With an actual fascist being elected President of the United States, we are going to need to fight like hell for the next four years. Angry Facebook posts and safety pins, while perhaps well-intentioned, are simply not enough.
But it can be overwhelming to know where to start when it comes to getting involved in activism. So here are some concrete actions everyone can take in order to resist the new regime.
1. Go Protest
Go put your body on the line. It might seem like protests are just group catharsis, but they actually are really important in starting a national conversation. Thus, it's really important for everyone who can go to a protest to show up.
And if you can't physically go to a protest, you can still help out. You can spread the word by inviting your friends or even by just clicking "interested" on Facebook. You can also check in with your friends at the protest to ensure that they remain safe.
2. Intervene when you see harassment
Your safety pin means nothing if you aren't going to step in to assist a marginalized person being harassed. This is especially important now because since the election, there has been a dramatic increase in hate crimes against marginalized people.
Intervening on behalf of a harassed person doesn't even need to be hostile. A Muslim Tumblr artist recently drew an excellent comic on what to do if you see public Islamophobia. Many of the ideas drawn are applicable in a more general sense as well.
3. Educate people in your own community
This is especially salient for us white folks. White people, including myself, have been far too complicit in white supremacy. Even if we didn't vote for Trump, we've collectively been way too forgiving of racism amongst our friends and family. That absolutely needs to change.
So the next time your uncle says something racist at a family dinner, don't just roll your eyes -- call him out on it. For a more extensive explanation, you can read this Vox article written by a black woman.
4. Don't normalize Trump
We're going to have to deal with Trump for the next four years. We all have the temptation to simply shut our eyes and ears, and pretend like this is politics as usual. The media has already begun to do this. But this isn't something we can be passive about. Trump is incredibly dangerous and we cannot forget that.
5. Support organizations fighting in the frontlines against the Trump Administration
Jezebel has a very good piece on several organizations that will be essential during the Trump Administration. If you can, donate to these organizations because they need all the resources they can get.
Even if you can't donate to these organizations, several of them are in need of volunteers. Utilizing our own skills to assist these organizations in any way possible can be immensely important.
6. Support the marginalized people in your life
This election is intensely difficult for marginalized people on every level. For instance, there has been a great increase of calls being made to prevention suicide hotlines since the election. Thus, it is very important that you constantly support the marginalized people in your life. This can take the form of checking in on them. It can also mean walking with them if they feel unsafe. Whatever they need, do your best to support them.
