The Power of Collective Participation

The vision I have for the Riverton Peace Mission is a community power-building organization for Indigenous people with abundant support from people of all backgrounds for understanding, repair, and healing. In other words, Native Americans in Fremont County determine the needs, and we all work together to make it happen.

Required will be a large number of people getting involved, putting aside petty past differences, to learn the root causes of problems, and to act collectively.

I enjoy Netflix movies based on real people and action stories of resistance efforts during World War II in Europe. I am convinced that without those resistance efforts, Hitler would have won. I think the same is true today, that without resistance efforts at the grassroots level, racism and prejudice will win. Without the abolitionist movement, slavery would not have ended when it did. We can apply the principles of historical resistance efforts to today. Through collective participation, people make a difference.

Abolitionist and resistance efforts included:

1. Courage to take risks.

2. Understanding the injustice taking place.

3. Being connected and united.

4. Knowing that neutrality was not an option.

5. Having clear objectives.

6. Being smart and strategic.

7. Getting mobilized and ready to act.

8. Never giving up.

We greatly appreciate those who are stepping forward to support RPM with your participation and with donations. We could use more monthly contributions to keep up our momentum. If you have not already, go to RPM’s website now to donate $5 or whatever you can afford each month. (We updated RPM’s donor page to now make it easier.)

Fear not. Be humble. Have faith. Be bold. Build relationships. Do justice.

Chesie Lee