I was four years old when JFK was assassinated; my only memory is of my mother crying as she vacuumed. Five years later, I was vaguely aware of the Chicago 7 and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, but I was still too young to fully grasp the battle lines being drawn—the fight for civil rights, the fury of those who felt betrayed by our government.
Today, the speed at which the Trump-Vance-Musk administration is seizing control of the U.S. government is dizzying and crazy-making. Chaos is their strategy. Keeping the entire country off balance is intentional.
Musk and his mini-mes have seized control of the Treasury payments system, Social Security, and Internal Revenue systems. They’ve unilaterally cut off government funding without congressional approval, openly defying court orders to restore it. This is blatantly illegal—yet Congress does nothing.
Where is the outrage? Where is the accountability? Where is the organized, lawful resistance?
Since it doesn’t look like we can rely on our elected officials to lead, what can we do as everyday citizens to protest the damage being inflicted by the Trump-Musk regime?
We can protest. We can speak out. We can boycott. We can unify our voices to be heard through the noise.
Shortly after the election, I put my FOMO aside to delete my Facebook and Instagram accounts. This was not just in protest, but a proactive choice to protect my mental health. A few days later I took the Amazon app off my phone and haven’t placed another order since. I’m not only supporting local businesses, I’m saving money. If I have to go out and buy it, I have time to rethink the impulse purchase.
These steps, though small, seed the greater goal of becoming more intentional in my choices and the impact I can make as one person.
Finding support and connecting with like-minded people has been invaluable.
Without the constant scrolling on Facebook and Instagram, I’ve had more time to explore Substack, where I’ve discovered insightful writers who keep me informed and inspire action. Here are some of my favorites:
The Contrarian A central hub for unbowed, and uncompromising reported opinion and on the opposition to the authoritarian threat.
Robert Reich Growing a community of people committed to spreading the truth and contributing to a better world.
Lexi’s Substack Cyber security and protection in the new age.
The Shutdown 315 Movement A critical-mass movement of coordinated economic protest.
Resources to help you take action on a local and national level:
The Indivisible Project Information for all levels of activism.
5 Calls Call and write your local representatives. Change begins at home.
ACLU The American Civil Liberties Union protects the constitution.
Freedom from Religion Foundation Maintaining clear separation of church and state.
Transequality.org To protect the legal and political rights of transgender people.
Protest.net Acclaimed resource by the NYT, joining this national database takes a few steps because it’s not reliant on traditional servers.
Finally, here are some resources I’ve found helpful for staying grounded.
Onbeing Project Curated resources on art, culture, spirituality and growth
Pulling the Thread Elise Loehnen’s focus on culture and why do we do what we do.
Reconstructing Faith Exploring the intersection of ministry, theology, culture, and faith formation with Pastor Kevin Young
Clarity in Chaos An interesting look at faith and politics with Pastor Wendel Hutchins
Protest Music Project Music that grapples with our present world or confronts pressing problems affecting humanity.
A Request…
During my workout this morning, Ball of Confusion by The Temptations came on, and it sparked an idea—to create a public playlist we can share, not just to resist, but to unite through this challenging time.
I’ve kicked things off, but I’d love your help. Here’s the link. Please add songs that inspire and uplift, not just ones that fuel anger.
Despite what some people would have us think, we’re in this together—and together, we have power.