The Power of Love Languages in Advocacy
Advocacy can be challenging for some of us. While some personalities are comfortable with public fundraising, speaking out about their passion project, or asking others to care about a cause, others are more timid and prefer to spread their message in a quieter manner.
But the truth is that our individual preferences, gifts, and even weaknesses can be used in unique ways to advocate for trafficking survivors; we just have to identify how.
One of the ways we can individualize our advocacy is through our love languages! The five love languages, coined in 1992 in a book by Dr. Gary Chapman, include Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Quality Time, and Gifts. Our individual languages are most obviously expressed in the way we relate to a significant other or a close friend. But they can also help us figure out creative ways of advocating! Let’s break some down.
Acts of Service
Those who show love through acts of service may find fulfillment in direct, hands-on action. If your love language is acts of service, search for a local non-profit or center in your area that provides services to individuals in trafficking situations and call or look on their website for ways you can volunteer.
Alternatively, consider hosting a bake sale or party to sell handmade goods where the profits will go directly to a non-profit such as Dressember.
In select states, bottles and cans can be returned for five or ten cents each. Rally together a group of friends to collect used bottles and cans throughout the neighborhood and return them to a recycling center, using the small profits for a donation to anti-trafficking work.
If your state does not offer bottle and can returns, you can try hosting a textile recycling drive. Pick an afternoon to open up your house or apartment and set up a space where your friends and neighbors can bring their old, worn-out clothes or linens! To facilitate learning about human trafficking, you could include posters around the room that give statistics on how the fashion and textile industry contributes to human enslavement. Encourage participants that recycling is just one way to be a responsible consumer! Once textiles are collected, you can either deliver them yourself or enlist the help of a few friends to transport them to a recycling dropbox. These are usually located outside Salvation Army stores or other thrift stores. Recycling ensures that old materials are reused rather than shipped to another country where they may disrupt the business of a local vendor or tailor!
Words of Affirmation
In addition to direct fundraising, those who communicate love through words may find it fulfilling to send thank you cards or notes to donors. Acknowledging the donation and thanking the donor for the impact they’ve made can go a long way and encourage the donor to continue following Dressember’s campaign and efforts!
If you are someone who is a naturally gifted communicator, you may also find it enjoyable to spread awareness by giving a presentation about the issue of human trafficking, either to a larger group of people or just to friends and family.
“Love is a verb”
Physical Touch and Quality Time
I grouped these two together because I believe these languages, which both have to do with face-to-face connection, would benefit from similar methods of advocacy.
One of the best ways to be an advocate is by fostering conversation, so individuals who communicate love through personal connection might enjoy having an intimate dinner with friends. Place cards around the table that have prompts written on them -- they can be statistics or questions, but they should encourage conversations about trafficking and the impact our personal choices have on the welfare of others. The table is a unique space in which to learn and grow through conversation. So get creative with this one!
Another way to advocate is by getting involved with a local shelter or recovery center. Individuals that find meaning in personal connection can use this gift to serve and work with recovering individuals. You may even discover a hidden passion for the field of social services!
Gifts
Lastly, those who show love through giving gifts should consider making care packages for survivors. Care packages can include clothing, blankets, homemade gifts, self-care items, toiletries, and other thoughtful items!
Those who enjoy giving could also use the goods in their own closet or household to help others! Try sorting through your closet and filtering out clothes you never wear or no longer enjoy. The ones in the best condition can be packaged nicely and given directly to a women’s shelter or a recovery center.
Come up with your own!
Hopefully these suggestions have sparked some of your own creative ways of advocating. Furthering human dignity is a mission that is not limited to a certain type of person! It is each of our unique expressions and ideas that work together to accomplish justice. Let’s get to it!
About the Author
Allison McCune is a girl of many interests. Whether it’s slinging drinks as a barista, hiking 600 miles in one summer, or dissecting poetry and literature, she brings passion and insight to everything she does. She hopes to refine her writing in the next few years while using her skills to work with non-profit groups. Her goal is to eventually return to school, complete a doctoral degree, and be able to teach at the undergrad and graduate levels.