Every day (Monday-Friday), we’ll update this space with protests, signs, and other public demonstrations against the actions of the administration. Keep checking to see how Americans all across the country are protecting and defending democracy. Get help organizing from Indivisible, find protests in your area at mobilize.us, and send us your protest photos at submit@contrariannews.org.

June 2

June 1

May 29

May 28

May 27

May 26

May 25

May 22

May 21

May 20

May 19

May 18

May 15

May 14

May 13

May 12

May 11

May 8

May 7

May 6

May 5

May 4

May 1

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Cheer on Vote Defenders

In rare good news on the redistricting wars in the South, voting-rights groups prevailed this week in Alabama — securing a ruling by a three-judge district court panel that blocked the state’s effort to impose new a congressional map for 2026 because it was “tainted by intentional race-based discrimination.” (The decision is being appealed to the Supreme Court, which had earlier given Alabama a tentative green light to proceed with a hyperpartisan redistricting in the wake of the high court’s Callais decision.)

The ruling is a reminder to support the crucial work of the ACLU, which brought the litigation in coalition with the Legal Defense Fund, church groups, and the NAACP of Alabama. The ACLU also played a leadership role in the fight for representation in South Carolina, where this week Republicans, heeding the call of pro-democracy activists, stalled a Trump-backed redistricting plan that would have eliminated the state’s only majority-minority House district.

Prep for “Freedom Summer” 2.0

The Civil Rights organizers at Black Power War Room are launching a reprise of Freedom Summer, evoking the historic 1964 mobilization that registered Black voters in the Deep South. The just-announced calendar includes a series of events designed to activate and turn out Black voters and allies in the fight for a true American democracy. It begins with a Juneteenth “week of action” and stretches through a pre-election “last push” on Halloween. Sign up with an email to access the group’s toolkit for activists.

Train to Fight While Trump Watches UFC

On June 14, the No Kings Coalition is hosting a nationwide organizing event as counterprogramming to the UFC spectacle at the Trump White House. The coalition describes the purpose of the evening as “transforming the energy from the streets into sustained local organizing” in order “to build long-term, local collective power and defend our communities against this administration’s ongoing threats.”

These organizing parties will feature their own marquee entertainment — a Rise Up, Sing Out concert in defense of the First Amendment, with appearances by Bette Midler, Rufus Wainwright, and Jane Fonda. “Throughout history, authoritarians have wanted to make people feel alone, isolated,” Fonda said, announcing the concert. “[But] when people have stood together—with open hearts, open arms, in solidarity and in community—the people have prevailed.”

Sign up for an organizing event at NoKings.org, or look for concert tickets here.

Subscribe now

End the Cuba Blockade

The Trump administration’s lawless blockade of Cuba is creating immense suffering as island residents go without gasoline, fuel oil, and electricity. Now the administration has unveiled a criminal indictment of Raúl Castro, perhaps setting the stage for regime change like the United States imposed on Venezuela after indicting Nicolás Maduro. Indivisible has a campaign for activists to contact Congress to demand an end to the blockade and to oppose potential military action on the sovereign island nation.

Protect ICE Detainees and Protestors

Don’t let ICE atrocities slip from the spotlight. ICE agents clashed with protestors outside of the Delaney Hall detention center in New Jersey on Tuesday after Sen. Andy Kim’s inspection of the facility. The protests began after news spread that a detainee — who organized a hunger strike against inhumane conditions inside — was being transferred to another facility.

Support the detainees and protestors. For those in New Jersey, contact your representatives and advocate for bill A4300, which would impose a tax on private detention facilities to fund immigrant legal defense programs. Outside of New Jersey, demand that your representatives and senators enact ICE reforms and conduct inspections of facilities that have earned comparisons to concentration camps. Encourage Congress to embrace Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s simple logic for ICE funding: “No accountability? No check.”

Prep for “Seven Days In June”

Leading unions and healthcare groups have launched a Seven Days in June campaign to elevate a national conversation about America’s healthcare crisis and the need for consistent non-partisan public health investment. Read the group’s call to action and plan to participate in a candlelight vigil on June 5.

