So you participated in the Women’s March on Washington last week? Great, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Let’s look at next steps:
- If you are able to please continue to participate in protests. Especially protests that don’t necessarily pertain to you–#BLM, #NoDapl, #NoBanNoWall. There are a ton of options to stay engaged in a physical sense and I’d encourage you to please continue to do so.
- Donate–if you are able to!!. Put your money where your mouth is. Consider donating to smaller organizations where your money can go farther.
- A List of Organizations Dedicated to Helping Immigrants and Refugees That Need Your Support
- Here’s A List Of Organizations To Donate To That Support Women, Immigrants And Young People Post-Election
- Donate to: RAINN, ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Friends of the Earth, Border Angels, Sacred Stone Legal Defense Fund, NAACP, Human Rights Campaign, and more will be added.
- Also donate to: Audre Lorde Project, Black Youth Project,100%, and the Police Reform Organization Group.
- Volunteer–if you are able to. If you don’t have enough money to volunteer your time is valuable as well.
- Stay apprised on new legislation. It is now very easy to do. Have your local legislators on speed dial.
- Check your privilege on the daily. You may not be affected that has happened yet but you might be and if you’re lucky enough not to be affected, use your privilege to help others. You’re a white woman who suddenly gets it? Cool, you still have plenty of work to do.
- “Those of us with the privilege to do so must get organized to act locally and quickly. But let’s not forget; we are very late. People have suffered for years due to our ignorance of the struggles under our noses. But there’s not much time for self-flagellation. Let this election shock us into action” (Plitman).
- Also don’t fail to recognize that progress needs constant action and work and is reversible, unfortunately.
- Lobby.
- Organize!! Learn about community organizing, participate in your community.
- Be intentional about the little ways you can individually combat climate change. Change your living habits, recycle, buy second hand, bike, donate and more!
- Follow activists and activist organizations. Support POC/WOC artists. Be an ally. Read literature that was not intended for you. Write, blog, tweet, and have those uncomfortable conversations with your midwestern family members who don’t get it and voted for Trump.
- Unlearn the racism that you have been marinating in all of your life.
- If you’re in school, use that space for on-campus activism and organizing. Host workshops, volunteer, create dialogues, organize a protest and more. Use that network of people to keep them engaged and aware.
- Pay for good journalism and demand journalism that does not present “alternative facts”.
- Stay engaged; stay mad; stay vigilant. Your civil engagement is essential to combat hate and discrimination. If you are white or white passing, use your privilege to be vocal and to people from marginalized groups a platform. If you have a platform (a sorority/fraternity, a ton of followers, access to thousands of people through your org/club/university) use it.
This list will be continuously updated. 1/30/17