Getting involved in social justice can be overwhelming. There are so many causes you can get behind, varieties of movements, tricky vocabulary words and big names to know — and that can make it difficult to know where to start.

But that shouldn't prevent you from joining a movement that revolves around an issue you're passionate about. The first step is showing up.

SEE ALSO: 9 YouTube channels that will make you smarter about social justice

Jenn Li, a Washington, D.C.-based activist, started in high school simply by going to organizing meetings her teacher told her about.

"I just showed up," Li tells Mashable. "They always had a plan, so I could just follow along and be helpful."

"Those closest to the problem are also closest to the solution."

Now she organizes her own social justice projects, such as #TakeDownJulienBlanc, a campaign that protested self-proclaimed pickup artist Julien Blanc, whom many accused of promoting "violence and emotional abuse against women." Li also created Solidarity Envelopes, which used the Chinese tradition of red envelopes to start Lunar New Year 2015 in solidarity with Black and Asian Pacific Islander communities.

Most people involved in social justice will have a similar story — taking a small, initial action that propelled them into social justice.

If you want to get involved in a movement for good, check out these eight tips for how to get started and meaningfully support others doing impactful work.

Image: Mashable Composite, CEM OZDEL/ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES, 350org on Instagram

1. Educate yourself on a particular movement.

A photo posted by 350.org (@350org) on Mar 24, 2016 at 4:25pm PDT

Before you get involved in any movement, make sure you understand what the cause is — and what it's trying to achieve. If you're interested in climate justice, for example, check out 350.org for information about existing campaigns and actions across the world, as well as key climate facts. Or learn about the mission and beliefs of the Black Lives Matter movement on its official website.

After getting basic information online, it's a good idea to read books with more in-depth analysis of a particular social movement and the issues it grapples with. Books like This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein for climate activism and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander for racial justice will help you gain deeper understanding, learn important vocabulary and be well-equipped with information.

If you're a student, or you live near a college and have the means, you could even take a course to teach you more about your cause.

2. Work on your own habits and beliefs.

In my work to be an ally and an activist there's this battle towards unlearning the system to get to the Valhalla of social justice — academic shawty (@_skylarkendal) June 11, 2015

Before engaging others or protesting an institution, make sure you're doing your best not to contribute to the problem at hand. For example, it doesn’t make sense to ask others to help you combat racism if you abuse white privilege or silence people of color. You have to first unlearn bad habits and behavior yourself before you encourage others to be better.

Not sure how to start working on your own habits? Start with eliminating these words from your vocabulary, and learn how to be a better ally.

3. Research the local presence.

It's a great idea to build connections with other like-minded people. Local activist groups and organizers often hold open meetings and are excited to have new people involved. Becoming part of a community will help you learn new things, and have others hold you accountable.

Meetup.com is a great resource for finding meetings about activism, politics and social justice near you. If you know a specific organization you want to work with, like the National Organization for Women, look for an online directory of chapter locations.

4. Take action in your community.

Glenn E. Martin, founder of JustLeadershipUSA — an organization in which people with a criminal history are at the forefront of the mission to end mass incarceration — believes people who want to get involved in a social justice movement can do the most effective work in their own communities.

"Those closest to the problem are also closest to the solution," he tells Mashable.

Martin suggests writing letters to your elected officials or discussing the movement over drinks with colleagues as ways to start getting involved locally. Keeping social justice topics like mass incarceration as part of the public conversation is essential to creating change.

5. Go to a protest or demonstration.

Image: ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES

This can be an intimidating step to take if you've never been to a demonstration, so going with a few experienced friends or an activist group is a good idea. Make signs, or print information to hand out — this is the time when you get to put your knowledge to action.

Protests and demonstrations are also great ways to practice active resistance and public speaking, if you're interested in becoming a leader in a social justice movement.

You can find great safety tips for attending a protest here.

6. Use social media.

Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr are incredibly popular in social justice communities. On Facebook, you can either join or create a group dedicated to discussing and organizing around a movement. On Twitter, you can find other people who tweet about the cause you're interested in, and even start a discussion with them.

Tumblr is perhaps the most resourceful platform for young activists.

Tumblr is perhaps the most resourceful platform for young activists. Jenn Li learned a lot about social justice issues and being an ally just by browsing her feed.

"There are probably things you do or say but don't even think about, and people on Tumblr will have a post explaining what the problem is, how it's oppressive, who it affects and the ways you can be better," she says.

The Tumblr community also encourages the sharing of personal experiences, and acts as a safe space to talk through issues you might not discuss in your everyday life.

Social media is good place to practice your activism, too. Posting articles, sharing videos and writing updates about organizing meetings or information about your movement are all simple ways to share messages about your movement with a wide audience.

7. Volunteer your time.

Write to whoever you can. Be an activist. Get out there and help. Volunteer. Do whatever you can to help. — E ✨ (@YankECowboy) December 2, 2015

Depending on the cause or movement, there are many ways you can volunteer to help others. For example, if you're concerned with homelessness, volunteer at a shelter. If you want to fight education inequality, volunteer at an inner-city school program.

If you don't have any idea where you want to volunteer, this list of online resources can help you. Volunteering is an important way to start getting involved because it costs nothing but your time, and can significantly improve the life of someone affected by the exact injustice your movement is fighting against.

8. Donate to an impactful organization. Free @JustLeadersUSA t-shirt to ppl who choose ANNUAL Membership at $22 https://t.co/pUnAfx06Qd #halfby2030 pic.twitter.com/w30AJpqeJ5 — Glenn E. Martin (@glennEmartin) February 9, 2016 If you can't dedicate enough time to a movement or aren't comfortable speaking out, you can still get involved. There are different levels of engagement in every movement, and donating money is one of them. Being a paid member of an organization, giving a small monthly gift or sending in a lump-sum donation all qualify as involvement in a social justice movement. "If an injustice moves you, just do something to acknowledge that feeling."

Most social movements are sustained by nonprofit organizations and volunteers, so every dollar counts. For example, JustLeadershipUSA memberships contribute to funding for messaging on flyers, billboards and advertisements, and they're invested in leadership training for people working toward solutions.

If you need ideas, check out CharityNavigator.org. This watchdog site allows you to find reliable organizations by category (Human Rights, Animals, Environment, etc.), along with ratings and filters so you can find the perfect place to donate. Follow these tips to make sure you're giving to the right charities.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to social justice movements. Some people have a grassroots approach, like Li, while others create organizations, like Martin. Both approaches — and everything in between — are essential to the success of any movement. The common denominator, however, is a drive to create change.

"If an injustice moves you, just do something to acknowledge that feeling," Li says.

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