D-Day is for Democracy

Pro-democracy organizers of the Visibility Brigade are honoring the sacrifice of D-Day and the fierce fight against fascism that it symbolizes by mounting nationwide protests on June 6. The Visibility Brigade organizes demonstrations on freeway overpasses — holding large signs and banners to communicate “peacefully, visibly, and powerfully” to passing motorists, with the aim of “reminding everyday people that they are not alone in these unprecedented times.” The D-Day event targets the unchecked billionaire power that’s fueling the fascist lurch the federal government. You can find a brigade chapter near you, check out the group’s activist toolkit for “rush hour resistance,” and sign up for the D-Day events here.

Fight Presidential Corruption

Donald Trump has secured an outlandish “settlement” from the Justice Department that creates a nearly $1.8 billion slush fund for Trump to distribute to supposed victims of judicial “weaponization.” As our publisher Norm Eisen described it: “This is a smash-and-grab job, pure and simple: Trump wants to raid the American treasury to line his allies’ pockets.”

Many of those now clamoring for a payout are Jan. 6ers, including former Proud Boy honcho Enrique Tarrio, whom Trump pardoned for seditious conspiracy. Indivisible has launched a campaign to contact your members of Congress to demand “no payouts for insurrectionists.”

Stand with E. Jean

E. Jean Carroll — who outraged Donald Trump by winning a combined $88 million in judgments against him related to sexual assault and subsequent defamation — is now being criminally investigated, in a case of actual weaponization by the Trump Justice Department. Watch a documentary about Carroll that includes gutting footage of her deposition recounting her abuse at the hands of Trump.

Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It

Tuesday, June 2, is a major event on the primary schedule with elections from coast-to-coast.

California holds its “jungle” primary, which could either put two Democrats through to the next round in the fight for governor, or effectively choose the next leader of the Golden State if a Republican makes it to the general election. (California hasn’t elected a Republican to statewide office since 2011.)

On the same night, Iowa will choose a Democrat to fight for the Senate for the seat being vacated by Republican Joni Ernst. Montana decides which Democrat will get the nod for a pivotal House race. There are also primaries in New Jersey (where Republicans will pick the candidate to face off with Sen. Cory Booker), New Mexico, and South Dakota.

The rest of the June primary calendar is stocked, with another ten contests upcoming:

June 9: Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina

June 16: Oklahoma, Washington, D.C.

June 23: Maryland, New York, Utah

June 30: Colorado

Check Vote411.org to verify your voting details and make a plan to cast your ballot.

Click here to find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life — from contacting your elected officials, to ensuring your right to vote, to supporting public-interest journalism.

Subscribe now

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Fight Presidential Corruption

Donald Trump has dropped his scammy lawsuit against the IRS — after getting an outlandish “settlement” from the Justice Department that creates a $1.776 billion slush fund for Trump to distribute to supposed victims of judicial “weaponization.” As our publisher Norm Eisen puts it: “This is a smash-and-grab job, pure and simple: Trump wants to raid the American treasury to line his allies’ pockets.”

The same agreement includes a stipulation that bars the IRS from tax enforcement actions against the president, his family, or his businesses — putting to rest an audit that might have forced Trump to cough up $100 million. This news comes the same week that Trump has been exposed for publicly hyping companies he’d recently bought stock in. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of Trumpworld corruption scandals.

In America, the presidency must be an office of public trust, not a vehicle for personal enrichment. Contact your members of Congress to demand the legislative branch quash Trump’s deal with the Justice Department, which has even GOP leaders nervous. And prepare for the long fight ahead by brushing up on the Brennan Center’s “Nine Solutions for Political Corruption.”

Keep Up the Redistricting Fight

Thousands attended. Millions watched and supported from afar. But the “All Roads Lead to the South” day of action in mid-May was not a one-and-done event. The struggle continues. Keep abreast of the latest in MAGA attempts to erode Black representation in Congress by signing up for updates from the Black Power War Room and by monitoring the latest redistricting news from South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and beyond.

Read bell hooks and Irritate JD Vance

Whitney Alese, a popular digital creator who posts under the handle thereclaimed, noticed that JD Vance’s memoirs have almost the same titles as books by the renowned American philosopher and author bell hooks. This could “potentially promote erasure of her [work],” according to Alese. To counteract this, join Alese in reading bell hooks’ book communion in June. Go to bookshop.org to get the book or request it through your local library. Brownie points if you also read hooks’ Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place. (Vance’s last book title is similar.)

No Blank Check for War

Donald Trump’s war on Iran has been a moral and strategic disaster. Lawmakers hold the power to block funding for Trump’s devastating war, which already has cost at least $29 billion, while disrupting global commerce. You can also let your lawmakers know how you feel about Trump’s call for a 40 percent increase in Pentagon spending. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress.

