Looking for ways to avoid becoming overwhelmed by what is happening in DC, across the country, and throughout the world? Prioritizing where to put your time and energy is important. Answering these questions may help.
- What do you like to do? Which best describes you?
- Direct Contact Activists are people who enjoy calling representatives and other government officials.
- Written Adovocacy Activists are those who prefer writing postcards or letters to voters.
- Digital Organizers are social media, eBlast, or web design folks who can amplify the messages online.
- Financial Supporters are those with limited time but financial resources to donate.
- Behind-the-scenes supporters are people who prefer research or administrative tasks
- Event Organizers are those who coordinate protests, rallies, and celebrations.
- How much time can you commit?
- Which issues matter the most to you? After determining your activism style and available time, identify the issues most important to you. Leading organizations like Indivisible, 50501, Swing Left, ACLU, Brennan Center, and Southern Poverty Law Center focus on:
- Defending Democracy
- Opposing Abuse of Executive Power
- Supporting Rights: Voting, Criminal Justice, Racial Justice, Reproductive Rights, and so much more
A central consideration for some is “what do you want to do will have the most impact?”
When deciding where to focus, consider both current priority issues and your interests. The greatest impact often comes from working on issues you are passionate about. Remember that all forms of activism are valuable, whether you’re demonstrating in the streets or taking action from home.
We reviewed the Issues that are top priorities for these organizations:
Indivisible, a progressive advocacy network, is actively engaged in a range of political issues at both the national and local levels. Their efforts are focused on defending democratic institutions, promoting progressive policies, and resisting what they describe as authoritarian or anti-democratic threats, particularly from Donald Trump and his allies.
The 50501 movement is a decentralized, grassroots activist network organizing nationwide protests against the policies of President Donald Trump and the influential role of figures like Elon Musk. The movement’s name stands for “50 protests, 50 states, one day,” reflecting its strategy of simultaneous, coordinated demonstrations across the United States.
Swing Left is a Democratic-aligned grassroots organization focused on winning elections in key swing districts and states to secure and maintain Democratic majorities at the federal and state levels. The organization’s main political issues and policy priorities are reflected in their strategies and campaigns.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is actively working on a broad range of civil rights and civil liberties issues, with particular urgency around the threats posed by Project 2025, a comprehensive conservative policy agenda developed by The Heritage Foundation and former Trump administration officials. The ACLU’s work spans litigation, legislative advocacy, and grassroots organizing across the United States.
The Brennan Center for Justice is addressing a broad spectrum of democracy and justice issues beyond its high-profile opposition to Project 2025. Here are several additional areas of focus based on recent work and analysis:
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is engaged in a wide range of civil rights, anti-hate, and democracy-strengthening initiatives. Its work is national in scope but deeply rooted in the South, and it combines litigation, research, advocacy, and community partnerships.
Issues Overview
| Defending Democracy & Civil Rights | Opposition to Authoritarianism & Trump Policies, Executive Power, Constitutional Protection, Policy Advocacy and Litigation | Voting Rights & Redistricting, Election Integrity, Campaign Finance & Government Accountability | Immigration & Deportations, Immigrant Rights | Racial Justice, Dismantling White Supremacy and Countering Hate, Empowering Black Communities | Reproductive Rights, responding to anti-abortion extremism | Criminal Justice, Mass Incarceration, Ending Unjust imprisionment & over-criminalization | Surveillance & Privacy | Project 2025 & Tech Billionaire Influence | Free Speech & Anti-Dissent Legislation, Censorship | State Supreme Court Initiative | Federal Workforce & Public Service | Progressive Policy Advocacy | Community Support & Non-violent Resistance | Response to Political Retaliation | Justice System Reform | Elimination Poverty & Economic Inequality | Environmental Justice | Gender Justice, responding to gender based hate | Economic Justice & Labor Rights | Health Care & Opioid Epidemic | Gun Control | Attacks on Education | LGBTQA+ Rights | Affordable Housing | Disability Rights | DEIA in High Education | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indivisible | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 50501 | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Swing Left | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ACLU | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brennan Center for Justice | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern Poverty Law Center | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |