How to Help Protect the U.S. Midterm Elections This Fall

How to Help Protect the U.S. Midterm Elections This Fall

by | Oct 8, 2026 | Activism, highly sensitive activism, Social Justice, Uncategorized

Updated October 12, 2026.

If you’re like me, your inbox is flooded with requests to join phone banks, canvassing efforts, and countless other calls to action.

Many introverted and highly sensitive people dread approaching strangers or making phone calls. There’s value in stretching your comfort zone, but there are also other things you can do.

Of course, one of the most important things you can do is vote—and that means filling in those bubbles down the ballot. Local and down-ballot races matter, even when they get less attention than national elections.

But civic participation doesn’t stop at the ballot box. It also includes helping elect candidates and ensuring that every eligible voter has the information, support, and safety they need to exercise their right to vote.

If you’re up for it, by all means, get out there and knock on doors. If you live in or near a swing state, you might even consider traveling to campaign for a candidate. (I’m considering a trip to Michigan to knock doors for Abdul El-Sayed.)

But if phone banking and canvassing aren’t your thing, there are other ways to get involved. Protecting voting access can take many forms, from helping people navigate the voting process to sharing reliable information and supporting efforts to keep polling places safe.

This is my attempt to cut through the noise with a curated list of ways to help—from simple actions you can take at home to in-person volunteering and resources you can share with your community.

10 Ways You Can Help Protect Our Elections

1) Save These Hotline Numbers

The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition operates voter assistance hotlines in multiple languages. Voters can speak with trained volunteers who can help address voting questions and problems. If you witness voter intimidation, irregularities, or other barriers to voting, contact the hotline to report what you’ve observed and get guidance.

  • 866-OUR-VOTE (English)
  • 888-VE-Y-VOTA (Spanish)
  • 888-API-VOTE (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Tagalog)
  • 844-YALLA-US (Arabic, 844-925-52872)

2) Know Your Voting Laws

Voting rules vary by state. Familiarize yourself with your state’s voting rights and Election Day rules, and share that information with others. The Election Protection coalition offers a detailed guide regarding your voting laws.

3) Know Your Ballot and Share Reliable Voting Information

Confirm your own voter registration. Then take time to research the candidates and ballot measures on your ballot—including the down-ballot races. Local and state officials make decisions that affect our everyday lives, yet these races often receive less attention than national contests.

Then help a friend, family member, or neighbor do the same. A quick reminder can help someone catch a registration issue early or learn about a race they might otherwise skip.

Here are a few resources to get started:

  • VOTE411 — A national resource to check your registration, see what’s on your ballot, find your polling place, and look up early voting and mail-in ballot information.
  • Blue Voter Guide — A national resource that provides voter guides with information about candidates and ballot measure with public endorsements from trusted sources.
  • Girl, I Guess — If you happen to be in Cook County, IL, this is my go-to progressive voter guide. Stephanie Skora puts a tremendous amount of work into making local races easier to navigate.

4) Find Local Election Protection & Organizing Efforts

Help voters at the polls: Common Cause’s Election Protection program offers opportunities to support voters in person at polling places. These roles focus on helping people navigate the voting process and access the assistance they need.

Connect with local organizing networks: Local groups may also organize poll protection efforts, particularly in communities affected by ICE activity. If you’re interested in monitoring, observation, or rapid response, look for local groups offering relevant training so you understand your role, the law, and safety considerations.

5) Vote Early—Encourage Others As Well

No Kings is organizing Vote Early events across the country on October 17th. This is a coordinated day of action focused on driving early voting. These events may also be a way to meet local organizers and learn about other opportunities to get involved.

6) Become a Ride2Vote Hotline Operator

Getting to the polls can be a barrier for many voters. Ride2Vote coordinates rides to help people get to their polling places, and hotline operators help coordinate those rides. I haven’t done the training yet, but it appears to involve coordinating rides rather than making unsolicited calls. That may feel more manageable for some people.

7) Help Voters Cure Their Ballots

When a mail-in ballot has a fixable issue, voters may need to take additional steps to ensure it gets counted. Ballot cure volunteers contact voters to help them resolve those issues before the deadline. Other opportunities focus on voters whose ballots may arrive too late.

According to Ballotpedia, citing the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, “In the 2024 election, 585,457 absentee/mail-in ballots entered the cure process, accounting for 1.5% of returned absentee/mail-in ballots nationally.” Of those ballots, 317,191 were successfully cured by voters, according to the 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey.