Subscribe now

Fight Big Data Locally

Seven in ten Americans oppose the construction of artificial intelligence data centers in their communities, according to a recent Gallup poll. And for good reason — the AI centers increase air, water, light, and noise pollution and drive up energy prices.

Americans fighting to block construction of these emissions-producing, water-hogging facilities have a new tool at their disposal. StopBigData.org has built an interactive map of data center projects from coast to coast and offers assistance drafting opposition emails to local officials and policymakers. Visitors can sign a declaration demanding robust federal regulation of AI infrastructure that has, to date, “weakened the power grid, drained local water supplies, and left taxpayers with costs that corporations admit should fall on them.”

D-Day is for Democracy

Pro-democracy organizers of the Visibility Brigade are honoring the sacrifice of D-Day and the fierce fight against fascism that it symbolizes by mounting nationwide protests on June 6. The Visibility Brigade organizes demonstrations on freeway overpasses — holding large signs and banners to communicate “peacefully, visibly, and powerfully” to passing motorists, with the aim of “reminding everyday people that they are not alone in these unprecedented times.” The D-Day event targets the unchecked billionaire power that’s fueling the fascist lurch the federal government. You can find a brigade chapter near you, check out the group’s activist toolkit for “rush hour resistance,” and sign up for the D-Day events here.

Prepare for “Seven Days In June”

Leading unions and healthcare groups have launched the Seven Days in June campaign to elevate a national conversation about America’s healthcare crisis and the need for consistent non-partisan public health investment. Read the group’s call to action and plan to participate in a candlelight vigil on June 5.

Meanwhile, sign a Stop Taking Our Health Care petition from Social Security Works to speak out against rising healthcare costs and demand that Congress not cut healthcare programs.

Learn and Fight The Authoritarian Playbook

Frustrated with the attack on our democracy and want a simple, concise resource to understand and act? Stacey Abrams launched the 10 Steps mobilization and education campaign to do just that. 10 Steps provides a framework to understanding the “authoritarian playbook” and the tools to fight it. Peruse the campaign’s valuable resources page and toolkit, join events near you, become a partner, or spread awareness online.

Vote Like Your Democracy Depends on It

Texas closes out May primary season with the Republican senate runoff between Trump suckup Sen. John Cornyn and Trump-endorsed, scandal-scarred attorney general, Ken Paxton.

The June primary calendar is stocked, with contests in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Here’s the schedule for a month with five Tuesdays:

June 2: California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota

June 9: Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina

June 16: Oklahoma, Washington, D.C.,

June 23: Maryland, New York, Utah

June 30: Colorado

Check your voting details at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot.

Click here to find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life — from contacting your elected officials, to ensuring your right to vote, to supporting public-interest journalism.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

The New Civil Rights Movement Starts Now

Republicans across the South are using the cover of the Supreme Court’s execrable Callais decision to dilute the power of Black and Brown voters. In response, voting rights advocates are organizing an All Roads Lead to the South day of protest and action on Saturday, May 16.

The day’s key demonstrations will take place in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, two hallowed grounds from the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. Organizers are framing the action as a continuation of that struggle: “Our parents and grandparents marched, organized, bled, and won,” they write. “The Voting Rights Act was theirs. The fight to keep it is ours.”

The day will begin in Selma, scene of the Bloody Sunday march in 1965, with a “Moral Moment for Faith Leaders” at 9 a.m. local time, with a crossing the famed Edmund Pettus Bridge. The culmination of the day of action will be in Montgomery, home of the bus boycott led by Rosa Parks, with a rally at the state capitol beginning at 1 p.m. The Contrarian will be reporting on the scene all day. Contrarian publisher Norm Eisen, April Ryan, and others will come to you live from Montgomery on Saturday evening with a recap of the day’s events.

Subscribe now

Supporting actions are planned in cities from Austin to St. Louis, Trenton to Tallahassee. Find the event nearest you on this interactive map or organize one of your own.

The most important step you can take in the face of the Republican assault on representative democracy is ensuring that you, your friends, and your family members are registered to vote and have a plan to vote in November. The All Roads page has a “Stop the Voting Purge” tool to help you check your registration and polling place, register to vote if necessary, and sign up for election reminders.

