Tina-Rose is deeply connected to New Orleans, a city she has called home for the past few years, and where she started Mutual Aid Monday, a program that brings food to people living on the streets every Monday night.
Tina-Rose didn’t have extensive volunteer experience before starting the group. She simply noticed a need among the people in her neighborhood, and decided she could play a role in filling that gap.
We sat down with Tina-Rose to chat about her experience with mutual aid, what concerns her most about corporate abuse, and how powerful we can be when we take action together. This interview was edited for length and clarity.
What is your role in the social justice movement?
One of my main concerns is food justice—making sure that people have their basic needs met and eliminating food waste.
I’m also a person who takes action. People often get slowed down by analysis paralysis. They want to do something, but they aren’t sure what to do, and they get stuck in the conceptual stage. My goal is always to move to the ‘doing’ stage. That’s why I started Mutual Aid Monday: I saw that people near me needed food, then I started to do what I could to meet that need.
Tell us more about Mutual Aid Monday, how it has evolved, and its impact in your community.
Mutual Aid Monday is a grassroots group that feeds and supports people that are living on the streets of New Orleans. The first time I did it I cooked a huge pot of red beans and rice, a typical local dish. I borrowed a wagon from a friend and brought the food out to people in my neighborhood. From there, it grew. Now we feed more than 100 people each week. We’re run by more than 30 volunteers and supported by four local restaurants with regular donations. This past year we also delivered cold weather kits with wool socks, underwear, tarps, and other essentials to hundreds of people in the area.
What concerns you most about the role that corporate power plays in our world?
Corporate power is a huge evil in our society. By expanding their power in the marketplace, corporations have made it difficult for small, local businesses to survive.
I was also struck by a recent article in National Geographic that examined the impact that the fashion industry has on our environment. The aerial images of the landfills where clothing is discarded, and the facts and figures of how long clothing gets worn and how it’s cheaply made, has stayed with me. This constant consumerism—which gets us to buy, buy, buy, then throw in the garbage and buy again—is how corporations get us to keep spending. And it’s devastating our environment.
What interests you about Corporate Accountability’s work?
The work that Corporate Accountability does is so incredibly necessary. And I haven’t heard of another organization with a central focus on holding corporations accountable. All the campaigns—water, climate, tobacco—are equally important. I feel so glad to know that there is an organization that is doing this work.
What is bringing you hope?
I find hope in organizations like Corporate Accountability that refuse to be complacent in the face of oppression and corporate power. I also find hope in seeing the impact that Mutual Aid Monday is having on people’s lives, and in the number of people that want to be a part of it. The experience has taught me that when we unite and work together as a community, we are powerful.
What advice do you have for people who want to get more involved in making change in their communities?
I encourage everyone to start in a way that works for them. For example, mutual aid can be simple and affordable. The first time I did it, I served more than 50 people with a $25 budget and very limited supplies. You can research and learn what mutual aid efforts are already underway in your area and support those groups. There are also great mutual aid resources available through the Solidarity Economy Association.
Remember: No matter how you want to improve the world, even the little things can make a huge impact. We can all get stuck thinking about how to make the first move. But it’s important to just take that first step. It’s okay if it’s not perfect. You can adjust and try again.