Yes, this role involves making phone calls, but it’s an important one! Besides, helping people navigate the voting process feels different to me than calling on behalf of a candidate. I’ve signed up for a few shifts myself.

Team Michigan offers ballot cure phone banks, with a 45-minute training for new volunteers followed by 1.5–2 hours of calls.

8) Become a Poll Worker

Poll workers help administer elections, assist voters, and keep polling places running. This is distinct from election monitoring. It’s an official election-administration role, with eligibility, training, and scheduling requirements set by local election authorities. They are typically paid opportunities, at least they are in Illinois.

I served as an Election Judge in 2020 and recommend every U.S. citizen serve in this civic role at least once. It will also help you see just how much oversight is set up to maintain election integrity.

9) Print and Share this “ICE at the Polls” Zine

Indivisible has created a printable zine explaining what to do if you encounter ICE at a polling place. You can print copies to share with friends, neighbors, and your community so more people know where to find guidance.

10) Help Neighbors Overcome Barriers to Voting

Sometimes, helping someone vote is as simple as making it easier for them to get to the polls. Offer a neighbor a ride, help with childcare, or accompany someone who needs support. These small acts of mutual aid can make a real difference in helping people participate. Think about what you have to offer, and ask people in your community what would be helpful.

Choose 1-2 Things You Can Do to Protect the Polls

Our elections are under attack, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of requests to take action. But you don’t have to do everything.

Take a few minutes to assess how much time and energy you may realistically have over the next few weeks. Maybe you volunteer for a ballot cure phone bank once per week and monitor the polls on election day.

Choose one or two actions that feel manageable. If you have more capacity, you can always do more. Protecting our elections is a collective effort. Every contribution matters.

Looking Beyond Election Day

Protecting our elections matters and fighting voter suppression matters. Yet, elections are only one part of building a more just and democratic society. We need to stay engaged and build collective power that extends beyond the ballot box.

You may want to read: From Electoral Disillusionment to Building Power Beyond Elections

Know of a poll protection opportunity I should add to this list? Leave it in the comments!

From Electoral Disillusionment to Building Power Beyond Elections

From Electoral Disillusionment to Building Power Beyond Elections

by | Sep 22, 2026 | Activism, highly sensitive activism, Social Justice

Updated October 9, 2026. I’ve moved the poll protection actions to a separate article: How to Protect the U.S. Midterm Elections This Fall

Like many of you, I feel disillusioned with electoral politics.

As a social worker, I’ve believed strongly in systems change and held macro-level political advocacy in high regard. The last couple of years have forced me to examine some of my convictions, and how much weight they carry in a time when our world is fundamentally changing.

A while back, someone replied to an email I wrote with a call to action:
We’re not going to vote or call our representatives out of this one.

I understand the sentiment. I’m under no illusion that our current system will resolve the existential problems we’re facing. No politician is going to swoop in and fix all the complex problems in our extractive system riddled with bad incentives.

I don’t believe we’re going back to the way things were (for those of us with various layers of privilege). And I’m not interested in preserving a status quo where the freedoms some of us enjoy are built upon ecological destruction and the exploitation of others.

The converging threats of this moment, including AI, data centers, the climate crisis, inequality, polarization, and autocracy, likely mean that civilization and the systems we know will look very different in the years ahead. For many, of course, they already do.

At the same time, I have concerns about forms of “collapse” discourse that lead people to disengage altogether from the policies that shape our societies.

We need a nuanced view that makes room for multiple strategies—and recognizes how these efforts can reinforce one another to build collective power.

We can acknowledge the profound problems in electoral politics, shaped by powerful interests and incentives, while also recognizing that elections have real material consequences.

Like many on the left, I’m fed up with Democrats and I could give a list of grievances. One of the most glaring examples is that the two parties have not been so different when it comes to sending billions of our tax dollars to fund a nearly three-year genocide in Gaza and expanding occupation in the West Bank. It’s despicable and infuriating.

That also doesn’t mean there are no differences between candidates, parties, or the policies they pursue that impact the rights and day-to-day lives of many others.

While elections and politicians aren’t going to save us, I want the least amount of suffering for my fellow humans and the more-than-human beings. 

I want decent, rational adults at the helm. I want to preserve what’s left of our democratic processes and institutional checks. I want those in power to be held accountable. I want us to protect our elections without believing that voting alone will create necessary change.