A Day Against Data Centers

A recent Gallup poll found that 70 percent of Americans do not want AI data centers in their communities, and for good reason — the centers increase air-, water-, light-, and noise pollution; and drive up energy prices. Americans across the country are fighting to keep these emissions-producing, water-hogging facilities out of their communities. This Saturday, Say No To Data Centers is leading the charge for nonpartisan, localized protests to block the approval and construction of new data centers. Say No has published a list of protest and educational resources, alongside a list of participating opposition groups near you.

Prepare for “Seven Days In June”

Leading unions and health care groups have launched a campaign called Seven Days in June. The campaign aims to elevate a national conversation about America’s healthcare crisis and the need for consistent non-partisan public health investment. Read the group’s call to action and plan to participate in a candlelight vigil on June 5.

Meanwhile, sign a Stop Taking Our Health Care petition from Social Security Works to speak out against rising healthcare costs and demand that Congress not cut healthcare programs.

No Blank Check for War

Donald Trump’s war on Iran has been a moral and strategic disaster. Lawmakers hold the power to block funding for Trump’s devastating war, which already has cost at least $29 billion, while disrupting global commerce. You can also let your lawmakers know how you feel about Trump’s call for a 40 percent increase in Pentagon spending. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress.

After Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, far-right elected officials in Southern states are scrambling to try to redraw voting maps mid-cycle — as mobilize.us put it, “without voter input, without transparency, and without shame.”

The Callais ruling is giving far-right legislators and governors an opportunity to prevent Black and Brown citizens a say in who represents them.

Tomorrow, in New Orleans, Montgomery, and Nashville, voters are mobilizing to defend their right to vote and their right to representation.

The events include:

LOUISIANA: Flood the Polls, Fill the Streets

Gov. Jeff Landry canceled Louisiana’s U.S. House primaries — not the entire primary — after absentee ballots were sent and early voting was set to start. His far-right crony legislators are racing to redraw the state’s congressional map to eliminate majority-Black districts. Everyone who supports democracy in Louisiana is encouraged to vote, to call the governor and their state legislators, and make their voices heard.

A rally is planned for 8 a.m. tomorrow at the criminal courthouse at 2700 Tulane Avenue in Louisiana. Find out more here.

ALABAMA: NO to a Special Session to Redraw Maps

Following in Landry’s dirty footsteps, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is trying to suspend her state’s May 19 congressional primary to get a rigged voting map passed in a special session. A 3 p.m. Monday rally at the Alabama State House at 11 South Union Street in Montgomery will let Ivey and far-right legislators know what the state’s voters think of their anti-democratic efforts. Find out more here.

TENNESSEE: NO to a Special Session to Redraw Maps

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee called a special session for May 5 with only four days’ notice to redraw congressional maps — without public input, if possible. At noon on Tuesday, people from across the state will rally at the state Capitol at 600 Dr. MLK Jr. Boulevard in Nashville to say no to any new maps that disenfranchise Black and Brown voters. Find out more here.

Protests will continue across the South this week. Keep watching this space for more coverage about the push-back on the ground.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Stand Up for Voting Rights

The reactionary justices of the Supreme Court just dealt a grave blow to the Voting Rights Act, allowing states to diminish the electoral power of Black and Brown communities through racial gerrymandering. Florida has already pushed through an egregious redistricting map that does exactly that. Louisiana is now suspending its mid-May primary and aiming to redraw its electoral map.

To realize a vision of a multi-racial democracy, Americans must put constant pressure on elected officials to create a fair and representative electoral system. Speak out for fair maps. Many states have upcoming legislative sessions — and existing districts that are providing fair representation to your community could be on the chopping block. Show up and get involved with the legislative process. Don’t let your elected officials make decisions about you without hearing from you.

As Lauren Groh-Wargo of Fair Fight Action made clear in a video appearance on The Contrarian, this is an all-hands-on-deck moment for democracy:

Here are other ways you can get involved:

• Join Indivisible and a broad coalition No Kings of partners at 8 p.m. ET tonight for a rapid-response call to discuss the ruling’s implications and plan next steps.

• Ensure that you and your community members are registered to vote.

• Tell Congress to ban partisan and racial gerrymanding.

• Fight for one of the most important upcoming elections — the May 19 Georgia Supreme Court election.

Join in ‘May Day Strong’

Tomorrow is May Day and a chance for the pro-democracy movement to flex its economic muscle in the face of authoritarian overreach and billionaire power. May Day Strong organizers — including Indivisible and labor, and clergy groups — have called for the rough equivalent of a general strike on Friday: “No work. No school. No shopping.”

