Then I began to deepen my own political consciousness: to think about personal hardships through the lens of systemic inequalities.

That was when I first joined a political organization, although it was a rather negative experience. As in many movements, we lacked the ability to communicate and manage the limited resources of the people in the team. I became discouraged, but it didn't last that long. I discovered that there were alternatives.

During my studies, I became academically interested in how the city functions and how to combat climate change. I lacked practice, so I signed up Miasto Jest Nasze. I have no regrets. I value MJN for how the enthusiasm for action is combined here with substance - the willingness to gain knowledge to put our ideas into practice.

What motivates me to take action? First - seeing the results of my own work (both long-term and small, everyday successes). Second - disagreement, sometimes anger, at how systemic discrimination against particular groups is going on, while the authorities remain indifferent to contemporary challenges like the climate crisis.

Social activity is an area where you generally have to wait to see the results of your own work. This is sometimes frustrating in a world where measurable results are supposed to be seen immediately and, on top of that, ready to be simply explained to others. However, change is happening. I have been working as a spokesperson for MJN since the fall of 2023. Analyzing MJN's activities from the very beginning, I see how much of a role we have played in shaping the narrative about the city. Words such as "patodevelopment," "concretosis" and "flippers" have already become firmly established in our everyday language. Today, even in leading television programs we will encounter criticism of flippers, and not just an apologia for their "hard work" and "entrepreneurship".

So much for long-term effects. What about faster and measurable ones? In the past local elections, we introduced as many as 4x more councilors than in 2018, and we will also have representation on the Warsaw City Council for the first time. This is a breakthrough in cooperation between local government and social movements. We will finally have an activist voice in the district and city councils! Changes like this fill me with optimism and a sense of purpose in what I do.
I am finally acting because I would like not to worry about the future. I would like to be able to think about my life in 5, 10, 20 years and see it as an opportunity for stable housing. I would like everyone to be able to live a dignified life - regardless of the size of their wallets. I would like to be able to live a dignified life.