We Can’t Outsource Change to Politicians

Electing candidates and then sitting back to wait for them to deliver is a recipe for failure.

FD Signifier’s video essay “Why You Can(not) Trust Zohran Mamdani” gets at this in his critique of where the left went wrong with Barack Obama.

To be clear, he’s not arguing against Mamdani and his point is not about Obama or Mamdani. It’s about what happens when a left-leaning, maybe well-intentioned politician actually gains governing power in our current system.

The video is eight months old now. It should be noted that Mamdani’s team has since delivered on multiple campaign promises. Although the fact that he is somehow repeatedly praised by the megalomaniac running the U.S. should keep populists on their toes.

No politician should be treated as a savior, or a stand-in for sustained organizing and accountability.

We Can’t Outsource the Work to Others

I recently heard a replay of a Movement Memos podcast, in which organizer and abolitionist Mariame Kaba referred to the “conciergification of activism”. The term describes the convenience of frictionless apps and on-demand services has seeped into political spaces, creating a consumerist identity when it comes to action.

That is, instead of doing the longer, messier work of organizing, building relationships, direct action, and advocacy, it’s easier to sign a one-click petition, post on social media, or assume others will do the work of justice and liberation. 

None of these are a substitute for what’s needed for structural change. That doesn’t mean those actions are meaningless, but we need to ask how they connect to broader efforts to organize and build collective power.

Let’s Hold More Than One Thing and Practice Our Values

We can be put off by electoral politics without abandoning democratic processes. The status quo was never just or liberatory, but that doesn’t mean everything standing should be dismantled. We need to protect large-scale safety nets that materially sustain people while simultaneously imagining and building new ones.

And there’s room to practice different values now, in localized places:

  • Mutual care over competition and hyperindividualism
  • “Enough” over consumption that feeds endless growth
  • Sharing resources instead of having our own “everything”
  • Participation in change work instead of spectatorship
  • Collective decision-making over unilateral decisions

I don’t know what the future holds. I do know that the world we want won’t appear formed when these systems change. We’ll have to build it together, and we can start practicing now.

Building Power Beyond Election Cycles

Elections are one of the few moments when large numbers of people are paying attention and looking for a way to get involved. That makes them a rare, low-barrier opportunity to practice the kind of organizing we’ll need no matter what happens in November.

Regardless of our political trajectory, there are ways to engage during election cycles that grow relationships and capacity we can carry forward.

Democratic participation builds civic capacity.
Understanding and upholding democratic processes at scale can better equip us to organize our block or building.

Campaigns build relationships.
Campaign work brings people together across class, race, and generation. These cross-group relationships are what movements are built on.

Canvassing builds knowledge of our communities.
Door-knocking may be about sharing information, but it also opens up conversations with our neighbors. We may learn who’s isolated, who’s an ally, or who has resources.

Canvassing is not my favorite activity. But building courage and learning to tolerate discomfort, builds the resilience we need right now.

Organizing builds capacity.
When we organize campaigns or volunteers, we’re building the same muscles we’ll need to organize a rent strike, mutual aid network, or other collective action.

Collective protection builds systems of care.
Whether we’re protecting voters or our neighbors from ICE, we’re creating systems of care to look out for each other.

Overlapping networks make communities more resilient.
Political work can overlap with mutual aid networks. Those relationships can outlast any single campaign and give us more capacity to respond to challenges in our communities

None of this requires believing that elections will save us. And we don’t have to agree on everything to work together on something. It invites us to use this season to build the relationships and capacities that can actually move things.

What’s before us right now is rampant voter suppression, and protecting our elections is critical.

For concrete actions to help protect the polls, read:
How to Protect the U.S. Midterm Elections This Fall

I’m Wired to Care: Here’s How I’m Sustaining My Activism Without Burnout

I’m Wired to Care: Here’s How I’m Sustaining My Activism Without Burnout

by | Apr 2, 2026 | Activism, Self Care, Social Justice

If you prefer to listen, I’ve also made a video: Sustaining Activism Without Burnout

Being a deeply feeling person is a lot right now. There’s a loneliness that comes with caring about things that many people around us seem to ignore or shrug off.

For me, looking away isn’t an option. My core values are dignity, justice, and moral courage. Turning away would mean a disconnection that carries its own cost, burnout among them.

Yet letting everything in at full volume isn’t sustainable. We’re not meant to take in and process this much suffering, so quickly, day after day. The question I keep returning to is:

How do I stay responsive to injustice without abandoning my well-being in the process?

