But What Can I Do?
10 Actions to Stand Up for Democracy
We need to accept that no one is coming to save us. Republicans are abdicating their values and their oath to uphold the constitution. Democrats are a minority in Congress and are quite limited in what they can do given current laws. Courts are unable to enforce their rulings if Trump does not want to follow them, which he has said he won’t. Many are trying to resist the best they can from inside the government, but this will only slow things down.
If we have any chance, we need as many people as possible to do everything they can to stand up for democracy. Research shows that as little as 3.5% of a population enacting non-violent protest can create serious political change.
Not sure what you can do? As a scholar of social movements for almost 20 years and a lifelong activist, here are my recommendations of how to get involved:
Organize within your social group: Find at least 5 people you know in your area who are also passionate about saving our democracy. Make a weekly time to week together. Create a Discord or Signal channel to share information. Consider joining or creating a group through your place of worship. Many social movements started by a group of people getting together and deciding to stand up for what they believe in. Not sure what to do from there? Just pick from the list below.
Attend a protest organized by a reputable group: Indivisible, MoveOn, local Democratic party groups, and local League of Women Voters are just some of the groups organizing weekly across the country. You can also show up most days to a Tesla dealership and find others protesting Musk. Demonstrations are often advertised on social media.
Organize a protest: Never done it before? That’s okay. There are many guides online including this and this. Go to a Tesla dealership, the office of your elected officials who are undermining our democracy, somewhere busy so people can see you, or - if you cannot get out because of disability or caregiving - create an online protest where everyone uses a particular hashtag or shares a specific message. Work with alumni from the college or university you attended to advocate for resistance to support immigrant, LGBTQ, and disabled students as well as faculty who may become targets.
Support the activists in your life: Every day, take the opportunity to let someone fighting for democracy that you appreciate them. Send a thank you note or even just a text. Make dinner for them or offer to babysit their kids.Help those who are going to be targeted like people with transgender or non-binary members of their family, immigrants or those with green cards from targeted countries, or anyone who is publicly resisting. Send a card of gratitude to someone in your neighborhood with a rainbow flag or sign supporting your cause..
Volunteer*: Local organizations need more support than ever. Focus on targeted populations such as domestic violence organizations who are losing their funding or LGBTQ, disability and immigrant groups, including Freedom for Immigrants, which supports immigrants in detention. Democracy relies on people showing up for each other, and volunteering helps create community.
Support local businesses, especially those owned by targeted populations (LGBTQ, people of color, immigrant, disabled)*: Support businesses like Costco who are holding firm on DEI and treating their workers well. Avoid companies that are supporting the current administration or rolling back their DEI policies including Tesla, Amazon, Walmart, Chick Fil A, and Target.
Learn: Start an anti-facist book club: Read books about organizing for social change, facism and history, and systemic oppression. Here’s a list of book ideas and another. I recommend including How to Stay Human in a F*cked Up World, Global Rebellion: Religious Challenges to the Secular State, from Christian Militias to al Qaeda, and Stir it Up: Lessons in Community Organizing and Advocacy. Take classes on political science, feminist studies, sociology, ethnic studies, or history at your local junior college or adult school. Or if you are feeling really dedicated, start up a resistance school that meets once a week or once a month and invite local activists, authors, and scholars to speak. Find people to join through your social network, on social media, through your faith community, or hand out fliers at protests.
Write or create resistance art*: Art and writing can inspire, educate, and is important for mental health of both the artist/writer and the consumer. You can give your work away for free or you can sell it to support yourself or give all/portion of the proceeds to an organization doing work you care about (see below). I make these disability justice postcards that I send to anyone who requests one. Make murals, like this organization does, utilizing symbols of resistance.
Raise money to support an organization working on an issue that you care about*: Host a bake sale or a garage sale. Design t-shirts like my kid did. Have a house party with a donation jar or QR code. Contact the organization you want to support and ask to join their fundraising committee. Have an open mike night at a local coffee shop or bar and invite local writers. Ask a local restaurant to donate a portion of their profits for one night and pack the place with your friends, family, and community. Use whatever skill or resource you can scrounge up to support financially these organizations that have increased need and reduced finances.
Maintain your humanity*: Practice empathy and compassion. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Focus on gratitude, joy, expansive recognition, and pleasure to balance out the rage and fear that can be overwhelming and crushing. Remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint.
*These are activities that are great to do with the children in your life. Be careful about bringing children to protests, as there have been many indications that Trump and his supporters will become violent towards those who resist his ideas. I fear the repression that may come even to me from just writing this.
Start by sending this article to the people you want to start organizing with.