If you have money

Federal grant funding for many of these issues will certainly be cut under a Trump presidency. Your donations are needed now more than ever.

Donate Items

  • Buy Plan B and donate it to youth programs and shelters (4)
  • Ask what supplies these facilities need, they usually have a wishlist:

Long-Term Structural Commitments

  • BOYCOTT: The Official #GrabYourWallet Boycott List of Companies that Do Business with and/or Back the Trump Family
  • Keep an immigration lawyer’s info on hand at all times. Your friends may need this on a moment’s notice. (4)
  • Shrink your carbon footprint.
    • Unplug your electronics when you’re not using them. And when your smartphone, laptop or television bites the dust, recycle it. (11)
    • Recycle paper, glass, and plastic containers, start doing that too. (11)
    • When you can, try to walk, bike, carpool with others, or take public transportation. (11)
    • A lot of energy goes into producing and transporting food, so try to buy locally grown food, plan how much food you actually need to avoid waste, and cut down on red meats (which require more energy than other foods).
    • You can find more tips here. (11)
    • If you can afford to, install solar panels to reduce your energy usage.(4)
    • Take shorter showers, buying energy-efficient light bulbs, and turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth.
    • Buy your clothes from thrift stores and second-hand shops. Encourage others not to patronize “fast fashion” stores like Forever21 and H&M, which contribute enormously to fabric waste.
  • If you can, buy property and rent rooms to people. Rental protections may go away and housing discrimination is already a huge issue. Housing discrimination is nearly legal as it is. Systematic checks on discrimination can not be counted on. (4)
  • Your phone may be monitored as privacy protections are rolled back further. Download the “Signal” app, which encrypts text communications. Apple products already do this. NOTE: Both parties must be using an encryption device for it to be secure. Encourage your friends to download Signal too. 
  • If you are a teacher, organize with others in your building to get undocumented students out of school when an ICE raid is about to happen (4)
  • Use the buddy system and recruit three despondent friends to do one or two of these things with you. And then actually do them. (5)
  • Run for office

Things to Read

  • “Beloved,” “The Bluest Eye,” Everything James Baldwin has written, “The New Jim Crow,” “How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America,” “Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching” “The Fire this Time.” (4)
  • The Revolution Starts at Home -community accountability, experiences of folks who’ve survived intimate partner violence in radical community (6)
  • Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh– race and privilege (4)
  • LGBTQ+ Youth Survival Guide Trump Edition by Rev. Evin Carvill-Ziemer

If you want to volunteer 

Other organizing strategies 

  • Protest outside Trump businesses (3)
  • If you are a non-Muslim who’s worried about Islamophobia: Fight misinformation by reading the Quran and learning more about Islam. (16)
  • If you’re worried about the freedom of the press: Pay for journalism. (16)
  • Amplify the allegations and pending lawsuits against the President-elect (3)
  • Fight normalization in the media. When the morning shows start doing fluffy profiles of the Trump family and papers start to write “humanizing” articles about Trump, push back against these narratives in private conversations and through social media channels. This will be part of a concerted effort to make it seem as if Trump fits into a normal pattern of political practice in this country. We need to steadfastly, aggressively call out this threat by reminding media of his outrageous behavior and holding them accountable. (14)
  • Build regular time into the schedule to undo Trump’s effects. Steady, committed action does more than one-off big actions. Put aside 2 days a week where you dedicate your lunch break or evening to contact elected officials, work with community organizations, show up at town hall meetings in your community, and talk to others in the movement. (14)
  • Start fundraising, now. Once you’ve found the organizations doing the work in your community, commit what resources you can to supporting them, and begin helping them come up with ways to be sustainable over the long term. Local businesses are going to be key to providing necessary resources (whether that’s in-kind offerings or simply funding) and the time to capture their good intentions is right now while they’re still feeling the full weight of Trump’s win. If companies in your community say they want to do the right thing, give them the chance to. (14)
  • Encourage focus and political energy on the few of Trump’s policies that aren’t inherently destructive, particularly his promise to rebuild American infrastructure. Direct that political will in productive ways– away from privatization– in order to focus the momentum and attention of Trump and his supporters on the least dangerous goals possible. (14)
  • Consider contributing data to Refuge Restrooms, a web app that compiles information about gender neutral restrooms in public places. (15)
  • Help friends who need to navigate complicated and intimidating processes by providing emotional, logistical, and financial support as appropriate–many things on the above list are scary, intimidating, and flat-out expensive. (15)
  • Note also that an active passport is a necessity for relocating (temporarily or otherwise) to anywhere  else in the world, including Canada, so it is a very good idea to have a current one. You can begin the application process here. It is possible, though expensive, to get a passport in just a few weeks. In emergency circumstances it is also possible to get a two-year limited validity passport, though this will be valid for less time and in fewer circumstances than a general passport. (15)
  • “In my ENL 181A class today, one ally suggested setting up a kind of buddy system for going to and from classes. So anyone that needs support or feels afraid to come onto campus can have someone there with them.” (15)
  • Physicians and other clinicians can consider getting involved with the asylum network through Physicians for Human Rights, which performs asylum evaluations for immigrants (15)