This action will feel different from a No Kings event. “This is a tactical escalation beyond just mobilizing on a Saturday,” Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin tells The Contrarian. ”It is a more-difficult tactic to pull off. But it’s a more-difficult tactic with payoff,” he says, pointing to the success of consumer actions against companies like Tesla, Disney, Avelo Airlines, Spotify, and others in changing corporate behavior.

The day will be filled with working-class solidarity — including rallies, demonstrations, and community events. Check out this toolkit to organize an event locally or plan to join one of thousands of events already on tap nationwide.

Curb Gun Violence

The White House Correspondents Dinner shooting is just the latest iteration of the gun violence epidemic plaguing America, yet our politicians refuse to act. Take action with Everytown For Gun Safety and BradyUnited, to advocate for stricter gun laws, demand accountability from our leaders, and learn how to help those impacted by a mass shooting.

No Blank Check for War

Donald Trump’s 60-day authority to wage military action in Iran without congressional approval expires May 1. He may well ignore the deadline, but lawmakers still hold the power to block funding for Trump’s devastating war, which already has cost at least $25 billion, while harming global commerce. You can also let your lawmakers know how you feel about Trump’s call for a 40 percent increase in Pentagon spending. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress.

Keep Trump’s Face Off Your Passport

Trump, who likes to put his scowling mug everywhere, is now poised to have his face printed in your passport. Renew your passport online to avoid having a Trump-branded travel document. Or send the State Department a message urging reconsideration of this misguided vanity project.

Check Your Voter Registration

Indiana and Ohio hold primaries on May 5. The next two months will be busy with primary contests. Check your voter registration status and deadline here.

Subscribe now

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Reading as Resistance

Today is World Book Day — or International Day of the Book — an annual celebration intended to promote reading and publishing awareness, organized by UNESCO. This global event highlights the power of books to bridge cultures and foster literacy. At a moment when U.S. libraries are facing funding cuts and censorship is on the rise, there’s no better time to visit your local branch, or step into an independent book store.

Here are a few recommendations from The Contrarian:

How to Be a Dissident by Gal Beckerman (library link)
An invigorating guide to fighting back — part philosophy, part history, part manual for living with integrity in an age of conformity and authoritarian drift.

Days of Love and Rage: A Story of Ordinary People Forging a Revolution by Anand Gopal (library link)
A history of how Manbij, Syria, ousted the Assad regime in 2011 — and the extraordinary experiment in democracy that followed — through the eyes of the people who made it happen. Gopal spoke with The Contrarian’s Abraham Kenmore about the work.

Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy by Joyce Vance (library link)
A political manifesto for our present moment — a history lesson and a call to save the republic. Vance reminds us that we’re all in this together and that complacency is not an option.

The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change by Rebecca Solnit (library link)
Solnit brings the precision instrument of her prose — fired in equal parts anger and empathy — to a survey of how the world has changed since 1960, animated by the question of what comes next.

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (library link)
Two-and-a-half years after the war in Gaza began, El Akkad’s combination memoir-manifesto stands as a searing rebuke to the still-falling bombs — and as (probably?) the only National Book Award winner to have begun as a tweet.

How to Dodge a Cannonball: a Novel by Dennard Dayle (library link)
This biting, genuinely hilarious satire has been pitched as the “Catch-22 for the Civil War.” Like Catch-22, it also has a thing or two to say about the present.

What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (library link)
Johnson, a marine biologist, gives a galvanizing, clear-eyed look at the climate crisis, taking in perspectives from across science, policy, culture, and justice — and dares to look ahead. “Sometimes the bravest thing we can do while facing an existential crisis is imagine life on the other side.”

Why Fascists Fear Teachers by Randi Weingarten (library link)
Book bans, curriculum wars, cuts to the bone of public education: these have been weapons of authoritarian regimes longer than they’ve been Trump-era headlines. Weingarten examines the long history of fascists targeting teachers — and how educators, and the rest of us, can fight right back.

The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles by Gary Krist (library link)
Books are a useful means of distraction and immersion into a different time and cadence. Among our favorite narrative non-fiction authors, Krist illuminates the birth of Los Angeles, a metropolis that never should have been, through the stories of three complex visionaries who dreamed it into reality.

