Hi, everyone. I thought I would quietly ghost this site, letting it diminish down into the corner of the internet it basically always was—a place to preserve a certain voice and feeling of a certain moment in our lives, and no more. But then this happened. #Trumpocalypse. The reckoning. Not just with that man-cheeto, but with the very serious question of why half of America decided to vote for him. I was ready to let a new job, a new city, and a new career path distract me from the simple act of writing community into existence, but no longer. I will make time. We will write. And I’ll be honest, we no longer have the funding structure that bound my team together in concrete monetary ways, but please know that the values which knit us together are stronger than ever.
Below are some preliminary ways to get involved and help bolster the social justice movements and ideals that Trump and his coming administration have threatened. This is a storm we can weather, but only if we tell ourselves we can—even if we don’t believe it right now. I am simultaneously numb with shock and horror at the America we woke up to yesterday, and galvanized to action. I feel a fire in my blood. Do you?
- The most basic thing. Stand up for minorities, women (especially women of color), the LGBTQ community—anyone and everyone whose rights, safety, and peace of mind are threatened under the campaign promises Trump has made. If you see anyone being harrassed, help that person. Make a record of the harrassment. Stand by the victim.
- The second most basic thing. Support each other. Give yourself and those in your community space to unwind, relax, and try to detox the stress of the world. We’re all going to need this in order to continue. Self-care is central to radical acts of self-preservation.
- Give your money and time. Certain organizations, like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, have been gearing up for the fight since before Trump was elected. The ACLU is tracking the unconstitutionality of many of Trump’s statements and vows of action, and is getting ready to spring into legal action to defend the rights of those who are threatened by his vitriol, the hatred fueled in some of his supporters, and by his apparently extremely shallow grasp of US law and international politics. Planned Parenthood, of course, is on the front-lines, fighting for women’s right to health and reproductive rights. Other groups to consider:
- CAIR (Council on Islamic-American Relations): defends Muslim civil rights
- HRC (Human Rights Campaign): no, not that HRC. Fights for the rights of the LGBTQ community
- National Immigration Law Center: defends the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their families
- Southern Poverty Law Center: combats hate, extremism, bigotry, and racism through a combination of legislative work, advocacy, and education
- Prepare for the midterm elections. So much is at stake in 2018, even though our focus is usually on Presidential elections. As we know from President Obama’s time in office, a united Congress can stymie Presidential initiatives and efforts very effectively. In these upcoming midterm elections, all 435 voting seats in the House of Representatives — where members serve two-year terms and the number of representatives is based on a state’s population — and 33 out of the 100 Senate seats (two for each state) will be contested. There are also 34 governor seats in the mix. It’s not too early to find out how you can get involved in electing a progressive candidate in your state. At the very least, register to vote early. I’m talking like, now.
More resources and concrete steps to come! Stay strong, friends.
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