Anger into Action

Ahead of our upcoming Social Justice Lunch, our Justice Practitioner, Emma Temple, shares the importance of turning Anger into Action for both our selves and our society…

There’s a lot in the world to be angry about right now. Global leaders are making terrible choices. Racist and transphobic attacks are on the rise. Wealth inequality is vast. Children in this country are going hungry because of the choices of those in power. I feel the anger every time I look at the news.

Anger is important. It’s an emotion that lets our body, mind, and spirit know that something isn’t right. It’s important that we listen to it, that we sit with it, and hear what it has to tell us.

But if that’s all we do, we’re in trouble. Chronic anger or stress that keeps us in a fight-or-flight state can lead to chronic health conditions such as heart disease, digestive issues and strokes, mental health problems like depression and anxiety, and cognitive impairment and brain fog.

We are all familiar with the feeling of making bad decisions when we’re angry or stressed – snapping at people we love, rushing work that needed more time and attention, skipping exercise or time outdoors that we know is good for our mood. Anger is helpful for letting us know that something needs to change. But it’s not a helpful place to take the positive decisions, make the plans, and build the relationships that we need to bring about that change.

So we can’t stay in the anger phase. We have to move past it – into action.

It often feels like the things we’re angry about are beyond our control. The people in power making the decisions that cause these issues feel like they’re a million miles away.

But change is possible. At Leeds Sanctuary, we work with Citizens UK, whose community organising strategies have harnessed collective power to win change time and time again.

West Yorkshire Citizens have worked with our local communities to win the real Living Wage for Leeds City Council staff and other local employers, influenced the introduction of mental health liaison practitioners in GP surgeries across Leeds, improved dementia care for racialised communities, and secured road safety improvements in local neighbourhoods. They have a great track record of real, tangible change that makes life better for local people.

Earlier this year, we helped West Yorkshire Citizens to listen to the things that our communities care about – and as a result of that listening, they’re currently campaigning for better reporting of hate crime on buses, access to employment for young people, and rights for migrant care workers.

If you’re feeling inspired to join this wave of change, you’re invited to our next Social Justice Lunch, where you can hear from local organiser Becky Howcroft about how the Citizens model can help you turn anger into action – and how you can get involved with our campaign to end hate crime on our buses. Book your place here!