Dec 30 2016

Compelled to Act #1: 10 Concrete Actions to Take in January 2017

Every month, I will be posting concrete actions that we can take in the ongoing struggle for more justice. Victoria Safford shared a quote from someone in an essay that I appreciate very much: “You know we cannot do this all at once. But every day offers every one of us little invitations for resistance, and you make your own responses.” I love the idea of “little invitations for resistance.” The question before all of us, I think, is ‘what will we make of this moment in history?’ One thing I know for sure is that we need to build our *action* muscles. We need to get outside of ourselves and act (both individually and collectively). This is my small contribution to encouraging more of us to act (together).

1. Join the #Medicare4All Virtual Day of Action on January 20. Find details here.

2. Organize a community meeting to resist Trump (sorry I had to unlink this because emails were coming directly to me for some reason. Google moveon.org to find relevant info) and to discuss the importance of #Medicare4All among other issues. Sign up through Moveon.org to host a meeting and/or to attend a meeting in your community on January 15.

3. If you are in the NYC-area and are interested in fighting for single payer health care, attend the 2017 National Single Payer Strategy Conference from January 13-15.

4. Read “Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda” for useful information about defensive organizing at the Congressional level.

5. Read this short essay about how social change happens.

6. Sign up for an organizing 101 training in your community. If there isn’t one available or accessible, read “Organizing for Social Change: Midwest Academy Manual for Activists” as a primer. Here’s a sample of the book as a PDF. You can also review the following website for an introduction to organizing. If you can though, it is best to participate in an in-person training.

7. Join or organize a rally/action on January 15 as part of the “Our First Stand: Save Healthcare” mobilization called by Congressional Democrats and led by Sen. Bernie Sanders. Details are presumably forthcoming.

8. Be Ungovernable on January 20th and beyond.

9. Participate in the Day of Action to #FreeBresha on January 19.

10. Offer mutual aid and support. Donate to help children visit their incarcerated mothers in Illinois.