In the Times of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez (library link)
Women drive successful resistance movements but are often footnoted in official narratives. Alvarez captures this truth through a fictionalized account of the Mirabal sisters, real women who led an underground resistance in the Dominican Republic during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. The novel exposes the female-led movement that made liberation possible while breathing the women’s humanity into the story.

Block the Merger

Help block Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Run by the Trump-allied Ellison family, Paramount is seeking to create a right-wing media monopoly that poses a threat to journalistic independence and artistic integrity. (Watch Meredith Blake’s video explainer or read her article explaining what’s at stake). You can a sign a letter opposing the deal at Block The Merger. If you’re in the Washington, D.C., area, consider attending a protest today at 5:30 p.m., or watch the livestream. The Contrarian’s Norm Eisen will speak.

Support SPLC

The Southern Poverty Law Center is being targeted in a malicious prosecution by the federal government on charges that paying informants who infiltrate extremist groups is somehow tantamount to providing support to those same groups. (“The SPLC is manufacturing racism,” Trump toady and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said announcing the indictment, “to justify its existence.” ) Visit SPLCenter.org to learn about the group’s actual work of confronting the threats of white supremacy and violent extremism that the Trump Justice Department is turning a blind eye to — as it harasses one of the nation’s most storied civil rights watchdogs.

Subscribe now

Mobilize for May Day

May Day is shaping up to be a major happening for the pro-democracy movement, flexing its economic muscle in the face of authoritarian overreach and billionaire power. Organizers — including Indivisible, labor, and clergy groups — are calling for a nationwide general strike: “No work. No school. No shopping.” As Indivisible puts it: “May Day offers us an opportunity to test our movement’s ability to do nonviolent, economic disruption.” The day will be filled with working-class solidarity — including rallies, demonstrations, and community events. Check out this toolkit for organizing an event locally, or plan to join one of more than 1,000 already on tap nationwide. You can also sign a pledge to participate, print out a poster, or find a script to encourage businesses to shut down for the day. Find out more at MayDayStrong.

Help Impeach Pete Hegseth

Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) has filed articles of impeachment for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, seeking his removal for having waged an unauthorized war, for violating “the law of armed conflict and targeting civilians,” and for reckless endangerment of U.S. service members. If you’d prefer to oust the modern-day crusader from Trump’s Cabinet, ask your representative to cosponsor Ansari’s efforts.

No Blank Check for War

Lawmakers have the power to block funding for Trump’s illegal war in Iran. You can also let your lawmakers know how you feel about Trump’s budget that calls for a 40 percent increase in Pentagon spending. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress demanding congressional oversight and a vote on a war powers resolution. Join or organize a peaceful anti-war protest. Find resources here.

Check Your Voter Registration

May and June will be busy primary months. Check your voter registration status and deadline here.

Subscribe now

Normally, congressional redistricting happens every ten years after the census to make sure that everyone in the state is fairly represented in Congress. But last year, at Trump’s urging, because he was worried about Republicans losing the House, he convinced Texas to redistrict mid-decade to give Republicans an advantage.

And then everything cascaded from there. Then California responded by passing a ballot measure to give Democrats a five seat advantage, effectively canceling out the Texas gains. And in the past year, Ohio, North Carolina, and Missouri got in the mix, adding seats for Republicans a total of four between them, while Utah added one for Democrats.

Next week, Florida Republicans will be discussing changing the state’s congressional maps that could add between 1 and 5 seats to Republicans in the House. And in June, the Supreme Court could be issuing a ruling on a voting rights case that could add another 19 seats to Republicans in the South.

You know those majority Black congressional districts in southern states that were drawn to protect Black voters so that they would always have representation in Congress in states that historically disenfranchized them? Well, the Supreme Court could soon say “no more.”

Oh, and the ballot measure that just passed in Virginia yesterday?

Well, the state Supreme Court could still strike it down. But if you take anything away from this video, make it this: It’s not guaranteed that these districts go for Republicans or Democrats. Voters can change their mind. We’re already seeing this in Texas. Latinos are having second thoughts about voting for Trump based on what he’s done around immigration.

It’s not guaranteed that these districts will 100% go Republican or Democrat in the fall. So stay tuned and for updates.

