Mutual Aid Resource List

Here we offer resources on various topics that may be of interest for those volunteering in mutual aid projects, or trying to start their own. Some of these resources come from our comrades at Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, the group that inspired our work. Other resources are from MADR co-conspirators and groups we find affinity with. We hope you can find inspiration from them as we have.

Mutual Aid Resources

From Mutual Aid Disaster Relief:

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Welcome Packet 2018

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Code of Conduct

The Resilience We Want: A Guide to Making Your Community Space into a Hub for Local Resilience & Mutual Aid

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Resource Page

You Have Skills – Evaluating What Skills You Can Bring to Radical Organizing

Affinity Groups – Buddies, Quick Consensus, Spokes-councils

Mutual Aid Legal Toolkit

Table for Identifying Potential Constructive Programs

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Resource Page:

Co Conspirators – accomplices and allies engaged in mutual aid and direct action for a just and sustainable future; join us!

Also for even more resources, check out this Mutual Aid Toolbox from Big Door Brigade and these How To guides from Shareable

Digital Security Resources:

Resources/Educational Content for Internet Privacy & Security from Sabot Media

Security Culture for Activists from The Ruckus Society

Keeping Each Other Safe When Virtually Organizing Mutual Aid from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff)

Surveillance Self-Defense – Tips, Tools and How-tos for Safer Online Communications from EFF

Community Organizing and Protests

From The Eyes On The Ground Collective:

The information contained within this document was collected and assembled by The EyesOnTheGround(EOTG) Collective in response to the Uprisings happening in the wake of the State murder of George Floyd. We are an independent group of like-minded individuals who act in solidarity, and mutual aid with all those fighting against white supremacy and the State. We act autonomously and are NOT affiliated with ANY organizations. This document of compiled information, on both the current uprisings as well as the historical struggles that contextualize this moment, will be publicly available here, to be updated regularly.

A wide ranging and ever-growing list of resources around the following subjects:

A Digital Security Primer

History, Education, Resources Counter Insurgency

ANTIFA

Abolition

General Resistance How-to/ Tactics

Protest Safety and Self-defense

Medical

Mental Health

Protest Etiquette

Photographers and Livestreamers

Legal and Jail Support

Resistance News

Digital Security

ZINES

From The Channel Zero Podcast Network:

Rebel Steps Podcast – Season 1. Welcome to Rebel Steps. The Brazilian educator and philosopher Paulo Freire asked, “What can we do today so that we can do tomorrow what we cannot do today?” This podcast is about that question.

Coffee with Comrades Podcast Episode 85: “Against the End of the World” ft. Woodbine. This week, Pearson is joined by Matt and Johnny from Woodbine, an experimental community hub in Ridgewood, Queens, to chat about moving from mutual aid to disaster confederalism. Matt and Johnny also talk about why base-building is essential to dual-power strategies and discuss Woodbine and Hungry Monk’s ongoing community-organizing in the midst of COVID-19.

BONUS: “Skill-Share/Teach-In for Popular Uprisings. Due to these wild times we’re living in, some comrades and I in Capital City Mutual Aid wanted to put together a skill-share and teach-in on street action protests. In this episode, you’ll hear me talk way too much, but hopefully it’ll provide you with useful ideas/tips, and strategies. This was a digital meeting and I have done barely zero editing, so please forgive any weird sounds in the background. I just felt it was important to get this information out to folks as quickly as possible so that it could be disseminated and shared with folks on the ground who’re doing the work.

BONUS: CZN Jail Support PSA

BONUS: Street Action PSA. As protests heat up, the Channel Zero Network has some reminders on how to stay safe while out in the streets.

  • Bring buddies and don’t let them out of the range of your voice. 
  • Write a legal aid number on your body so you can get help if you get arrested. Be sure to know your buddies legal names and birthdays. You’ll need these to help find them if they’re arrested.
  • When moving around, walk don’t run. Stick together.
  • Turn off your phone while out in the street to avoid surveillance of your locationand so as not to have your unlocked phone taken by the authorities or other bad actors.
  • Try your best not to stick out in a crowd. Cover up  tattoos with clothing or body paint. Cops will use footage from the protest to try to identify you. 
  • Wear clothes that are good for moving quickly. Avoid wearing jewelry and wear closed toe shoes. 
  • Wear your mask at all times, even if you’re talking to someone in order to guard yourself against surveillance, COVID 19, pepper spray, and tear gas.
  • Avoid wearing contact lenses. Bring goggles of some kind in case of tear gas or pepper spray.
  • Consider wearing bike helmets as police often cause head injuries with batons and other weapons. 
  • Don’t take photos or video of people doing anything illegal or with their face uncovered. Whenever possible, film the cops, not the protesters.
  • ONLY PUT WATER IN YOUR EYES. Don’t use milk or baking soda or anything else.Clean water is the safest thing to use at a protest. If possible, bring a waterbottle to drink from and a water bottle to flush out eyes of any comrades who are maced or tear-gassed. 
  • And white comrades are encouraged to follow the lead of black and brown comrades, as they bear the brunt of state brutality.

Follow Unicorn Riot and Channel Zero Network member It’s Going Down for ongoing updates. The Channel Zero Network sends y’all solidarity. Stay safe out there and never stop fighting for a better world.