I don’t have perfect answers. What I have are imperfect practices that are helping me stay engaged and intact. Some of them might be useful to you too.

Staying Engaged Without Going Under

I. Capacity

Tending to the Basics

I won’t belabor the obvious, but when I neglect sleep, food, movement, and nature time, everything else on this list gets harder. Here are a few things that help me remove friction:

  • Prep and batch: Chia pudding waiting in the fridge. Dry smoothie ingredients already together in containers.
  • Combine the basics: One act can meet several needs. Walking, resting in a park, or eating a meal in the fresh air.
  • Build in check-ins: Setting reminders to lie on the floor for ten minutes sounds small, but it helps me reset.
  • Protect the wind-down: I keep a regular sleep schedule and make time to read as part of the transition.

Stewarding My Attention

My phone charges in the living room, not my bedroom. I avoid it in the first hour of the day. That often means skipping the news altogether.

I don’t watch the news. I manage my news intake by reading longform articles from a few trusted sources. It’s gentler on my nervous system, as I can control the pace and mitigate sensory overload. Text is less manipulative than video, which uses music, imagery, and editing to provoke emotion.

When the urge to scroll hits, I think of the techno-fascist broligarchs who profit from our outrage, data, and attention. That thought helps me put my phone down.

I’ve also left activist chats that were overwhelming my nervous system to better tend to a select few. My partner is in those chats and follows the news. It doesn’t take the same toll on him. If something happens, I’ll hear about it.

Letting My Self-Care Be Flexible

Over time, I’ve learned that the kindest, and most functional, thing I can do is meet my body and mind where they are. This means letting go of rigid expectations. One question I often ask myself is:

If my body had a voice, what would it ask for?

My yoga practice is less about consistency in form and more about consistency in responsiveness. Sometimes that’s an active asana sequence, other days it’s ten minutes of pranayama or shavasana. When my mind wants to jump to the news in the morning, I meet that impulse with a book instead. Reading may come before I move my body. The order matters less, as long as I make time for both.

I’ve also raised the bar on what deserves my stress. Work has been genuinely hard this past year, and I don’t want to minimize that. But I’m learning to meet challenges with patience, noticing what isn’t worth holding onto and letting it go.

II. Perspective

Asking How I Want to Show Up

My mind can spiral into dark trajectories. But dwelling in “what if” pulls me out of the place where I have power—here, now, in how I choose to respond.

The Bhagavad Gita teaches that engaging in the world is superior to withdrawal. Key to this worldly engagement is the teaching that we are responsible for our actions but not in control of their results. I return to this again and again. I don’t know where this moment will take us. But I can do what’s in front of me with integrity and love.

When I feel pulled into reaction, I try to focus on how I want to show up within this reality. That means noticing which inputs, behaviors, and thought patterns push me toward overwhelm, and which help me remain steady. It helps to focus on where I have agency.

Seeing Beyond Our Human Lens

Human crises take up so much space. The more-than-human world continues, even under threat. Leaning into the natural world offers a perspective outside of human-caused chaos.

A herd of deer in a nearby forest preserve broadens my view. They find ways to live even after humans have encroached on their habitat. I visit them regularly, sitting at a distance and imagining the world through their eyes. Being among the deer, trees, and birds gives me a sense of belonging to something larger and older than the current moment.

This perspective doesn’t erase my grief or anxieties, but it offers breathing room.

Practicing Hope

The late scholar and activist Joanna Macy spoke about active hope as “something we do rather than have.” We generate hope and become a person who is hopeful by participating in the future we want to see, even when we lack optimism. Hope, in this sense, isn’t passive—it grows when we act and notice possibility and progress, however small.

I recently attended a lecture by historian Rashid Khalidi. Even while addressing the ongoing genocide in Gaza, he spoke of hope due to the enormous shift in public opinion about Palestine. More people than ever are not only opposed to the genocide, but are understanding the broader historical context. Awareness creates possibility. We can help grow awareness while responding to material needs (more below).

Ultimately, I’m finding hope by helping to create it with other people who care. Together, we’re actively building a microcosm of the future we want to see.

III. Action

Balancing Consumption With Action

Burnout doesn’t only come from doing too much. It can come from taking in distressing information without acting in alignment with our values.

I aim to keep consumption and action in balance. Even small acts interrupt feelings of helplessness and restore a sense of agency. I may take a short-term action tied to an issue. Often it means returning to my ongoing mutual aid and rapid response work, perhaps recommitting to a role, finding a new angle, or noticing where different issues intersect.

