Get Your Smart On
Don't be afraid, we've got this. For all the things they have revealed in their 2025 plan, there are already people organizing resistance, so get plugged in locally and learn the ropes ASAP.
I’ll cut to the chase. Here is a list of changes we can expect, and since I didn’t want to give you this scary list without actionables, below are some quick ideas for how you can prepare to weather the storm. (I’m no activist, my ideas are very preliminary — take only what is useful, build on it.) Whichever of these issues below activates you first and most intensely, there are already people organizing in your communities. Find those people, get plugged in and start learning and sharing what you know, and contribute. But start simply, by finding shelter in a physical community, if you can.
First, some inspa:
This could likely backfire on them. Federal employees bring invaluable expertise in policy, regulation, and administrative processes that can significantly enhance organizing efforts. Their insider knowledge of legislative processes and policy implementation makes them particularly effective at identifying strategic pressure points and developing targeted responses. Their familiarity with agency structures and communication channels enables efficient organization and mobilization of resources. This institutional knowledge, combined with their understanding of governmental processes, allows them to develop sophisticated strategic plans that can effectively counter harmful policy changes. We need individuals and small businesses to make ready to welcome these individuals and offer support so that they can plug into existing efforts. Recruit them, should be an easy sell.
There is already a strong network of groups organizing around these issues. Find a group that is local to you and see how you can plug in. Supporting organizations like the ACLU, National Immigration Law Center, and RAICES has provided crucial legal representation and know-your-rights training to communities, but moving forward we probably need micro-local versions of these national orgs doing this work. Listen to the folks already on the ground.
Active documentation and reporting of incidents strengthens accountability and transparency, so if you are a photographer or journalist, this may be a good place to contribute. Professionals across fields make vital contributions - lawyers providing pro bono services, healthcare workers supporting medical aid, educators creating safe spaces, and tech workers developing privacy-protecting tools. Whatever your occupation, you can find a way to put your knowledge and skills to work.
Not sure about this one, except that there have been movements to boycott and withdraw support from specific businesses (Starducks, McDees, etc), so find those organizing here and support. You can research state banks and credit union systems, (please, move your money to credit unions asap), and alternatives like Bitcoin. Talk to your kin (your most immediate chosen family and friends) about money and how to survive economically if the economy does go further south; and yeah, start growing food.
Seek out and support local and small media efforts, break out the zines, and set up old-fashioned phone trees for collective actions. We are probably going to need to go low-tech and higher-tech. While online, learn best practices for safety and move to privacy-first applications. I plan to write more about this, so look out for that.
Mutual Aid will be key here, but don’t get too hung up on what this means. Just look around and see how you can help someone in your community and do that. Quinn below puts it very well:
Alternative economic models create lasting change through worker-owned businesses, community land trusts, and local investment funds that support cooperative enterprises. These coordinated efforts strengthen worker power and economic justice through direct action and community solidarity.
Communities working together create robust, alternative educational infrastructure that upholds the right to quality education for all students, regardless of background or ability.
Stockpile emergency contraception, talk to your women friends ahead of time, and look up the 4H movement. Take self-defense classes.
Sex workers are some of the best allies you can ever wish for. I don’t understand this prohibition at all yet, but talk to sex experts about what is going on here.
Strong interfaith coalitions and civil rights organizations protect constitutional separation of church and state while celebrating religious diversity. Direct action includes building inclusive community spaces, developing multicultural education programs, and creating interfaith dialogue initiatives. I don’t know much about this one, will leave it to others to add to this one.
In closing, I leave this with this testimonial from a Polish person where something very similar to what we are about to see has already taken place:
Before I go, some of you may be asking yourselves BUT WHY?
This piece was assembled with the partial assistance of several LLMs: Claude 3 and NotebookLM. Sorry, it’s not pretty to read but my goals are utilitarian.