In this moment of deep political harm coming from the White House, I want our neighbors to know that each day there is something you can do. I won’t mince words about the challenges we’re faced with. I also won’t cede anything. In this moment, as always, the power lies with the people. We can sustain each other and take care of each other.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
The Trump Administration is relying on fear and abuse of power. Whether you come from an immigrant family or you’re a federal civil servant who has lost your job—you have rights under U.S. law and the Constitution. Here are some organizations and resources to familiarize yourself with. Legal protection at every level is essential right now, from class action lawsuits to local legal representation:
- Civil Service Strong
- ACLU of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
- Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
LEAN INTO MUTUAL AID
In this moment, we must lean into mutual aid and take care of our neighbors. Mutual aid is a collective form of community care that has existed for generations. Preparing a meal, creating inclusive political art, providing short term childcare for a family that has lost their job, there are so many ways to play a role. Think about the ways we showed up for our neighbors in the early days of the pandemic, those acts of community care were often rooted in mutual aid traditions. Local organizing is how we stand in the gap and you don’t need to belong to any particular organization to act locally.
BUILD YOUR BELOVED COMMUNITY
I firmly believe that we are not divided, we are disconnected. That is by design. The people in power want us to be disconnected so that we can’t resist. The small number of billionaires who control most of our country’s wealth want us to stay exactly where we are. Our destinies are truly tied, and we can only fight back by building stronger coalitions and being in community with one another.
Dr. King taught us that beloved community is an antidote to cruelty and chaos, so we must grow our movement centered in love and righteous indignation. We must fight for our neighbors and our loved ones. We must dig deep and begin the process of healing at the local level, on our block, in the group text, in our faith house, and around our own dinner table.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
I know people are overwhelmed and may feel discouraged or hopeless. Joy itself is an act of resistance and self-care is essential. If we’re going to fight back against the rolling back of civil rights and the threat to our democracy and our planet, we can’t let ourselves get burnt out. Prioritize your health, set boundaries with social media and media consumption, take a walk with a friend, pray, rest or meditate. Make and keep your primary care appointments. If you don’t have health insurance, look into MassHealth to see if you and your family qualify for coverage. This Administration wants to “flood the zone” and overwhelm us, it is a tool and tactic. So limiting what we consume and prioritizing our physical and mental health is essential.
STAY ENGAGED AND STAY INFORMED
Organizing is our most powerful tool, and that’s been on display these past few weeks. I’ve joined with colleagues and activists at rallies outside federal agencies to conduct Congressional oversight and to protest Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s unlawful takeover of our federal agencies. Similar protests are taking place across the country – get involved and stay engaged. If you choose to protest follow best practices in terms of preparedness and legal protections. Make sure you let a loved one know where you are and when possible assemble in groups where you already have trusted relationships
And make sure you’re getting your news from trusted sources. Here is a four step strategy for spotting misinformation. While it dominates right wing news sources, we are all susceptible to it and now more than ever we need to be able to identify timely and reliable information.
And yes, you should absolutely call your elected officials My team is here to support and you can reach us through the Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121. Also this is a time to lean on the protections and leadership we have at the local and state level in Massachusetts too, engage your city councilors, mayors, and state leaders about priorities and protections that matter to you and your community.
Democrat Ayanna Pressley is the representative for the 7th Congressional District of Massachusetts