For example, voter suppression and immigrant safety aren’t separate issues. During recent primaries, volunteers stood outside voting centers in vulnerable communities to monitor for ICE activity so that constituents could exercise their right to vote.

Small Actions Impact People

The scale of what we’re facing can make individual acts feel futile. Yet, collective action is simply individual action, aggregated and organized. Every person who decides to act helps to strengthen our movements and build power.

On November 8, 2025, thirteen workers were swiftly (and randomly) abducted in my town. Hundreds of people took to their blocks to whistle and alert others to ICE activity. We couldn’t protect those initial people, but I know our community defense efforts helped ensure some parents return home to their children that night.

One person who brings food to a community fridge means someone eats. When ten neighbors do it, the impact multiplies. Whether you’re one or part of ten, these acts matter.

Acting Close to Home With Mutual Aid

Mutual aid is the practice of direct reciprocal care among neighbors. It’s one of the oldest forms of human solidarity, and it’s having a necessary renaissance.

My partner and I help run a free store. Neighbors donate housewares and furniture, and anyone can take what they need. It’s an alternative economy that meets material needs, strengthens community, and keeps usable items out of landfills. I’ve watched hundreds of people leave with both what they needed and a greater sense of connection. 

A few of my friends have developed a hyperlocal organizing model called Block Keepers (“B Keepers”). B Keepers organize their immediate area to share resources, coordinate mutual aid, and look out for each other. They help build community preparedness so that neighbors know who is vulnerable, who has resources, and who will show up when something happens. If you’re interested in starting something similar, the B Keepers Playbook offers practical guidance to get going (I’ve removed the contacts for privacy).

Working at a scale where I see the tangible impact keeps my hope alive.

Showing Up for the Macro Issues and Beyond Borders

While I’ve moved most of my activism locally, I also know we need to keep the pressure on the larger levers of power. 

I’ve unsubscribed from newsletters in order to focus on what I can realistically do. I still follow the weekly emails from my friend Omkari Williams, who curates 10-minute actions related to current issues such as calls to senators and targeted boycotts, among others.

Gaza is always on my mind. Phone calls, boycotts, and protests remain important. I also know it’s demoralizing when our calls go unanswered. When I feel despair, I look for ways to provide direct aid. Watermelon Sisters sends 100% of donations directly to their team in Gaza to provide food, essential supplies, and art therapy for children. A trusted friend is closely involved, I’ve met the founder, and I can vouch for the integrity of their work.

If you’re able to give, you may donate to Watermelon Sisters or follow and share their work.

Knowing My Lane

Not every cause is mine to lead or join. Saying no to some things has helped me say yes to roles that match my strengths.

Last fall, I was asked to admin a rapid response chat. I said no. At first, I felt guilty, knowing everyone was exhausted. Yet, I also noticed people who seemed better able to handle the high volume of communication. What I could say yes to was organizing small-scale ICE watch teams and protocols, responding to alerts, and offering support to responders.

We bring diverse personalities, skills, and circumstances. That means the work will look different for each of us, including the unseen work that happens out of the spotlight.

Read Omkari Williams’ article: Sustainably Living the Activist Life (Part 6): Unseen Labor

IV. Connection

Leaning into Mutual Aid as Relationship

The free store is not only about things. It’s a dignifying space where everyone is welcome. We connect people to other resources, provide ongoing support, and respond to evolving needs. Some of those who arrived as shoppers have joined the team. We’ve built friendships. Relationship is inseparable from the material support of mutual aid work.

The B Keeper model works on the same principle. Community care means creating stronger systems of care in everyday life. That in itself is important, but these systems of care also set the stage to better respond to whatever the future brings.

More Connection and Less Screen Time

It’s not enough to put down our phones. For true well-being, we need connection with people willing to share and hold space for grief, joy, anger, and laughter.

Last fall, I helped organize a fundraiser that grew into unexpected friendships. We meet up regularly for storytelling events, painting classes, and even a mini weekend retreat. We also attend the heavier films and lectures.  

A couple months ago, we saw The Voice of Hind Rajab (see it—with others!) , which was followed by a Q&A with one of the actors. Bearing witness—over the length of a film, in the company of others, with space to process afterward—is profoundly different from scrolling through social media images alone. 

Grief, which might otherwise calcify into despair, becomes solidarity.

