#local activism

[a-queer-seminarian]

Fear can cause us to shut down, bury our heads in the sand because we just can't think about horrifying possibilities. But the fear eases if you start to do something. Preparation is key. Knowledge is key.

I.C.E. may come for your area; if your city is listed in this article, it's even more likely.

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If you haven't yet, start:

memorizing immigrant (and citizen) rights (en español) around I.C.E. (while accepting agents don't always abide by those rights);

studying the tactics places like Minneapolis have been using to fight back;

and connecting with neighbors to find out who is vulnerable, who has useful skills, who's ready to help make a game plan.

You don't have to fight I.C.E. all on your own or on a huge scale; focus small. Protect your street, your neighborhood, your corner of town.

[themoderatespeaks]

By the way, don't let social media fool you. Moderates and centrists make up a huge percentage of the population. We don't often speak out like others wants us to, but we can be a powerful force.

I just hope Trump has done enough now—surely—to awaken enough members of this sleeping giant.

Inaction is no longer an option. Add your voice and your talents to the resistance against Trump TODAY. Do NOT wait for him to become a wartime president granting himself emergency powers.

NO. KINGS.

[dzgrizzle]

Get involved locally and change your part of the world for the better.

[onlytiktoks]

[alessandriana]

Go to your city council meetings

I decided to do my civic duty and start going to my local city council meetings, in the hope of staying more informed about local issues, and affecting the things I can actually affect.

I was one of two people in the audience. Things that happened tonight:

-Only other lady in the audience got up at the end during the public comment period and gave an absolutely scathing rant about Trump, comparing his actions to Nazi Germany and predicting a new Holocaust. I am officially in love with her.

-Apparently all the council people and Mayor were speculating about who I was, because they know everyone who usually shows up and I was a stranger. (Someone thought I was a reporter 😂).

-I got waylaid afterwards. They are starved for attention & participation. One of the councilwomen literally pressed her business card on me and told me about the secret meeting prior to the council meeting, which isn't on their website but is still open to the public. (She's the one who told me her colleague had accused me of being a reporter 😂)

-I got introduced around the room to several additional people, and got to complain about the shitty sidewalks in my neighborhood. They said they would look into it!

Anyways- positive experience overall; do recommend. If nothing else, our city broadcasts the meetings on local TV and yours may too; you can stay informed that way. But going in person gets your face known, and means you can actually have an effect.

Small positive change is still positive change.

[jaqegaytona]

Online activism is great if you don’t have the means or ability to do in person activism. However, it only goes so far as your online presence allows.

A good way to increase your impact is by donating your time, money, or talent to a local or regional organization. Not only does this support a cause that you are passionate about, you can keep the money present in your local economy.

Of course, you can and should keep supporting national and international causes, but often times local organizations miss out on much needed funds and support.

[namistrella]

The best way to make a big impact in your community is to consistently and persistently make small impacts on one specific thing.

This applies to a lot of things in life, but especially fighting fascism and staving off hopelessness.

Find something you're either good at, or willing to put in the time to become good at.

Then just KEEP DOING THAT THING. Make time for it every month. Be relentless, even if your success in some months is very minimal. If you're persistent, it adds up over time. Recruit friends and family to help you. Your goal is to keep the (slow) momentum going. Think erosion, not avalanche.

What's your thing? Is it fostering animals? Is it providing and distributing masks and public health info locally? Is it organizing a mutual aid group? Is it drafting email/phone templates for other people to use to call their political representatives about critical issues? Is it volunteering at your local library to keep it running? Coordinating community park cleanup? Being part of city council or the local school board?

Pick one and stick with it for a while (like, at least a few years). Then just keep going.

Don't try to do all the things!! Just ONE.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by how MANY things need fixing in our communities and how little capacity each of us has to fix stuff on our own or all at once. But consistent small impacts in your local community are the building blocks of radical change.