The worst results of the 2024 election are upon us. President Trump will serve a second term. The first thing you can do is process your feelings. It’s okay to grieve. Before you can get to activism, you have to mourn the loss of the hopes and dreams of a Kamala Harris presidency.
Allow yourself permission to feel horrified. “If you’re not okay today, you’re paying attention,” author and activist Jemar Tisby said during a recent webinar. You have heard what Donald Trump promised he would do if elected again. You know environmental destruction will happen, along with mass deportations. Let yourself feel the weight of that knowledge.
Fight Trump: Gearing Up For the Battle
Ben Jealous, Sierra Club’s Executive Director, recently warned that we are in for a big fight. “Feel deeply, the disappointment, the loss of all the possibilities,” he said. “Give yourself a finite time to feel all those feelings, then get back up the next day.”
Non-profits have vowed to fight Trump’s agenda just as they did during his first term. The Sierra Club filed over 300 lawsuits against Trump during his first presidency. Jealous said the environmental group’s legal team is “gearing up for a fight.” The group is better prepared this time around. But make no mistake, this will be the fight of our lives to preserve democracy.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) fought Trump’s “unlawful policies” over 400 times. The organization vows to defend against Trump’s mass deportation plan “through coordinated action at all levels of government.” The ACLU will also provide legal defense to those who stand up to Trump, defend reproductive rights, and protect LGBTQ from discrimination. “Being outspoken will become dangerous,” Tisby said.
The Natural Resources Defense Council filed 163 cases against the first Trump administration. They won victories in almost 90 percent of those cases that have been resolved. Manish Bapna, President of NRDC, pointed out in a statement that “we have the constitutional right to petition our courts to compel him to do so – and we’re prepared to do just that. “
How To Join the Fight
When January rolls around, be prepared to join the fight against Trump’s second presidency. One way we can do this is to partner with non-profit organizations. That can mean giving money or volunteering. It can also mean signing up for updates to stay abreast of what Trump does.
Here is a list of worthwhile organizations to consider supporting, along with their links:
- ACLU
- Greenpeace
- Indivisible
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- Reproductive Freedom For All
- Sierra Club
- Southern Poverty Law Center
“Despite the heaviness of the results, there are so so many more ways to exert your political power outside of federal elections.” Sarah Burton, National Political Director, Sierra Club
Another way to fight is to pressure Congress. Email your senators and representatives, sign petitions, engage with them on social media, and let them know how you feel about an issue. Don’t forget your elected officials on local and state levels. Stay alert and informed.
