Lessons we learned from researching the people in our book

Starting Small

”Whatever you do may seem insignificant to you, but it is most important that you do it.” — Mohandas Gandhi

It starts like this: some people notice something that needs changing. It makes them angry or scared or determined enough that they just have to do something about it. They write a letter. They gather some friends to have a protest rally. Or they simply refuse to give up their seats.

At the time Mohandas Gandhi began his nonviolent work in South Africa, he had no sense that he would one day lead a movement that would free India from the power of Great Britain. In fact, in 1908, he was not yet opposed to British rule, and he tried to be as British as he could in speech, dress and education.

Most nonviolent movements begin with the simplest and smallest of actions. No one is really a leader yet, and no one has a vision of changing the world – yet. The possibility of something larger grows as people live nonviolent resistance.