Speaking out still matters, even when it feels like shouting into the void.
It’s easy to feel burned out. After all, the headlines keep coming, the policies keep getting worse, and Trump’s agenda didn’t disappear just because the election cycle did. Even outside of office, his influence drags on—through climate rollbacks, attacks on civil rights, stacked courts, and amplified hate. The chaos feels endless, and so does the exhaustion that comes with it. But if there’s one thing history keeps teaching, it’s this: persistence matters, even when progress feels out of reach.
These acts of resistance aren’t about quick wins. They’re about keeping the fire alive when the world tries to smother it. Each action chips away at the narrative of helplessness and reminds you that collective power still exists. Small steps matter. Local action matters. What you build now, even quietly, will outlast the noise. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s momentum that refuses to die out.
1. Defund fossil fuels to choke off the climate crisis at its source.
While Trump handed out favors to oil and gas billionaires, the rest of us faced fire seasons, rising seas, and suffocating air. The fossil fuel machine relies on money flowing through banks and investments to keep its grip tight. Pulling your funds away hits them where it actually hurts. This isn’t a symbolic move—it’s a direct strike at their power source.
Start with your bank accounts and retirement funds. According to the Banking on Climate Chaos report, big banks like JPMorgan Chase, Citi, and Bank of America poured over $150 billion into fossil fuels in 2022 alone.
Move your money to credit unions or ethical banks that refuse to fund environmental destruction. And beyond personal choices, push institutions to divest. Universities, workplaces, and local governments feel the heat when people demand better. Every dollar rerouted starves the machine just a little more—and every bit counts.
2. Protect your community by becoming a court watcher.
Trump’s judicial appointments didn’t just vanish. Courts remain packed with hardliners ready to rubber-stamp harsh policies and discriminatory rulings. Per Courtwatch, court proceedings often happen out of public view, creating a lack of transparency and accountability across the justice system. Sitting in on hearings, taking notes, and sharing public records shines a light on local injustices that might otherwise slip by unnoticed.
You don’t need a law degree. Just your presence can remind prosecutors and judges that their actions have witnesses. Connect with local groups already organizing court watch programs. They’ll train you on what to look for, how to report findings, and how to track patterns of bias. Even a few hours a week makes a difference. When courtrooms feel the pressure of community eyes, accountability gets harder to dodge. Quiet observation turns into loud impact, simply by refusing to let injustice unfold in the dark.
3. Use mutual aid to sidestep systems designed to fail you.
Trump’s legacy left millions without reliable healthcare, stable housing, or basic safety nets. Relying solely on broken systems won’t save us—but mutual aid can fill some of those gaps. It’s not charity; it’s solidarity. Neighbors helping neighbors without waiting for permission or red tape. As Teen Vogue’s Jane Houseal explains, mutual aid includes efforts like distributing food and offering financial support to help communities care for one another.
Get involved by joining or starting mutual aid networks in your area. Offer what you can, whether it’s money, supplies, or time. And just as importantly, don’t be afraid to receive support when you need it. Mutual aid isn’t about individual heroics. It’s about collective survival. These networks grow stronger with participation, and they remind people that power can come from the ground up, not just from the top down. In a world built to leave many behind, mutual aid proves no one has to go it alone.
4. Register others to vote before the next suppression wave hits.
Trump’s enablers have been relentless in pushing voter suppression, from purging rolls to closing polling places. They know fewer voters means fewer challenges to their agenda. But getting people registered is still one of the most effective tools for shifting power. It’s quiet work, and it happens long before ballots are cast—but it lays crucial groundwork.
Start with your own circles. Friends, family, coworkers—many people think they’re registered when they’re not. Help them check and update their status. Then go bigger. Volunteer with organizations that focus on registration drives, especially in underrepresented communities hit hardest by suppression tactics.
Every verified voter is a strike against the system designed to silence them. The more people show up, the harder it becomes for those in power to pretend they represent the majority.
