I’ve been talking with friends, family and colleagues, circling around the same question: What can we do?
I was reminded that in any sort of social change effort or contentious politics, different tactics are not only inevitable, but necessary. At some point, there will be critical moments when we need to coordinate and effectively rally around a particular initiative. But we can take different paths that are true to ourselves, relevant to our environments.
Below are various ideas that my friends, family and colleagues have shared and discussed.
Demonstrate in show of solidarity: Follow the example of our youth and protest as a sign of solidarity with those most vulnerable: immigrant, hispanic, black, Muslim, women, LGBTQI communities and peoples, or as a commitment to something you believe in, such as climate action. Join protests on inauguration day and especially the day following with the Women’s March on Washington.
Advocate: Be loud and clear that we won’t tolerate messages of hate; use social media, traditional media; talk with friends, family, colleagues. Make it clear that this isn’t our America, that we are not a country that will tolerate and endorse such expressions of hate, racism, sexism, xenophobia, Islamophobia. Whatever path we choose, including holding to personal principles of love and compassion, we need a principled and unwavering message that Trump’s inciting of hatred and belittling of our citizens and our democracy is intolerable, will not be accommodated, will not become our new norm. One way to do this is by reducing ignorance that breeds prejudice. Some helpful resources: Muslim Americans fact check; information on immigrants and, from IRC, on refugees.
Volunteer: There are infinite opportunities to volunteer with nonprofit organizations. One idea: support those communities who are most vulnerable, such finding ways to engage with the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The International Rescue Committee has a great volunteer program to support refugees navigate their new lives here in the U.S., which will be increasingly difficult in this climate, as well as this guide on other ways to get involved.
In the longer-term, funding for social welfare programs is going to be retracted. You can volunteer for (or donate to) homeless shelters, food pantries, educational programs (see if there are tutoring programs through your local schools or local nonprofits), health clinics, affordable housing programs, youth programs. Contact your local Sierra Club chapter and ask how you can help.
Donate: Nonprofit organizations are going to need as much unrestricted funding as possible to do their work.
Consider donating to civil liberties and social justice organizations like ACLU, NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Centre, Brennan Center; and nonprofit journalism organizations like The Centre for Investigative Reporting and ProPublica, and public information networks like NPR.
Health and especially women’s health and reproductive rights organizations like Planned Parenthood will need our support as will the Guttmacher Institute and the Center for Reproductive Rights, which are great resources of information. There are lots of great women’s equality and women’s rights organizations, too, like Emerge (America or your home state).
Environmental organizations and advances on climate change, including federally funded research for climate change, are going to take a huge hit under this administration, especially with a climate denier appointed to lead the EPA. Donate to The Sierra Club; among other great work, the Environmental Law Program has gained a ton of traction around pushing to reduce the coal industry. Other great organizations: The Nature Conservancy, Environment America (or Environment Washington, California, etc), EarthJustice, EarthAction, 350.org.
A list of more pro-women, pro-immigrant, pro-earth organizations can be found here.
Vote with your money: More and more companies are responding to bad publicity, and/or proactively taking measures to improve their environmental and social impacts. In fact, more and more companies are committed to clean energy and their motivations go beyond state regulation, as expressed by leading companies who fear that abandoning the Paris Climate deal will jeopardize “American prosperity.” In a statement targeting a future Trump administration, 365 companies and major investors emphasized their “deep commitment to addressing climate change.”
Support businesses devoted to clean energy. Support businesses committed to their social and environmental impact. Support businesses who have made clear statements against civil rights violations and discrimination. And pressure others to follow suit, by avoiding their products, divesting in irresponsible companies, and telling others to do so; join campaigns to increase corporate transparency and accountability.
Engage in local and state politics: State initiatives, for example, can help to tackle climate change even in absence of a committed federal government. California, for example, has led the way ahead of federal actions. In my home state of Washington, we can look to how to improve prop 732 and re-submit a proposition to reduce our reliance on coal. Be proactive and find other areas that will need local tax dollars and support for your community and state’s needs by mobilizing or initiating ballot measures.
Prepare for 2016 and 2018: Voting rights have been on the upswing from where they were in the aftermath of the Tea Party surge in 2010. Still, they’re far from where they should be. Find ways to support voter registration, host a voter registration drive, and make more noise about efforts to disenfranchise voters. The Brennan Center is a great source of information.
Seek out ways to participate in local politics; hold our elected officials and the Democratic Party accountable; make clear your voice, your ideas.
Listen and learn: Deep down I do believe that if we are to move forward, we have to learn from this election and recognize how disaffected so many people feel. This is not to say that expressions of hatred should be accommodated or tolerated in any way, but if we continue to isolate ourselves from one another, if Liberals continue to flee from conservative places and from conversations with conservatives, we’re only going to be further divided, and further mobilize the Tea Party-to-Trump phenomenon. We have to find ways to communicate and be open to learning about some of the grievances and perspectives of others. And we have to find ways to engage so that we can effectively communicate our own grievances about why electing Trump is so damaging, and emboldens intolerance, bigotry and hatred, even if that wasn’t the personal views or motivations of all who voted for him.
Finally, share more ideas and mobilize!