When a tyrant who boasts about sexually assaulting women gets elected President… and appoints a man with strong white supremacist ties as his Chief Strategist and Senior Counsel… and hate crimes targeting Muslim Americans spike upwards… and women’s reproductive rights are at stake…
What can you do about it?
Answer:
A whole fucking LOT.
You are not powerless. You are more influential than you might realize.
If you’re feeling discouraged and saddened by the current situation in our country… if you want to help make things better… and if you’re wondering, “But what can I do?”… please, allow me to share a few options with you.
Here are 3 powerful things you can do right now, today:
- Tell your elected officials, “I don’t want Steve Bannon in the White House.”
Donald Trump has appointed Steve Bannon as his Chief Strategist and Senior Counsel.
Who is Steve Bannon? He is a man who has stated that he “doesn’t like Jews.” He is a man who refers to women with liberal, progressive values as “a bunch of dykes.” He is a man who, prior to joining the Trump campaign, ran a media company that published articles with titles like “Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy.”
The fact that Bannon is now Trump’s “right hand man” is horrifying.
You can do something about this.
Call, email, or write a letter to your elected officials and say:
“I am your constituent. I am deeply concerned about Steve Bannon having a position of power in President Elect Trump’s White House. Please use whatever influence you may have to stop this.”
Contacting your representatives is NOT a pointless exercise, as many people think. When elected officials receive a flood of concerned messages from their constituents, they pay attention (that’s their job) and it can create real change.
Not sure how to contact your elected officials? You’ll find step-by-step instructions right HERE. Don’t postpone this. Just do it.
- Send a letter to a kid who doesn’t feel safe.
It’s a really scary time to be a Muslim, immigrant, or LGBTQ kid in America.
Hate crimes targeting minorities are spiking up, and Muslims are being targeted more than anyone else.
To combat the hate, my friend Melissa is collecting letters of love, support, and solidarity that will be passed along to at-risk kids and teenagers around the country.
You can be part of this letter-writing project. It’s really simple. Here’s what to do:
Write a letter to a kid. It can be very short. You could say: “You are wanted here. There are people who love you and care about you. I stand with you.”
Then send your letter to:
Melissa Cassera
530 S. Lake Ave #386
Pasadena CA 91101
Melissa is collecting hundreds of letters, and these letters will be distributed to minority and immigrant kids through schools, community centers, and youth pride organizations.
Imagine being a black kid living in a red state, or a Muslim kid living in a town that’s being vandalized with hate speech graffiti, or an LGBTQ kid who’s being bullied so cruelly that she’s considering suicide. Imagine receiving a letter that says: “I stand with you.” You have the power to change a kid’s day, and maybe even her entire life. Do this.
- Have the difficult conversations.
Maybe, in the past, whenever your Uncle said something bigoted and misinformed, you would kinda brush it off. No more. Now is the time to have an honest conversation that begins with, “That type of belief is deeply troubling to me, and here’s why…”
Maybe your good friend still doesn’t really get what “white privilege” is and how it works. Now is the time to educate her.
Don’t run away from these types of conversations. Run towards them. Be courageous. Social change happens one person, one mind, one heart, one conversation at a time. Open your mouth and say something.
There’s so much you can do to create a better country and a better world.
You don’t necessarily need to march through the streets of Washington DC or run for office—but we all need to do our part. Calls, letters, emails… it all counts.
Place yourself on the right side of history, so that one day, when your granddaughters ask you, “What was it like when Trump got elected?” you can say:
“It was difficult. It was discouraging. But I wrote letters and I called my representatives. I spoke up. I stood in solidarity with people who needed support. I was not passive. And together, along with many, many brave women and men, we made a difference.”
Don’t do nothing. Do something.
Don’t be passive. Be angry, be awake, and be active.
Positive thoughts and intentions are great, but the world needs your action right now, not just your thoughts.
Harness your power and use it.
