We apologize for the absence of posts over the past couple of weeks. We went into a little bit of a depression hibernation after the election. Once we were ready to come out of hibernation it was Thanksgiving. Now we are ready to start down a long road of political activism and we hope you are too. First, I’d like you to listen to this amazing Rachel Platten song to get you in the spirit of this blog post.

So, we’ve all accepted that Donald Trump is almost certainly going to be our next president, right? No? Well, we need to move forward anyway. Maybe in the process, moving forward will help you accept. We need to keep up the good fight. Always remember to Fight Like Hill.

I know there’s a lot of talk about moving to Canada, etc. But leaving is not the answer. If all the privileged progressive folks leave the country then the conservatives are left unchecked to oppress whoever they want. So, instead of making sure your passport is up to date, let’s look at some things you can do to correct the path of this great nation. This absurd conservative government we’ve gotten ourselves into might be the present, but we are the future.

1. First let’s start with the easiest thing to do: Donate Money
If the government is going to try to defund Planned Parenthood and take away Human Rights, align yourselves with the organizations trying to protect those things. Some causes that I think are worthy of your money are listed at the bottom of this post, but feel free to do your own research and find an organization that represents a cause you feel passionate about. If you discover a charity that sounds good, but you aren’t sure if it’s legitimate, filter it through Charity Watch and/or Charity Navigator.

If you can’t donate money, donate time, which brings me to the next few bullet points.

2. Call (or email/write letters to) your Elected Officials
This one requires slightly more effort, but you can still do it from the comfort of your  couch. Call (and email) your elected officials – they have to listen. Whether elected by you or not, these people were elected to represent you. Their job requires them to listen to you and fight on your behalf. So call them about anything and everything policy related. Call them now about preventing Steve Bannon from being appointed to the White House and about confirming Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. Call them in the future about protecting Planned Parenthood, not repealing the Affordable Care Act, or anything else that might be important to you. To find out how to contact your elected officials go here.

3. Spread Kindness on a Micro Level (i.e. be kind to strangers and loved ones)
This one may require you to leave your home, though it still doesn’t require much effort. This just asks you to go a little bit out of your way for someone else. This one can be helping a loved one or a stranger. Does your friend need someone to pick up their kid from soccer practice? Volunteer. Do you see your neighbor struggling to bring groceries inside? Offer to help. While helping friends and loved ones is a wonderful thing to do, the best way to truly spread kindness is to help strangers. Show that we are united and that we can all get along if we just try. Maybe you are Muslim and you buy a coffee for an Islamophobe. You’ve just shown that person that Muslim people are kind and generous and not to be feared. Maybe you are a woman and you buy a meal for a misogynist. Suddenly, you’ve given that person a reason to respect women.

4. Spread Kindness on a Macro Level (i.e. community service and volunteering your time)
Most charities that accept donations also have information on their websites about how to volunteer with them. If you are unable to donate money at the moment, or if you already donated and are eager to do more, volunteering is a great way to go. You can also look into community service with any organization or charity you care about. Some cities/states also have a community service database/organization. For example, Boston has an organization called BostonCares where you can sign up for community service opportunities through their website. Do a little research for Community Service in your area and see what you find.

5. Focus on Midterm and Local Elections
I can not stress enough how important voting in midterm and local elections is.
If you have some long-term time and patience and a desire to do more than just vote, focus on 2018 and your local politics. State government being overrun by Republicans is how we ended up with redistricting that led to a conservative House of Representatives. Work to turn your State House blue. And remember that 2010 and 2014 gave us our current congress, so don’t forget about 2018. Vote, knock on doors, make phone calls. Democrats tend to have lower voter turnout during mid-term elections, but we have the power to change that. Let’s take back State Houses and let’s take back Congress! Then in 2020 we can take back the White House!

6. Go Into Politics Yourself
This one is the hardest thing to do. After all, it involves changing your career. But if you’re feeling really inspired and up for a challenge, go into politics. When I was younger, the first thing I ever wanted to be when I grew up was a politician. Then I got jaded; I thought politicians didn’t change the world for the better and if I wanted to do that, I should work for a non-profit. This election has taught me that not only can politicians change the world for the better, but they can most definitely change the world for the worse. So go into politics to prevent that from happening. Protect the world. Do I think politicians will be able to end world hunger and bring peace on earth? Probably not. But we need to prevent the election of politicians who will expand world hunger and war on earth. We need to elect the Hillary Clintons, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warrens and prevent another Donald Trump, Paul Ryan, or Mitch McConnel from ever being elected again. Remember, going into politics can mean so many things. The obvious is becoming the candidate, but you can also work on the campaign or administrative side of politics.

We are the future. So once you are ready, get up and fight. Keep moving forward. Always remember the public service of Hillary Clinton and strive to be like her. Honor her with your fight. I leave you with this inspirational song about being a strong woman.

~Lianna

Listed below are charities that support causes that will become increasingly important during the next 4 years. Since our readers are all over the country, I tried to focus on national/international organizations, but I urge you to look into local organizations in your area as well.

Women’s Health/Reproductive Rights: Planned Parenthood, Center for Reproductive Rights, NARAL Pro Choice America, National Network of Abortion Funds
General Health/Medical Research: Hadassah (in honor of The Great Beth DeBor)
Human Rights/Civil Liberties: The American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Watch, Southern Poverty Law Center, The Center for Victims of Torture
The Earth/Environment: Natural Resources Defense Council, The Conservation Fund
LGBTQ: The Trevor Project
Immigrants/Refugees: Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Japanese American National Museum (in honor of The Great George Takei), International Rescue Committee, American Refugee Committee
Seniors: Meals on Wheels America
Children: Children’s Defense Fund (in honor of The Great Hillary Clinton)
Veterans/Homelessness: Homes for Our Troops, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Coalition for the Homeless