- Vote. This remains the single most impactful way you can directly influence the leadership in this country. Vote in every single election held in your area. Primaries, runoffs, special elections – all of them matter. And don’t discount the importance of local elections! Your local leaders are the ones responsible for implementing (or resisting) all the terrible policies this administration is trying to enact. Vote for mayors, city council representatives, judges, city and county officials, and state representatives who are committed to defending democracy.
- Contact your representatives – Call, email, write letters, request in-person meetings, attend town halls. Even if your representatives have historically voted with 47 and his cult, continue to make your voice heard. Remember, a representative’s primary motivator is getting reelected. Let them know in no uncertain terms that, if they continue to vote against the will and interests of the American people, next election cycle, they’ll be out of a job.
- Get involved – Attend protests in your area. Volunteer with organizations fighting the good fight. Organize donation drives, awareness events, fundraisers. Sell crafted items you’ve made and donate the proceeds to worthy organizations. Look for ways to get involved in the fight against fascism that are sustainable for you and that use your talents. There are dozens of ways you can support the resistance, from standing on the front lines of a protest to sharing information about what’s going on to handling homefront responsibilities to give the front-line fighters availability to do that work. Find your niche and start taking action!
- Donate to organizations fighting fascism – The good news in this fight is that we’re not alone, and we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are a lot of organizations working hard to stand against the tide of fascism, and they can use all the support they can get. My list of organizations to support may be a helpful start for you, or run a search for organizations fighting [insert issue of your choice].
- Talk to your friends and family – If we want to see long-term, sustainable change, we need to address the upswell of harmful rhetoric that 47 has built his cult on. We need more people to see the lies for what they are and to see the people around them as fully human. That change happens one person at a time, and it can start with you. Talk to the people in your life about what’s going on; awareness is the first step toward change. Call out harmful rhetoric when you hear it. Speak out in support of marginalized and at-risk populations. Where you can, sit down and have real conversations with the people you love who are falling victim to the lies. Ask why they feel or believe the way they do, and try to get past the party lines, the bluster, and the blame game to the real root of the issue: more often than not, these people are afraid. They’re trying to figure out how to survive in a country where that seems to be harder every day, they’re bombarded with terrifying news of a world that seems changed beyond recognition, and it’s easier to shift that fear into anger and blame than it is to face it head-on. Challenge these views with compassion, and try to plant seeds where you can.
- Learn your rights – The enforcers in this administration are counting on we, the people, rolling over and giving in to their demands. They want you to accept their authority without question and stand aside as they march directly over the top of your legal rights. Don’t let them. Research your legal rights (at protests, in immigration issues, if you’re arrested, in regards to your student loans or Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security assistance). Memorize them, and if someone tries to violate those rights, question those actions. (IMPORTANT: Do not start physical fights or resist arrest at this stage. Doing so only gives them an excuse to hurt you and declare martial law.) State clearly that your rights are being violated and you do not consent to this action, and keep detailed records of everything.
- Support at-risk loved ones – LGBTQ+ folks, immigrants, people of color, and women are all under direct attack right now. Reach out and tell the people in your life who are feeling that threat that you love them. Ask how you can support them and help them feel safer. Use their chosen pronouns and names. Let them know that you are a safe space should they ever need one. Stand up for them when you see or hear discrimination and hatred in action. Bake them cookies. The government is trying to tell these people that we are broken and weak and despised; be a voice for love in the midst of that hate.
- Build intentional communities – Authoritarianism wins when 1) people feel isolated, afraid, and powerless and 2) people believe that their only access to essential resources comes from the government. They use the same tactics abusers do, and the counter-tactics are the same: connection and compassion. Reach out to people around you and build connections. Host potluck dinners, set up regular calls with friends, start a book or crafting club, get involved with special interest groups in your community. When we connect with the people around us, we break the lie that we’re surrounded by enemies. We find emotional resilience, and we lay the groundwork for groups that can pool resources and become more self-sufficient as the regime makes essentials scarcer and scarcer.
- Boycott corporations supporting fascism – One of the most direct ways you can resist on a daily basis is by boycotting corporations that support fascism as much as you reasonably can. In the next week, I’ll be adding a page listing major corporations that have donated to 47 or stripped their DEI initiatives in response to his bigotry. Shop with small businesses (especially those that are queer-, minority-, and/or woman-owned) as often as you can. Find a CSA in your area to buy groceries from, start a garden (even a small one helps), or shop at the farmer’s market. When you do buy from large corporations, try to choose those (Costco, Michael’s, Petsmart, etc.) that support democracy. Your money can be a powerful tool for pulling power from fascists.
- Make a safety plan – Unfortunately, there’s a lot happening in this country right now that mirrors the establishment of other fascist dictatorships. Resistance is powerful and worthwhile, but it’s still entirely possible that those efforts won’t be able to prevent an authoritarian regime. If things get dangerous, you don’t want to find yourself scrambling to put together a plan. Decide what’s going to be best and most achievable for you and your family if we do become a full-blown dictatorship. Consider what to do if a war breaks out (I know it sounds extreme, but so is what’s happening). Think about how you’ll keep yourself and your family safe, and lay out specific steps you’ll take if the time comes. Like any evacuation or shelter in place plan, this is the kind of thing I hope you’ll never have to use, but if your house catches on fire, you don’t want to be figuring out how to get out while the room is burning around you.
- Schedule time for self-care – Things are incredibly hard right now, and all of this can quickly become overwhelming. Living in a constant state of fear and stress isn’t sustainable, and we need to be rested and prepared to fight for the long haul. Take time away from the media (social and otherwise) and do things you love. Spend time with friends. Make something creative. Go outside (even for just a few minutes). Play with your pets and your kids. Sit someplace quiet for five minutes, just breathing. Taking this time to nurture yourself can make it so much easier to stand up again and continue into a new week.
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