Mutual AID 101

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and organizer Mariame Kaba discussed a response to COVID-19 based in community building and resource sharing — “Mutual Aid.” Mutual aid is “cooperation for the sake of the common good.” It’s getting people to come together to meet each other’s needs, recognizing that as humans, our survival is dependent on one another. This guide lays out the framework for mutual aid (not charity) and helps people who are new to it naviagate it with sections like “Building a Neighborhood Pod,” “An Invite to the Nieghbors,” “Health & Safety Tips,” and “What is Mutual Aid?” If you’re interested in learning more about the long history, politics and practice of mutual aid, there are more links at the end of this toolkit.