World Day of Social Justice: Why It Matters and What You Can Do
Every year, February 20th is observed as the World Day of Social Justice, a day dedicated to confronting social issues and promoting equality and fairness. This observance aims to shine a light on injustices and encourage collective action to create a more equitable society. In this article, we’ll delve into the significance of this day, outline actions you can take to contribute to social justice, and to share how we at CONTRA-TIEMPO are doing our part to advance social justice in L.A. and beyond.
What Is the World Day of Social Justice?
Established by the United Nations in 2007, the World Day of Social Justice — sometimes known as Social Justice Day — is a global observance that promotes efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion, gender equality, unemployment, human rights, and social protections. It's a call to meet the challenges of today's world, from climate change to global pandemics, all of which disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations.
The Importance of Social Justice
Promotes equality and dignity: Social justice is the backbone of peaceful and prosperous coexistence. By advocating for equal rights and opportunities, we uphold the dignity of every individual’s background.
Addresses systemic inequities: Many societies grapple with deep-rooted inequalities that manifest in various forms — economic, social, or cultural. Observing the World Day of Social Justice helps spotlight these issues and mobilize efforts to address them.
Encourages inclusive development: Development is sustainable only when it includes all sections of society. Social justice aims to ensure that everyone, especially the marginalized, has a voice in shaping their future.
Equity
Equity goes beyond simply treating everyone the same. It acknowledges the historical and systemic disadvantages faced by marginalized groups and recognizes that true justice requires tailored approaches. It's not about giving everyone the exact same resources, but rather giving each individual or group what they specifically need to achieve equal outcomes. Imagine two people trying to reach the top of a hill. One starts halfway up, while the other is at the bottom. True equity wouldn't give them both the same distance to climb, but rather provide the one lower down with additional support, like a ladder or a boost, to ensure they both reach the summit.
To achieve equity requires the dismantling of systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality. These barriers can be woven into policies, institutions, and cultural norms, often stemming from discriminatory practices. Equity in social justice aims to identify and dismantle these barriers, creating a level playing field where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background or identity. It's a continuous process of acknowledging and making adjustments to imbalances, disproportionate wealth, resource hoarding, and justice processes. We must recognize and address historical and present-day injustices, and working towards a future where all individuals and communities have the resources and support they need to reach their full potential.
Justice
Justice transcends individual fairness and delves into the systemic forces that create and perpetuate inequality. It's not just about upholding legal rights or ensuring fair treatment for individuals, but about dismantling the very structures that disadvantage specific groups based on factors like race, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. It strives for a society where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential, regardless of these arbitrary markers. This vision doesn't simply seek equal outcomes for all, but rather recognizes the historical and ongoing disadvantages faced by marginalized groups and strives to provide them with the tailored support and resources they need to achieve true equality. Ultimately, social justice demands a persistent and resilient fight against systemic barriers, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate fully and equitably in society.
What You Can Do on the World Day of Social Justice
Educate Yourself and Others
Awareness is the first step towards change. Use this day to learn about social injustices locally and globally. Read articles, watch documentaries, and engage in community discussions to understand the complexities of these issues.
Support and Volunteer
Many organizations and movements are at the forefront of fighting for social justice. Find a cause that resonates with you and see how you can contribute, be it through volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word.
Here at CONTRA-TIEMPO, we are an activist dance company seeking to champion social justice in Los Angeles and beyond. We use movement for The Movement as a way of awakening the muscles of social action through dance, music, community get-downs and Sabor sessions.
Advocate and Speak Up
Use your voice and platform to advocate for policies and practices that promote equity and justice. Write to your local representatives, participate in peaceful demonstrations, or use social media to raise awareness. Art is another powerful way to speak up for social justice, whether it’s through dance, music, painting, or other forms of creative expression. Art can be anything we create, make, perceive with our senses- it is a moment in which your attention is held captive by your imagination and your body’s presence makes the moment meaningful. Rennie Harris said, “movement is the manifestation of our reality.” Embodiment is a powerful tool for transforming the future. Using art to be socially and civically engaged doesn’t mean you need to give up your current job to try to become the new Basquiat. We all have artful talents that we can put into action right now.