Ben Sheehan is a political commentator and digital creator. He specializes in civics education, which is showcased in his latest book, What Does the Constitution Actually Say?: A Non-Boring Guide to How Our Democracy Is Supposed to Work. Check out his Substack, Politics Made Easy.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Mobilize for May Day

May Day is shaping up to be a major happening for the pro-democracy movement, flexing its economic muscle in the face of authoritarian overreach and billionaire power. Organizers — including Indivisible, labor, and clergy groups — are calling for a nationwide general strike: “No work. No school. No shopping.” As Indivisible puts it: “May Day offers us an opportunity to test our movement’s ability to do nonviolent, economic disruption.” The day will be filled with working-class solidarity — including rallies, demonstrations, and community events. Check out this toolkit for organizing an event locally, or plan to join one of more than 1,000 already on tap nationwide. You can also sign a pledge to participate, print out a poster, or find a script to encourage businesses to shut down for the day. Find out more at MayDayStrong.

Embrace Earth Day

Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22. Whether you want to help clean up plastic trash, plant a tree, or organize your community, you can find an event near you at Earthday.org.

Stand Up for the Forest Service

The Trump administration has announced it is gutting the Forest Service, closing regional offices, shuttering research stations, and relocating its headquarters to Utah, a state pursuing mineral extraction on public lands. Call your members of Congress to support the Save Our Forests Act of 2025. Pressure companies that built their businesses on the promise of wild and open public lands (think: Nalgene and L.L. Bean) to stand up to the administration at SaveUSFS.org.

Demand Accountability for Trump’s Genocidal Threats

It cannot be acceptable for a U.S. president to threaten to annihilate an entire civilization. Donald Trump’s genocidal Truth Social post of April 7 was so extreme as to possibly constitute a war crime in itself. Dozens of members of Congress have called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked to remove a reckless commander in chief who can’t distinguish between tough negotiation tactics and terrorism — and now seems to have a God complex, feuding with the pope and posting a meme of himself as Jesus. (More on the 25th Amendment option here and here.) Call your members of Congress to insist that Trump’s grave breach of moral leadership not be swept under the rug.

Help Impeach Pete Hegseth

Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) has filed articles of impeachment for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, seeking his removal for having waged an unauthorized war, for violating “the law of armed conflict and targeting civilians,” and for reckless endangerment of U.S. service members. If you’d prefer to oust the modern-day crusader from Trump’s Cabinet, ask your representative to cosponsor Ansari’s efforts.

No Blank Check for War

Lawmakers have the power to block funding for Trump’s illegal war in Iran. You can also let your lawmakers know how you feel about Trump’s budget that calls for a 40 percent increase in Pentagon spending. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress demanding congressional oversight and a vote on a war powers resolution. Join or organize a peaceful anti-war protest. Find resources here.

Check Your Voter Registration

May and June will be busy primary months. Check your voter registration status and deadline here.

Click here to find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life — from contacting your elected officials, to ensuring your right to vote, to supporting public-interest journalism.

Subscribe now

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Demand Accountability for Trump’s Genocidal Threats

It cannot be acceptable for a U.S. president to threaten to annihilate an entire civilization. Donald Trump’s infamous genocidal Truth Social post of April 7 was so extreme as to possibly constitute a war crime in itself. Dozens of members of Congress have called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked to remove a reckless, addled commander in chief who can’t distinguish between tough negotiation tactics and terrorism. (More on the 25th Amendment option here and here.) Even members of Trump’s MAGA coalition have broken with Trump over the incident. Call your members of Congress to raise your voice and insist that this grave breach of moral leadership not be swept under the rug.

No Blank Check for War

Whatever the status of the fragile ceasefire, lawmakers have the power to block funding for Trump’s illegal war. You can also let your lawmakers know how you feel about Trump’s budget that calls for a 40 percent increase in Pentagon spending. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress demanding cessation of hostilities, congressional oversight, and a vote on a war powers resolution. Join or organize a peaceful anti-war protest. Find resources here.

Learn About Tax Resistance

April 15 is around the corner. Do you approve of where your tax dollars are going? Tax resistance is not for everyone and can carry serious consequences. But it can also take many forms, including sending a letter of protest with your tax return. The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee has been around since the 1980s and offers an illuminating how-to guide for both the committed and the curious.

Save the Forest Service

Urgently call your members of Congress at 202-225-3121 and ask them to support the Save Our Forests Act of 2025. The Trump administration last week announced the “restructuring” of the U.S. Forest Service, which manages 193 million acres of forest and grasslands, by closing regional offices, shuttering research stations, and relocating its headquarters to Utah, a state aggressively pursuing mineral extraction on public lands. Hatch magazine called it “the most devastating attack on the U.S. Forest Service in the agency’s 121-year history.” Alt National Park Service is leading a campaign to encourage corporations to stand up the lands protected by the Forest Service.

