In Chicago, Portland, and other communities that are under attack by ICE, they are organizing groups to assemble and distribute ICE kits that contain whistles and multi-lingual Know Your Rights cards. You loudly blow the whistle with three short bursts if you see federal agents, and you loudly blow three long bursts if you see a detention or police action in progress. Keep blowing your whistle until a crowd shows up, and if you hear whistles being blown then you should find them and record what is going on. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has a People Power group, offers legal assistance, and has lots of other important information for activists.

The Black Voters Matter Fund has lots of actions planned, including their We Ain't Buying It pledge campaign to use our economic power to force change by boycotting companies that don't support the community. Voting with your wallet is one way for all of us to make a difference, regardless of our financial resources. Grassroots organizations like the Black Voters Matter Fund, Indivisible, and Until Freedom organize local events, and they are urging shoppers to boycott companies who reneged under pressure from Trump on their promise of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts such as Target, Amazon, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Ford, Wal-Mart, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Tesla. The goal is to support the retailers that have stood up to Trump, as well as the Black, minority, and immigrant-owned businesses, and all of the small and local businesses who support the community.

Blackout The System is a national movement across all races, cultures and classes to strategically and peacefully withdraw our labor and spending. They have planned a Mass Blackout for November 25th through December 2nd where participants will limit their spending by only using cash and supporting local businesses if you need to spend money. You can sign up for more upcoming events, as well as learn about divestment and mutual aid projects.

On Veterans Day, there are lots of anti-Trump protests organized in several major cities across the country. The "Vets Say No" protests are organized by the veterans group About Face, and May Day Strong, which is an anti-authoritarian movement. The "Vets Say No" protests are to say “no to ICE, no to occupation, no to fascism, and no to cuts stripping away life saving services our communities need.”

For separation of Church and State issues, I recommend joining Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Their motto is “Freedom Without Favor, Equality Without Exception” and they do great work! There's also the Southern Poverty Law Center who is great at racial justice issues. And there is the Equal Justice Initiative that has some must-see museums like their Legacy Sites in Montgomery, Alabama. My visit to their Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park really was eye-opening and life-changing.

For LGBTQIA+ activism, I love working with groups such as the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, GLAAD, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays PFLAG, Lambda Legal, and the National LGBTQ Task Force, just to name a few. Many of these groups are organized at the local level in order to provide vital services for the community, and so it's easy to get involved.

For political activism, there are the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) who organize local events such as protests and mutual aid.

Regardless of your interests, you should be able to find several groups where you can get involved with local activism. All of the groups that I have mentioned support change through non-violent actions, so be sure to leave your weapons at home (even if they're legal), and commit to de-escalation with counter-protesters and authorities.

Did I leave out an organization that deserves to be listed? There are so many to choose from, but if you have suggestions and are a site member, please leave a comment below.