Calling your representatives in Congress is helpful for making them understand “My constituents care about this, so I need to do something.” It’s important to communicate with federal elected officials from both parties. Getting attention from the majority party smooths the path for getting legislation introduced. Talking to the minority party strengthens their requests that the majority party take action.
You can also make a difference by contacting local and state government officials. They often have power to effect change at the local level, even if federal action is slow. They tend to be very knowledgable about their communities so giving them specific examples of what’s happening to individuals or businesses is very helpful.
Remember, the only way elected officials know what their constituents are thinking is if we tell them. Remind your friends and family all over the country to call state and federal lawmakers and explain how government actions affect them.
Here’s a helpful video guide from Indivisible on how to convene a town hall meeting with your representative.
Action Items
Operation Anti-King aims to get someone to ask every member of Congress if they support impeaching Donald Trump. The results will be published in an online tracker. Want to volunteer? Check out their website.
Protect IMLS: Tell Congress your library story. Federal funding for libraries is on the chopping block. An executive order of the President calls for elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services – the only federal funding dedicated to libraries. Show Up For Our Libraries by telling your Congressmembers to protect IMLS and the library services that make a difference in your life.
See what info DOGE has on you and your family, and flood DOGE with FOIA requests. U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin is encouraging all U.S. citizens to join him this week in filing formal demands for access to their personal data obtained by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk.
Getting started
This booklet put together by One Million Experiments provides exercises and structure to help you think about your activism goals.
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Nonviolent action, he says, can eat away at a regime’s pillars of power like termites in a tree. Eventually, the whole thing collapses.
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Grounded, Resilient, and Responsible: Responding and Organizing in Authoritarian Times from the Organizing Strategy Team of the Unitarian Universalist Association
The actions you choose to take depend on your situation, your personality, and level to which you are comfortable with risk. Here, we are building a list of potential actions that include ones that anyone can do.
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Have questions about what Trump’s executive orders that affect federal spending are illegal? We can explain! Read our short guide Congressional Appropriations 101: What’s Legal and What’s Not.
The public can provide comments on proposed federal regulations, and this is an important way you can voice your concerns. Learn how to do it with this handy guide, Commenting on Proposed Federal Regulations 101.
Knowledge is power. Learn what is happening, the historical context, and why. You can start here and stay up to date here.
Go stand outside a federal building with a sign of support. Place signs of support a major street corners around your neighborhood.
Make your voice heard across the country by writing opinion pieces in local papers. Here’s a website that is specifically about supporting science, but you can write about other issues as well.
They do not want the people to understand that there are millions of paths forward for us still. Even if you do not want to be extroverted in the world, it is a mode of resistance to go and read the books they don’t want you to read, to go and learn about the past that they would prefer you not learn about. And that is a very introverted path forward too.
Brittney Cooper
Ready to organize?
Other calls to action
The General Strike – sign the card
The Department of State has published 30-day notices for public comment for changes passport forms to request biological sex at birth. Here’s the link for public comment.
Local elections matter nationally! On April 1, Wisconson is having an election that will determine control of the state Supreme Court. The outcome could affect rulings on abortion laws, union rules, redistricting, and governmental power in this important swing state. Register to volunteer to phone bank.
Here is a sign-on letter from American Bar Association members urging the ABA to take a clear stand against the current attack on the rule of law. News coverage on this letter from ABC, Above the Law, and Bloomberg.
Goods Unite Us is a resource for looking up which corporations donate to which politicians and causes.
Civic Action Hub of Maryland 