels virtually.
#7. Host a fundraiser
Do you have a favorite social justice organization? Social Justice Day is a great opportunity for a fundraiser! Thanks to social media, just about anyone can run an online fundraiser, but if you neglect to promote your fundraiser, you likely won’t raise much money. The best fundraisers are carefully planned. As an example, before your fundraiser starts, you can connect to local businesses and ask about matching gifts. These are arrangements where businesses agree to match donations up to a certain amount. This builds your fundraiser on a strong foundation and motivates people to give because they know their impact is doubled.
#8. Organize a food drive
Food insecurity is one of the most persistent issues in many places around the world. Without proper nutrition, every area of a person’s life suffers. It’s especially devastating to children. According to data from the UN, around 45 million kids under the age of five endured the deadliest form of malnutrition in 2021. Food drives, which help collect and distribute food to people struggling to afford items, are a great way to celebrate Social Justice Day. Most communities have some form of food-centered charity, such as a food bank. For a food drive, connect with one of these groups to find out what they need, let people know where they should drop off their items, promote your drive and then deliver your donations.
Here are 30 organizations working to end hunger.
#9. Take a class on a social justice topic
Social justice covers a variety of topics such as tackling poverty, achieving gender equality, fighting racial discrimination and much more. To learn more about social justice on Social Justice Day, consider taking an online class! Institutions like Stanford University and Berkeley offer classes you can audit, while Amnesty International’s Human Rights Academy offers several free classes, too. Most classes are self-paced, so you can learn at your own speed.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 online courses on social justice.
#10. Host a listening party
Music is one of the most powerful tools for social justice, so if you love music, consider hosting a listening party for Social Justice Day! With a group, curate a list of songs about social justice, print out the lyrics, and listen together. Once a song is over, talk about how the music made you feel and what the lyrics mean. As the host, it’s a good idea to provide some information about the song, like who the artist is, why they wrote it, and if it has special meaning to a social justice movement. Don’t forget refreshments! You can provide snacks and drinks, or ask attendants to each bring something.
Not sure what songs to analyze? Here’s a list of 10 social justice songs.
#11. Watch a movie about social justice
Movies often feature social justice topics like poverty, gender equality, racial equality and much more. Social Justice Day is a good day to pick a movie about social justice, watch it with a group, and discuss what you learned and felt. You can keep it small and simple with just a few family members or friends, or host a larger screening with your workplace or a nonprofit. If you want to include kids, just be sure the movie covers topics relevant to a younger demographic.
Here’s a list of 13 social justice movies everyone should see!
#12. Host an art night
An art night is a fun, meaningful way to celebrate Social Justice Day. It can be a great way to include kids, as well! For your art night, collect a bunch of craft supplies and have participants make art based on prompts such as a world without injustice or specific social justice topics like gender equality or children’s rights. You can show participants examples from other artists and describe what social justice means as they work on their pieces. There’s no wrong way to do art, so let everyone’s imagination flow free!
#13. Host a social justice book club
Countless books – both fiction and nonfiction – have been written about social justice topics. While reading a book is a bigger time commitment than watching a movie, books go more in-depth about issues like gender discrimination, children’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and so on. If finishing a whole book isn’t doable at this time, you can probably focus on one chapter or essay with a reading group. This will increase participation and make the book club more accessible to those who would like to be involved but can’t commit to hours of reading.
Check out our list of 15 of the best books about social justice in the United States.
#14. Bring social justice into the classroom
If you’re a student, teacher, or other education professional, Social Justice Day is a great time to introduce social justice into the classroom! Teaching kids about human rights and social justice is very important as it helps them understand their rights, empathize with others, respect human rights values, and develop skills like critical thinking. There are lots of student-friendly activities and classroom resources available online on websites like Learning For Justice.
#15. Examine your school or workplace’s social justice initiatives
While reducing poverty and achieving gender equality have been important goals for decades, social justice as a concept has become increasingly recognized in recent years. Corporations, universities and other institutions are gradually realizing their roles and establishing initiatives designed to improve social justice. Does your school or workplace have initiatives in place? This Social Justice Day, examine what programs or actions the organizations you’re involved with are undertaking. If applicable, consider participating more in these initiatives. If your organization has been neglecting its social justice duties, now is a good time to see if you can encourage them to do better.
