Community organizing and solidarity would have been a requirement regardless of the outcome of the US 2024 election, but in the wake of the turnout we got, it is ESPECIALLY important.
More than anything else we have to stand together to protect each other, especially the most vulnerable members of our societies. When you are at a loss for what to do, know that you can always look out for one another.
This is your responsibility: stand with your Jewish and Muslim neighbors, with your Black neighbors and other neighbors of color, your LGBTQ+ neighbors, your disabled neighbors, your immigrant neighbors, your poor neighbors, your neighbors who are women. Stand with these groups even when they are not your neighbors - even if they live halfway across the world. We are citizens of the greater world, not just our hometowns and countries, remember that. Defend the rights of marginalized people and protect them from bigotry even when you disagree with them; even when you may condemn an individual marginalized person’s actions for one reason or another. Understand that human rights are unconditional, even if you hate someone or they hate you.
Seek to treat people with compassion. Look internally and put in the work to unlearn your biases and to shift from an individualist to community oriented mindset. Refuse to see people as monoliths, and if you have done harm, work to netter yourself so you will not do so again. The people you hurt may not trust or like you, but put in the work anyways - stand with them anyways - because not only is this the right thing to do, but it is a matter of survival. And in all of that, treat yourself with compassion too. It is easy to despair. It is easy to rage at nothing and everything. It is hard to keep moving, to keep your heart open, to keep caring. It takes work. (And, for the record that work does not mean ignoring or suppressing your anger, grief, or despair. It does not mean your anger, grief, or despair is invalid or unreasonable. That work means learning to deal with them in healthy ways so that you are not controlled by them).
So grieve, reach out, stand together. Be better than what you were. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. The future comes, and we cannot weather it alone. We are stronger together.
