Mutual aid is the giving and receiving of unconditional material support to those in our community based on a shared analysis of root problems, and done so while working to help people survive existing systems.
“Giving and receiving”: Practitioners of mutual aid recognize that "what goes around comes around", and that any giving of aid must be done in the spirit of reciprocity. Mutual aid is done in a way that benefits all parties involved, not just the giver or the receiver. In this way, mutual aid is not the same as charity, which is a one-way transfer of aid and does not produce a mutually beneficial relationship.
Example: Plants photosynthesize sugars from carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight, and exhale oxygen as a byproduct. We as humans breathe that oxygen in and exhale carbon dioxide which is then used by plants to produce more oxygen. We are in a mutually beneficial relationship with plants, with both parties receiving and giving support, and so photosynthesis can be considered an example of mutual aid from plants to humans.
“Unconditional”: There should be no categorization of people into “deserving” and “undeserving”. Everyone deserves support no matter what.
Example: Welfare systems such as SNAP are not considered mutual aid, because they require a certain level of income in order to qualify for it. SNAP puts people into categories of “deserving” and “undeserving”.
“Material support”: The support that we provide for one another should be rooted in meeting each others' basic needs, and done in a way that is tangible and useful. Material support in this context doesn't simply mean physical objects, it encompasses the full range of human needs, from food and water to emotional, and spiritual needs.
Example: Many mutual aid groups are organized around giving aid to people who are homeless. There is a mutual aid group in Anchorage called Mutual Aid Phone Guy that organizes to get homeless folks supplies such as tents, sleeping bags, jackets, gloves, and much more.
“Shared analysis”: We are social creatures, and talking things over is an excellent way to collectively come to a greater understanding of what our needs are, and also what resources and assets can be used to meet those needs, which increases our effectiveness.
Example: The upcoming discussions, along with the discussions from January's event are an example of shared analysis. You're doing the thing! By having conversations about these topics we can collectively build up a picture of what's really going on.
“Of root problems”: This shared analysis should be focused on the underlying issues behind the needs, rather than attempting to put a band-aid on things.
Example: Egg prices in Alaska are at record highs. A shallow analysis of why might find that the reason is because of the high number of chicken deaths due to bird flu in the Lower 48. However, the cause of the bird flu epidemic is the fact that chicken farms pack chickens together in miserable conditions, which increases the transmission of disease and led to the spread of bird flu. The root cause is the mistreatment of animals, not bird flu, so any solution that aims to fix the initial problem (high egg prices) needs to also fix the problem of factory farms.
“Survive existing systems”: We all currently live under many different systems (social systems, economic systems, etc.), and peoples needs arise from those existing systems. Mutual aid should be targeted at needs that are created by these systems.
Example: Our climate is an example of a system that we live under. There are documented cases of mutual aid groups springing to action to provide food, water, and supplies to those affected by major natural disasters, most recently during Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and the Los Angeles fires a few months ago.
This article was written for one of MANA's monthly meetups and gives a brief explanation of the different components of mutual aid. MANA is a mutual aid group based in Anchorage, Alaska, and provides relief from eviction notices, missed utility bills, delayed welfare, and more via income redistribution, as well as acting as a nexus for community organizers and activists. You can find their website at wearemana.org.