Hey #hamont! As we mourn the loss of @SoBiHamilton, let’s talk about mobilizing.

First, I want to say that we’re allowed to feel all the things we’re feeling: frustration, grief, annoyance, disappointment.

Second, I think we should take those emotions (when it’s healthy for you to do so!) and channel them into trying to make some kind of change.

Something I talk about a lot of micro versus macro impact. A lot of times we think we have to change the whole world all at once. I don’t agree with that, necessarily. In fact, all goal setting books/strategies tell us the same thing: incremental change is better!

When we set the goal to change the entire world, we have to work it back into small things we can do every day. So let’s talk about some of those!

1. Contact your councillor. It doesn’t matter how they voted - even if they were on the right side of this one, your voice should be heard because your voice matters.

2. Look up (and join or otherwise support) your local interest groups. @CycleHamilton is looking for interim board members. @HamiltonHIVE is always looking for volunteers. There are too many for me to list here - but if you’re looking for a niche, reply and I’ll try to help

3. Stop using @Uber and @UberEats. Council made the wrong choice here, but it’s Uber ending the contract and supporting them let’s them do things like this to other communities.

4. Think about running for municipal government. I’m thinking about it! You should too! If not running yourself, then think about people in your life who need a nudge in the right direction and give that nudge!

5. Support your community organizers. The list here is long, too. But people like @JoeyColeman, @HHHamilton and @mattjelly are some good people to follow, who will tell you a lot of what I’ve already said here.

6. Repeat! Repeat as often as you’re able, and as intensely as you’re comfortable with.

Full disclosure; I ordered from Uber Eats this past weekend. I don’t contact my councillor as often as I should. Don’t be hard on yourself for not being perfect or as heavily involved as you “should” be.

I don’t have a SoBi membership. I don’t like cycling. But this is a final straw moment for me, because every day the people on this council do things that set our city back. At some point, we need to mobilize as a community and tell them that’s not okay.

Not every issue directly impacts me as an individual - that’s not the point. The point is that we should stand up for each other as well as ourselves.