We’re looking at a new year, and a new administration shortly after. There are things we can do right now that will be much less effective in a couple weeks. Here’s a list of them.
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December crawls to a close, and January starts tomorrow. We will face the new year with hope and grace and a new perspective that will carry us through. Just kidding. That’s a really tall order, especially given what awaits us just a few days in. We are running out of the waiting time — the time when we stare into the future abyss, fearing what it will mean while still firmly planted in a world where the head of the country isn’t actively stripping us of our rights. Soon, we will be in the fire. Soon, our world will change. We’ve spent months knowing it was coming. Now the time has arrived. So what can we do? How can we make this place better? We are, after all, each just one individual against an entire system.
We can do small things. Small things build on each other. If you manage one small thing a day, in your own community, they will add up. Imagine if we all resolved to do one tiny thing a day. It’s certainly more than the zero things we would do normally.
This is a list of small things I did this week, things that take just a little time, and sometimes a small amount of money. Things that make a difference. Things that maybe you can find a way to make your own. Happy holidays.
1) I used the American Civil Liberties Union’s letter writing service to write to Congress to continue to allow us, the people, the right to dissent. There is a form letter that you can change with a personal message, or just fill in your name and hit send. It’s imperative that we send these letters and petitions now, under the Biden administration, so that in the last hour before January 20 we can solidify the base of rights we already have and demand the freedoms we don’t yet have. If you would like to read about the campaign to save the right to dissent, you can find it here. This will take just a few moments of your time.
2) In my area, and possibly yours, there’s a local nonprofit that helps children learn to read. With my hectic schedule, I couldn’t dedicate a consistent time slot for tutoring kids, but I was able to send them a $25 donation to help them get the word out. Perhaps other adults who may not have the money, but have the time could help these children. Check your local nonprofits. You will find many of them work with and through the school systems to help students at risk of falling through the cracks. For information on the one I found, visit here.
3) I signed up for the free For the People newsletter. It focuses on grassroot actions to strengthen libraries, among other causes. They have a 12-week library board training starting in January, if you want to run for the library board in your area. There are also several small things this organization has been making me aware of through social media. Now I’ll get these alerts by email, and I’ll be able to participate in mutual aid that they have already arranged. It is so important to support aid work that is already underway by trusted organizations. To check it out, click here.
4) I signed a Planned Parenthood petition asking Biden to expand the Supreme Court. This is obviously pie-in-the-sky and I’m not sure about the efficacy of petitions, but Planned Parenthood is a vetted organization with some structural power, and this only took a few moments. I’d rather try than not, on the off-chance that, down the road, it will have some effect. You can sign here.
5) Do you have friends with wishlists? During this holiday season, I haven’t used Amazon at all for my own shopping; that’s a better way to stick it to Bezos than, say, unsubscribing to The Washington Post (which remains a useful source of news). Of course, for many people on tight budgets, shopping on Amazon isn’t even an option. If you know people with wishlist items they simply can’t afford — like presents for a child’s upcoming birthday — stepping in to provide something specific they’ve requested can really make someone’s day. I bought a planting set for a friend who couldn’t afford the gift for her daughter. It cost $16, well worth it for a happy holiday.
6) I wrote a letter through Stand Up America’s service asking my congresspeople to fill judge vacancies with Biden’s picks before the changeover of administrations. This is meaningless in my state in the short term. My Republican leaders will most certainly not do this. However, it’s important that they understand that I am their constituent, and these are my wishes, and that there are many like me out here. Maybe you are in a state where Democratic leaders are hesitant to buck Republicans by confirming judges named by Biden. In those states, making your wishes known is especially important and time is running out. To access the letter (you can rewrite it and edit it to your liking), you can click here. It will send the letters to your specific lawmakers. https://act.standupamerica.com/letters/letter-judicial-confirmations/
7) Right now, our allies, the Kurds, and other minorities in Rojava — an area in northeastern Syria struggling to maintain an independent polity — are under intense attack. If you want to help them, contact Sen. James Risch (R-ID), a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, (202-224-2752) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), a ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (202-225-3461). I have family in New York, so I called Meeks and gave the local zip code; I implored his office to take a public stand defending the Syrian Democratic Forces and stop any and all financial support to Turkey. This took five minutes.
As we brace for the changes that January 20 will bring, it’s imperative we do anything we can to defend the basic rights and liberties that people around the world cherish. The things we do may be small. And that’s okay. Please consider doing one small thing a day. This kind of grass-roots action will help all get us through the challenges ahead.
