"Now What?" Next Steps and Ways to Stay Engaged
This morning I woke up with the same sick feeling of fear and disgust that I felt all day yesterday. That, really, I felt all throughout this campaign but didn't allow myself to acknowledge because I had this naive faith that it couldn't possibly turn out this way. I know better now. Ever since the results started rolling in and the possibility of a Trump Presidency became more likely, I've been trying to learn what steps we take now, how we move forward from here.
Here are some resources that I have found, so far, and I will update this post to include more as I learn about them:
1. Check out Michael Moore's Morning After To-Do List and 10 Things Progressives Need To Do Now from The Nation. These lists are good starting points for a quick look at how we got here, and what steps to take next. The Intercept makes some worthwhile points as well.
2. Understand Trumps Plan for his first 100 Days in Office so we can learn how to get involved to stop him.
3. Support Movements and Organizations. Jezebel has a list of Pro-Women, Pro-Immigrant, Pro-Earth, Anti-Bigotry Organizations to support that is currently going viral. I'm also adding: The Movement for Black Lives, Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline, Showing Up For Racial Justice, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Network Of Abortion Funds, and Trans LifeLine. Pocket Changes is also a monthly e-mail list that research and promote targeted causes to donate to (this month it is Wrenn House & Safe Place, a shelter for at-risk teens in North Carolina).
Update: the Huffington Post also has a round-up of organizations where you can volunteer or could benefit from donations. List also includes resources for self-care.
Here are also some suggestions for taking action from for women's rights from Naral.
For friends in the literary community: here's a list of organizations that could use your support.
4. Get Involved In Your Community. I'm still searching for a good source/directory for ways to get involved by zip code. If you have found something like this, please comment or e-mail me.
5. Create Safe Spaces for the people around you who are vulnerable. Everyday Feminism is a helpful website to start learning some tactics to be an ally. If you encounter someone who says that Donald Trump has not inflamed acts of hate, or if you are skeptical, please take a moment to look at Shaun King's Facebook Page. Already there has been a surge of violence against People of Color, Muslims, and people in the LGBT community. Many of these incidents have been at schools and college campuses. This is happening in both both Red and Blue states.
My alma mater, Hampshire College, has included an anti-oppression link round-up on their wiki. You can check that out here. You can also report incidents of hate crimes, after informing local law enforcement, to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
6. Take care of yourself and your loved ones during this crazy time. Turn off the TV, step away from social media. But please don't lose heart or faith or disengage. We need you in this fight. If you or someone you love is in a bad place, here is the number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255.
Last, if you are currently experiencing the 'Anger' phase of processing this very real grief--this article may offer some comfort. And this article is a more abbreviated version. I found it helpful to read these articles and start looking at the systems in place and the people in power who we should hold accountable, before I start placing blame on loved ones or my fellow countrymen. Trump, and the Republican Party for years now, have been successful at using fear tactics to divide us--because they know that we are unstoppable if we stand together.