Trusting the Collective Rhythm

The pressure to constantly do more can come from others, ourselves, or both.

Rest isn’t a reward for doing enough. It’s what makes any of this sustainable. I’m learning to follow my capacity rather than push past it. I’m trusting that when I step back, others will carry things for a while, and that I’ll do the same for them.

That kind of trust in reciprocity is built over time, by showing up alongside people long enough to know the load is shared.

Final Thoughts

None of this is linear. Some days I feel balanced; other days, everything hits me hard. 

What I return to is this:

Social change has always been driven by ordinary people. Both impacted communities and allies have found ways to resist, create, love, and endure, even in difficult conditions. Each act of care and courage might feel small, but it shapes lives now and contributes to the world we leave for future generations.

I’d love to hear from you—what’s helping you keep going right now?

Protest Safety Tips for Empowered Action

Protest Safety Tips for Empowered Action

by | Jun 13, 2025 | Activism, Social Justice

As people across the U.S. mobilize for the No Kings Day protests tomorrow, I want to offer a few protest safety tips to help you prepare.

Whether this is your first protest or your fiftieth, it’s worth taking the time for some important considerations. Protests can be powerful—but they also come with risks, especially as we witness increasing surveillance and authoritarian tactics, including the deployment of military force against civilians.

I know many are feeling a great deal of fear right now. That’s understandable. But the cost of not showing up to this moment is far too high. 

Protests send a clear message that we will not acquiesce or accept having free speech and due process eroded.

The protest safety tips I’ve put together are to help you prepare with care—not to create fear, but to empower you with practical tools in this critical moment.

Disclaimer: These tips are drawn from a range of trusted sources, including the links below, but are not exhaustive or expert advice. Every protest is different. Please use your judgment, assess your risk, and prioritize your safety and that of those around you.

Know Your Risk + Risk Tolerance

If you hold relative safety and privilege—if you’re white and able-bodied—this is the time to rise with courage and conscience. We need people willing to use their voices and bodies in defense of justice and each other. 

That said, everyone’s risk threshold is different. Before heading out, consider:

  • What is my current level of risk tolerance?
  • Do I have legal, medical, citizenship, or employment concerns to consider?
  • How will I respond if a situation begins to escalate?
  • Am I willing to risk arrest?
  • Am I willing to put my body on the line to protect someone more vulnerable?

General Protest Safety Tips

  • Go with a buddy or small group. 
  • Decide on a meeting point in case you get separated.
  • Know the general protest route and possible exits.
  • Stay alert to shifts in energy, police behavior, or agitators.
  • De-escalate and avoid engaging with agitators and provocateurs.
  • Follow the leadership of frontline organizers—especially those from impacted communities.

What to Bring to Protest (and What to Leave at Home)

Before You Go:

  • Write an emergency contact on your arm with a permanent marker.
  • Know your rights and how to respond if detained or questioned.
  • Wear solid colors, long sleeves, pants, and sturdy shoes.
  • Consider photo ethics and implications for privacy.
  • Decide whether to bring your phone. If yes:
    • Keep it off or in airplane mode.
    • Turn off GPS, Face/Touch ID, and use a numeric passcode instead.

Consider Bringing:

  • Water + snacks
  • ID (if you feel safe carrying it)
  • Mask or face covering (to reduce facial recognition + for COVID safety)
  • Protective eyewear like goggles (in case of tear gas)
  • Basic first aid (band-aids, saline, etc.)
  • Ear plugs
  • Vital medications (e.g., rescue inhaler)
  • External battery or charger
  • Cash

Leave behind:

  • Contact lenses (wear glasses instead)
  • Jewelry, smart watches, or items of value
  • Anything you wouldn’t want lost, searched, or confiscated
  • Unnecessary personal info—on your person or your phone

Other Resources with Protest Safety Tips

Here are two helpful resources to review and share:

This is a time to reach deep and tap into fierce love, not fear. Let’s be mobilized by what we believe in—and by the people we’re standing alongside.

A Resource Guide to Find Community, Take Action and Stay Informed — Without Overwhelm

A Resource Guide to Find Community, Take Action and Stay Informed — Without Overwhelm

by | Feb 19, 2025 | Activism, Social Justice

Staying informed without overwhelm can be difficult when we’re flooded with distressing news. The new U.S. administration’s constant barrage of egregious actions, and executive orders is not random—it’s a deliberate strategy to exhaust us into despair and inaction.