If you want help talking to friends/ loved ones/ strangers

  • Stop telling people how to feel. Those affected are understandably hurt and scared. Let them have their feelings. (4)
  • Practice love (4)
  • If you are an ally, now is the time to reach out to someone you care about and let them know they are loved. Keep in mind the Ring Theory of Comfort –reach out to someone more affected. (7)
  • People in neighborhoods with large immigrant populations: ask your neighbors what you can do to make them personally feel welcome. For example, be present during any police interactions they may have. Film them if necessary.
  • Use this Guide from the Southern Poverty Law Center: Speak Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry
  1. Responding to Everyday Bigotry
  2. What Can I Do Among Family?
  3. What Can I Do About Sibling Slurs?
  4. What Can I Do About Joking In-Laws?
  5. What Can I Do About Impressionable Children?
  6. What Can I Do About Parental Attitudes?
  7. What Can I Do About Stubborn Relatives?
  8. What can I do about my own bias?
  9. What Can I Do Among Friends And Neighbors?
  10. What Can I Do About Sour Social Events?
  11. What Can I Do About Casual Comments?
  12. What Can I Do About Offended Guests?
  13. What Can I Do About Real Estate Racism?
  14. What Can I Do About Unwanted Email?
  15. What Can I Do About My Own Bias?
  16. What Can I Do At Work?
  17. What Can I Do About Casual Comments
  18. What Can I Do About Workplace Humor?
  19. What Can I Do About Sexist Remarks?
  20. What Can I Do About Meeting Missteps?
  21. What Can I Do About Boss Bias?
  22. What Can I Do About My Own Bias?
  23. What Can I Do At School?
  24. What Can I Do About Negative Remarks?
  25. What Can I Do About Familial Exclusion?
  26. What Can I Do About Biased Bullying?
  27. What Can I Do About In-Group Bigotry
  28. What Can I Do about A Teacher’s Bias?
  29. What Can I Do In Public?
  30. What Can I Do About Biased Customer Service?
  31. What Can I Do About Bigoted Corporate Policy?
  32. What Can I Do About A Stranger’s Remarks?
  33. What Can I Do About Retail Racism?
  34. What Can I Do About Racial Profiling?
  35. What Can I Do About My Own Bias?
  36. Six Steps to Speaking Up Against Everyday Bigotry

Intervening around harassment

  • Engage conversation.
    • Go to them, sit beside them, and say hello.
    • Try to appear calm, collected, and welcoming.
    • Ignore the attacker.
  • Pick a random subject and start discussing it.
    • It can be anything: a movie you liked, the weather, saying you like something they wear and ask where they got it… 
  • Keep building the safe space.
    • Keep eye contact with them and don’t acknowledge the attacker’s presence: the absence of response from you two will push them to leave the area shortly.
  • Continue the conversation until the attacker leaves & escort them to a safe place if necessary.
  • Bring them to a neutral area where they can recollect themselves; respect their wishes if they tell you they’re ok and just want to go. (9)
  • How to de-escalate situations

Conflict resolution/ alternatives to policing

  • It’s not like the cops are going to have our backs any more than they already do. It is likely that they will continue to be sources of even more violence than before, if you can wrap your head around this. That means that we are, more than ever, going to have to find ways of creating alternative structures and options for protecting ourselves and the people around us.
  • What To Do Instead of Calling the Police is a Google Doc that was born of this set of concerns and has a lot of resources, especially at the bottom. Some of them are pretty theoretical but some of them are concrete and useful. Especially recommended is everything by INCITE!.
  • Safe Party Toolkit – Toolkit on preventing and addressing different types of violence at parties
  • Navigating Crisis (The Icarus Project) – Crisis response toolkit for people with mental health problems
  • A Practical Guide to Stop Interpersonal Violence (Creative Interventions Toolkit) – Staying Safe includes concerns, plans and actions all meant to minimize the current, potential and future levels of harm or increase the level of safety.