You can choreograph caring and care for yourself and those around you.
You can step-touch while you do the dishes.
You can dance jam cleaning your room.
You can merge and yield in traffic like you understand cooperative dynamics
You can lead and follow with your children like you are Salsa dancing.
You can act with kindness.
You can laugh
You can rest
Reflect on Personal Action
Reflect on how your actions and choices can impact others. This can range from being conscious of your consumption patterns to actively standing against discrimination in your daily life. Critical self-reflection is not as harsh as it sounds. It's not about criticizing yourself and reflecting on all the ways you feel like a terrible person. It’s about evaluating cause and effect as it relates to your personal actions and relationships. This is a process of listening, observing, and being witness to your own actions. What choices lead towards our mutual liberation? Which choices lead towards individualistic preservation or elevation. What am I doing intentionally (and subconsciously) and am I aware of its impact to others and myself?
Social justice, love, equity - these are enacted by us through our bodies in relation to one another. Who you are matters to me. I am you and you are me. We are related and inseparable as one anothers consequences. Our actions impact one another. In Lak’ech Ala k’in.
CONTRA-TIEMPO: Advancing Social Justice
At CONTRA-TIEMPO, we are more than a dance company; we’re a bold, multilingual, activist dance ensemble that embodies social justice through movement. Founded in L.A., we combine Salsa, Afro-Cuban, hip hop and contemporary dance with theater, compelling text, and original music to bring important social issues to schools, parks, offices, and stages.
We fight for social justice with:
Storytelling through dance: CONTRA-TIEMPO's performances are powerful narratives on issues such as immigration, race, gender marginalized histories, intergenerational trauma and is rooted in the ancestries of Cuban peoples and culture.. We use dance to tell stories, evoke emotions, and connect deeply with audiences, making social issues relatable and understandable.
Community engagement: CONTRA-TIEMPO lives community as a verb rather than a noun. Community is how CONTRA-TIEMPO creates artwork, organizational processes, and develops practices grounded in care, love, and mutuality. We don’t just perform in unison on stages; we embody being in union with one another as an engaged community through workshops, conversations, and participatory events. By doing this, we create spaces for deep listening and understanding - empowering people through the arts.
Diversity and inclusion: Our performing ensemble, staff, and collaborating artists are a testament to diversity, bringing together genealogies and ancestries from Cuba, Bahamas, Mexico, Haiti, Guatemala, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Turkey, India, This diversity is not just seen, but felt in the rich cultural expression of our performances and performers.
Support CONTRA-TIEMPO on the World Day of Social Justice
Attend a performance or event: One of the best ways to support CONTRA-TIEMPO is to experience our art in person. Attend our performances and events, be moved by our stories, and come into the awareness of your role as an agent of social change.
Donate: As a distributive justice organization, CONTRA-TIEMPO relies on the generosity of our supporters. Consider making a donation today to help us continue our vital work. We distribute resources to artists by committing to providing thriving lives and careers in the arts.
Engage online: Follow us on social media, share our content, and engage in conversations about our passion-fueled work by sending us an email and signing up for our newsletter.
The World Day of Social Justice is a reminder of our collective responsibility to build a fairer world. Every action — no matter how small — contributes to the Movement
for equality and dignity. On this day, let's commit to being agents of change. Together, we can move toward a future that is more loving, vibrant, and just.
At CONTRA-TIEMPO, we nourish communities where all people are awakened to a sense of themselves as artists and social change agents who move through the world with compassion and confidence. Our physically intense and politically astute performance work moves audiences to imagine what’s possible. We wield the power of art to influence social change, live out our values, and teach others to engage in art activism. Support our movement by donating today!
Bibliography
15 Ways to Advance Social Justice in your Community. (2001, June 27). KU SOE. https://educationonline.ku.edu/community/15-ways-to-advance-social-justice
The Power of Place: Art as a Tool for Social Justice. (n.d.). Learning for Justice. https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/spring-2023/the-power-of-place-art-as-a-tool-for-social-justice
United Nations. (n.d.). World Day of Social Justice | United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/observances/social-justice-day