Ignoring the news or retreating entirely isn’t the answer. We can’t afford to bury our heads in the sand. Instead, we need to be intentional about managing our news intake and where we direct our efforts. Most of all, we need to connect and organize with people in our communities.

I’ve curated this resource list with input from others. My goal is to help you stay informed without overwhelm, take action, and connect with aligned community groups. This list is not exhaustive, and I’ll continue adding to it in this Google doc.

Action-Oriented Newsletters: Stay Informed & Take Action

These action-oriented newsletters deliver concise political updates and concrete steps you can take. Each newsletter’s frequency is listed, so you can choose the right level of engagement for you.

Americans of Conscience (Biweekly) – Action Checklist and Good News updates, providing clear steps for those who value democracy, equality, and decency.

Omkari Williams’ Micro Actions (Weekly) –  Small, impactful social and environmental actions in less than 10 minutes.

Everyday Activist (Weekly) – Provides overview of key news stories without sensationalism, why the issues matter, and five concrete ways to take action.

Jessica Craven’s Chop Wood, Carry Water (Daily) Simple political actions to stave off despair, affect change, and elect more true public servants.

Nicole Cardoza’s Reimagined (3-4x/Week) – News and actions for justice and liberation.

Focused News & Thoughtful Analysis — Without Sensationalism

This list features sources for focused news sources or political analysis that provide clear reporting.

Most of those listed are by individuals, whose perspectives can add valuable depth. However, getting info from one individual risks narrowing our understanding, as they’re less likely to have the editorial oversight of legacy news and other major outlets (yes, there can also be issues with legacy news). With that said, I suggest balancing these with sources such as NPR or your local public radio station. 

Letters from an American (Heather Cox Richardson – Historian) – Daily newsletter breaking down the day’s news into simple terms and connecting current events to their historical significance.

The Contrarian (by former Washington Post journalists) – Independent journalism offering fact-driven reporting and analysis in defense of democracy.

The Status Kuo (Jay Kuo – Lawyer) – Accessible political and legal analysis with a dose of humor. 

Thinking About… (Timothy Snyder – Historian) – Deep reflections on history, authoritarianism, and democracy from a leading scholar.

Civil Discourse (Joyce White Vance – Lawyer & former U.S. Attorney for Northern District of AL) – Clear, legally informed analysis of political and justice system developments.

The Ezra Klein Show (Journalist) – Thoughtful interviews and analysis exploring politics, policy, and big ideas shaping the world, emphasizing nuanced discussion over hot takes.

National Advocacy Groups — With Local Chapters

These progressive grassroots movements and community action groups work across the U.S., many with local chapters, so you can support climate action, democracy, and social justice in your own community.

Indivisible – A grassroots movement building progressive power through local activism.

Run for Something – Recruits and supports young progressives running for down-ballot office.

Extinction Rebellion – Global movement using nonviolent civil disobedience to push for government climate action.

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) – A national organization that mobilizes white people to fight for racial and economic justice.

ARC-Southeast – Provides funding & support for Southerners to access reproductive care.

100 Women Who Care – A giving circle where members donate quarterly to local nonprofits.

The (Sojourner) Truth School – Free movement-building training for social, economic, and environmental justice.

Local Advocacy & Mutual Aid Groups

A start to a list of local initiatives and mutual aid groups—offering everything from elder support to food justice to migrant assistance. Email me, if you’d like to add a local group. You may also try the following resource for Mutual Aid Networks in your area.

Village Neighbors (Western MA) – Helps elders age in place and stay connected to their community.

Beloved Asheville (Western NC) – Community organization providing support such as food, housing, medical and mental health care to underserved communities.

A Bedside Campfire: (Chicago) – A virtual/in-person group connecting caregivers and care recipients for support and community.

Migrant Ministry: (Oak Park, IL) – An interfaith volunteer effort supporting migrants with clothing, essentials, ESL classes, access to social services, help with asylum applications, and legal rights education. 

I (Melissa) am also part of a related but informal mutual aid effort helping newcomers. You may reach out to me directly if you’d like to get involved.

Beyond Hunger: (Chicago) – A nonprofit addressing food insecurity through pantries, nutrition education, and empowerment programs.

This list was compiled by Melissa Noel Renzi. If you have suggestions for additional resources, send them to info@melissanoelrenzi.com. Specifically, I’d love to know about mutual aid groups in your area and suggestions for BIPOC journalists providing news summaries.