Works Cited:

  1. ——-
  2. What Can I Do Right Now? by Nicole Silverberg (on Medium.com)
  3. Independent (by Feliks Garcia): How to stop Donald Trump: 5 things you can do to fight the President-elect and frustrate his policy plans
  4. Huffington Post (by Ruby-Beth Buitekant): Okay, Fine. Here’s What You Should Do Post-Election.
  5. NYMag.com (by Ann Friedman): Finish Your Ugly-Crying. Here’s What Comes Next.
  6. The “Oh Shit! What Should I Do Before January?” Guide (compiled and moderated by Ariel Federow) 
  7. The Mary Sue (by Jessica Lachenal): What to Do If You’re Trans and Live in America Now
  8. Huffington Post (by Jenna Amatulli): If You’re Overwhelmed By The Election, Here’s What You Can Do Now
  9. What to do if you are witnessing Islamophobic harassment by Marie-Shirine Yener (illustration)
  10. ——
  11. Popular Science (by Kate Baggaley): Four Things You Can Do To Stop Donald Trump From Making Climate Change Worse
  12. Jezebel (by Joanna Rothkopf): A List of Pro-Women, Pro-Immigrant, Pro-Earth, Anti-Bigotry Organizations That Need Your Support
  13. ———-
  14. Forget “Why?”, It’s Time to Get to Work by Anil Dash (on Medium.com) 
  15. Concrete Suggestions in Preparation for January 2017’s change in American government (by demographic issue, but for any interested readers) (compiled and moderated by Kara Hurvitz)
  16. Slate (by Slate staff): How to Channel Your Post-Election Anger, Sadness, and Fear Into Action
  17. Sustaining Resistance
  18. Man Repeller, by Leslie Price: Post-Election To-Do List: How to Take Action, Donate and Help

Other Resources

@kingdomofwench on Twitter: So. For when you’re ready, here is a further list of concrete actions you can take. Because look, no matter what, shit’s gonna be ugly.

  1. Do not panic. Outright panic stops you. Breathe deep. Centering breaths. Feel your feels, but don’t panic.
  2. Work on securing your communications, both to keep yourself safer and to keep others safer. http://ssd.eff.org  is a place to start.
  3. Find out how your city/town, ward, precinct, and state voted. Get a sense of how many are likely to be on your side.
  4. Find out who your local officials are, and what side they’re likely to be on. Your mayor, aldermen/councilmembers, state legislature
  5. If your local officials are likely to be on your side, call or write them and ask them what they’re doing to make your place safer.
    1. Are they cutting ties with the FBI and ICE? Committing to LGBTQIA, disabled, immigrant protections? Cutting surveillance?
  6. Think about what risks you are likely to face and from whom.
  7. Consider laying in supplies a fascist state might restrict. Certain books. Disguise tools. Your passport. First aid.
  8. Consider buying those supplies (and everything else) with cash, and not all from the same store or at once.
    1. There have already been credible reports that part of the push to digital banking and currency is *that it gives the government control*
    2. Moreover, your debit or credit card are easily trackable, and every item purchased goes in multiple databases.
  9. Help your friends and family that you trust take steps like securing their data and communications.
  10. Reach out to friends, especially the ones most likely to be endangered. Be prepared to protect and shelter them if your area is safer.
  11. Reach out to your friends around the country and across the world. If shit gets bad enough, we may have to sneak endangered ppl out.
  12. Think about what you can do to keep yourself and family safer. Marriage? Documents update? Passport? Supplies you’ll need?
    1. Here is a good start to that: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QjiJi4YBbmdnWyTdKDb-IgLvTjYKWx3WqNirAkGMQV8/edit?usp=drivesdk …
  13. Share good information, from sources you trust. Stick together. And don’t panic.
  14. If you might need to escape, build a bug-out bag. Even if not, consider one to give to someone who needs it.
  15. A good resource on making preparations, including bug out bags, is here: https://t.co/w4J379WpCW 
  16. Another good resource on bug-out bags is here: http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/005763.html …
  17. IKEA sells lightweight backpacks that fold up in to their own pouches for cheap. They also have small umbrellas, ponchos, etc.
  18. Dollar stores are great places for basic medicines and first aid stuff. And escape bag stuff.
  19. As I rt’d earlier start learning how to grow your own food. Help your neighbors and friends do it. Network.
  20. Pick another self-sufficiency skill to learn too. Learn how to preserve food, or make clothes, or do metalworking, or orienteer, or build.
  21. Or knit, or spin, or get first aid training and medic training and learn how to dose antibiotics and other medicines. Prepare to teach others and share.
  22. Cryptography and distributed, secure communications aren’t bad skills to pick up either.
  23. Think REALLY carefully about what you say online, on your phone, near your phone or laptop’s cameras and microphones.

