Nana Addae is a first-generation Ghanaian-American from Frisco, Texas and student at Emmanuel College.
Why are you involved with Corporate Accountability’s Action League?
Before I started volunteering at Corporate Accountability, I felt like I couldn’t really do much in terms of what was going on in the world, and there was no way to fix anything. With the Action League, I see change in action, and it gives me hope.
I’ve learned with Corporate Accountability that organizing is not just something you do once and walk away — and expect change to happen. It’s more like you dig in and push for change day in and day out. That’s something that I really enjoy about Corporate Accountability and our allies — you see that push for change every day. And it feels good to be part of that change. Especially when I get to see it happen in real time.
Like the time I educated members of Congress on the woes of water privatization, with other organizers. We met with Representative Capuano in his office, and talked about how Trump’s infrastructure agenda would open the door for corporations to profit off of our water systems and other infrastructure. Having moments like that is remarkable: sitting down and talking to actual members of Congress — being in the room and asking them for support, and them actually listening. Helping to evoke change through policy. That just feels so amazing.
What gives you hope in this moment?
The cycles of history give me hope because I don’t want to believe that this is going to be it. We have to do what we can to keep pushing to make sure that this is not the norm. So I run on the dream that we’re going to be out of this soon. Because the second I believe that all is lost, we’ve already failed.
What should we be doing as social change agents right now?
One of the most important things we should be doing right now is talking. Talk to people, have these conversations, really understand our fellow people. Because I feel like there’s a major disconnect between so many different groups of people. This isolation is really scary. And there are a lot of people who don’t know what’s going on. Making sure that people are informed and looking out for other people is one of the things that I believe is so important right now.
Why are you a monthly donor, in addition to an Action League activist?
I feel like you’ve got to do everything you can to support the actions that we’re leading in the world. I want to do my part when it comes to Corporate Accountability, no matter how small. Because I fully believe in what we’re doing, and I really enjoy it. Being a monthly donor in addition to volunteering is my way of saying, “Hey, I’m definitely in this for the long run.”