5. Back frontline activists rather than just amplifying their work.
Liking posts and sharing stories helps spread awareness, but frontline activists need more than digital applause. They need resources, backup, and real-world support to sustain their movements. Trump’s agenda emboldened police crackdowns and surveillance of organizers—making it even riskier for them to keep fighting without solid backing. If you have money, donate directly to grassroots groups. If you have time, volunteer for behind-the-scenes roles like admin support, transportation, or security at protests. Even small contributions add up. Activists shouldn’t have to burn themselves out while others cheer from the sidelines.
Showing up in material ways strengthens the whole ecosystem of resistance. And while the headlines may focus on figureheads, movements survive because of everyday people choosing to stand alongside those on the front lines.
6. Support strike funds to strengthen worker power where it hurts corporations.
Trump’s policies favored corporations at every turn, gutting worker protections and emboldening union-busting tactics. But workers walking off the job remains one of the most powerful ways to demand change. Strikes are risky—without paychecks, workers need community support to keep going. That’s where strike funds come in.
Contributing to these funds buys time and security for people fighting for better conditions. Even a small donation can help cover groceries, rent, or childcare for a family holding the line. Many unions and labor organizations post public links to their strike funds, making it easy to offer support directly. Beyond donating, share fundraisers, attend picket lines, and spread the word. Strikes succeed when they last long enough to apply real pressure. Your support helps make that possible, pushing back against the corporate interests that Trump’s policies so shamelessly served.
7. Push local governments to declare climate emergencies.
National leadership stalled under Trump, but local action picked up speed. Cities and counties declaring climate emergencies might sound symbolic, but these declarations often unlock real policy changes and funding priorities. They signal urgency to constituents and set the tone for meaningful shifts in transportation, energy use, and environmental protections.
Start by checking if your community has already declared one. If not, join forces with local climate groups and petition city councils or regional bodies to step up. Attend meetings, write letters, and bring neighbors into the conversation. These declarations push climate issues to the front of the agenda, making it harder for officials to drag their feet. Local wins add up, building a groundswell that ripples outward. While Trump’s legacy tried to freeze progress, local action keeps the climate fight alive and moving.
8. Fight book bans to protect truth in public spaces.
Trump’s attacks on education fueled a surge in book bans, especially targeting works by marginalized voices. School boards and libraries have become battlegrounds, with extremists pushing to erase histories and silence perspectives they don’t like. Fighting back preserves access to ideas that challenge power and expand understanding.
Get involved by attending school board meetings, speaking up at library forums, and supporting educators under fire. If you can, donate banned books to local classrooms or community libraries. Help circulate reading lists and free digital copies to keep these stories alive.
Combating censorship isn’t just about protecting books—it’s about protecting the right to learn, question, and grow. When access to knowledge shrinks, fear and ignorance take its place. Keeping shelves full of truth is a quiet but essential form of resistance.
9. Dismantle digital surveillance by protecting your data.
Trump’s administration expanded surveillance on activists, immigrants, and journalists—using digital trails to track, target, and intimidate. While the faces in office change, these surveillance systems linger. Protecting your digital privacy isn’t just a personal safeguard; it weakens the tools used to suppress dissent.
Start by using encrypted messaging apps, strengthening your passwords, and limiting the personal information you share publicly. Support legislation and organizations fighting for digital rights and privacy protections. Help friends and community members learn how to secure their devices. The less data you hand over freely, the fewer tools authorities have to monitor and disrupt activism. Digital security is collective security. Every step you take protects not just you, but the movements you’re part of.
10. Keep showing up, even when exhaustion tells you not to.
The chaos of Trump’s years left many people burned out and disillusioned. It’s tempting to pull back, convinced that nothing changes or that the damage is too deep. But showing up—consistently, even quietly—still matters. Movements aren’t built on perfect energy. They’re built on persistence.
Choose what’s sustainable for you. Maybe that’s monthly donations, regular volunteering, or simply staying informed and ready to act when needed. Burnout is real, but so is recovery. Taking breaks keeps you in the fight longer. And when you show up, you remind others they’re not alone. Collective action depends on millions of imperfect, exhausted people refusing to give up. Trump’s agenda feeds off despair. Showing up is how you starve it.