10 Things You Can Do As A Law Student or Lawyer

Rebel Well: A Starter Survival Guide to a Trumped America

Trans Passport Fees Donation Project

The Doc of All Docs: Resources, Job Opps, Representatives to Call, Places to Boycott, etc.

10 Things Food banks Need But Won’t Ask For

Maryland Hate Crime Hotline

Resisting Trump’s Islamophobic Promise for America

We’re Heading Into Dark Times. This is How to be Your Own Light in the Age of Trump.

Watt / A Practical Web Tutorial to Bystander Intervention and De-escalation Tactics

List of sanctuary cities (need to find a “how to make your city a sanctuary city”)

Choosing a Bay-Area Credit Union/Divesting From Big Banks

Syllabus for White People to Educate Themselves

Behold-Jane the GentriFUker & Conscious the Crakkker- Post Trump Infiltration Tactics

Dear Liberal Friends: You Do Not Have The Tools To Fight Trump

Disability Etiquette

An Activist’s Guide to Information Security

White People, Read Up!

White Privilege — See Also: Library of Congress (good to know)

10 Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide

Act now to secure the right of people with disabilities to live in the community!

Holy Fuck, the Fucking Election

One of the big primers

What to do? Three strategy questions matter

Hey white people, you need to start doing the ugly work that isn’t safe for us to do

Crowdsourcing a Trump Survival Guide

Okay, fine. Here’s what you should do post-election.

“We’re His Problem Now” calling sheet

The Stop Trump Reading List: Arm Yourself With These 16 Books

untrumped classroom

DonorsChoose.org (a place to donate directly to teachers!)

Protests won’t stop Trump. We need a movement that transforms into a party (place under “long term and structural changes)

30 Days 30 Songs (under books to read, but change books to media)

Advice for First Time Organizers by Kate Mancuso/@musingvirtual

The Official #GrabYourWallet Boycott List of Companies that Do Business with and/or Back the Trump Family

Proactive things to do to not be defeated by the next four years

What to Do About Trump? The Same Thing My Grandfather Did in 1930s Vienna

Research says there are ways to reduce racial bias. Calling people racist isn’t one of them. (this is a good resource for allyship)

Yes, I’ll accompany my neighbor (list other cities that have this and START YOUR OWN)

This Former Congressional Staffer Just Explained How to Make Your Congressman Actually Listen

How we can use Trump win for good

Dear White People: Things you can do instead of cry or try to hug us. Sincerely, People of Color

“An Army Of Lovers Cannot Fail”- Mutual Protection in a Post-Trump Nightmare

Do Something PDX

Are you or someone you know a notary willing to help trans folks notarize their gender or name change documents

Small acts of revolt are popping up all over DC

Here’s how to make a signal-blocking cell phone pouch, like the ones protesters are using at the RNC

How to encrypt your entire life in less than an hour

Things to Know About Web Security Before Trump’s Inauguration: A Harm Reductionist Guide

Surveillance Self-Defense

A 70-Day Web Security Action Plan for Artists and Activists Under Siege

DIY Feminist Cybersecurity

Autocracy: Rules for Survival

ABLEnow Introduction (goes under disability to-do)

Black Disabled Woman Syllabus: A Compilation – Ramp Your Voice!

Tips for Joining the Movement

Note about electronic security: we need to mention that Tor has been cracked by the NSA. The best way to be secure online is to keep your wifi and bluetooth turned off on your devices, never connect to an open network without using Avast, Kapersky, etc., use a VPN at all times, use security keys on all communication (only works if the people you are talking to are also using security keys), use the highest security VPNs possible, etc. Also, lots of people are talking about finding a replacement for Facebook and taking their data/communication offshore. These are great ideas, but it’s worth knowing that the USA laws are written so that as soon as data crosses into a computer in the USA, it falls under the jurisdiction of USA law. This means that we can move everything offshore all we want, but if we view it, edit it, upload or download it, etc. onto a USA-based device, then it doesn’t much matter if the data was stored offshore. The best way to circumvent this (and it’s not foolproof) would be to host offshore and then connect to the data via a high security off-shore VPN. ENCRYPTION ALONE WILL NOT SAVE YOU. Jurisdiction also matters. Etc.