Check Your Voter Registration

Six states have voter registration deadlines coming up. Check your registration status and deadline here. Make sure your friends, family, and neighbors are also registered and ready to vote!

Mobilize for May Day

What’s next after No Kings 3? May Day. On May 1, forge solidarity and flex economic power by joining a nationwide general strike — “no work, no school, no shopping” — backed by Indivisible, labor, and clergy groups. Indivisible co-founder Leah Greenberg sees the aims as demanding the government invest in our communities, not enrich billionaires, fund endless wars, or deploy agents to detain our neighbors. Register for an April 7 organizing call here, and find out more at MayDayStrong.

Know Your Air-Travel Rights

With ICE goons deployed at the nation’s airports, read the ACLU’s “Know Your Rights” guide for travelers. Remember that all people on American soil have rights guaranteed by the Constitution and that you also have rights surrounding your electronic devices.

Hold the Line on DHS Funding

Keep up the fight over Department of Homeland Security funding. You’re winning. The standoff has already secured the ouster of the execrable DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. And the Congress is reportedly poised to approve a DHS package that funds everything but ICE. Indivisible offers talking points to demand Congress continue to negotiate reforms to Trump’s deeply unpopular mass deportation agenda.

Protect Voting Rights

The SAVE Act — which would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters — has passed the House and must be opposed in the Senate, where it is being debated. Pay attention to state-based voter-suppression bills; Florida just passed what Governor Ron DeSantis is touting as the state’s mini version of the SAVE Act. (The ACLU is already contesting it in court.)

Subscribe now

First, we need JD Vance on board and then at least eight of the 15 congressionally authorized cabinet secretaries. Of those, at least nine people must write a letter to Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, saying that Trump is unable to do the job of president.

Once that letter is sent, JD Vance becomes the acting president. After that, Trump can send his own letter to Johnson and Grassley saying, no, I’m fine. They’re jealous. And he resumes being president. But JD and the secretaries have four days to send another letter to Johnson and Grassley saying, no, he’s crazy, we’re serious.

And then JD resumes being acting president. That third letter being sent triggers a 48 hour period for Congress to assemble, and they have 21 days to vote on this. If two thirds of the House and two thirds of the Senate agree with Vance and the secretaries, then JD continues being acting president. But if both houses can’t reach a two thirds vote, then Trump goes back to being president and, you know, probably fires the secretaries and sends JD on a permanent mission somewhere with shit weather.

This is real and it’s the only constitutional way to remove a sitting president besides impeachment and removal. The reason we have it is because it was written after the Kennedy assassination, and Congress was concerned about a situation where a president wasn’t technically dead, but, you know, brain dead.

And so they wanted to have a way to remove somebody if that was the case. But in the amendment, they didn’t specify that reason. So technically, it can be used for anyone who’s unable to do the job.

Ben Sheehan is a political commentator and digital creator. He specializes in civics education, which is showcased in his latest book, What Does the Constitution Actually Say?: A Non-Boring Guide to How Our Democracy Is Supposed to Work. Check out his Substack, Politics Made Easy.

Donald Trump has threatened a genocidal escalation in the war on Iran beginning at 8 PM ET tonight. If you want to make your voice heard in opposition to this calamity:

• Contact your representatives via the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 or use this resource from Common Cause to find the contact for their district offices.

• Use your social media for good. Share your opposition, directly address your representatives, and amplify the real human cost of this conflict.

• Keep an eye out for peaceful protests and connect with organizations taking action in opposition to this war, such as: Indivisible, StopTrumpsWars, 50501.

You can find our standing list of Calls to Action here.

Subscribe now

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Mobilize for May Day

The third No Kings was a historic success, with eight million protesters turning out to oppose the Trump regime. What’s next? Organizers are looking at May Day, May 1, as an opportunity to forge solidarity and flex economic power by mobilizing a nationwide general strike — “no work, no school, no shopping” — backed by Indivisible as well as labor and clergy groups. As Indivisible co-founder Leah Greenberg sees it, the aims are simple: “We demand a government that invests in our communities, not one that enriches billionaires, fuels endless war, or deploys masked agents to intimidate our neighbors.” Find out more, and register for an April 7 organizing call, at MayDayStrong.

Learn About Tax Resistance

April 15 is around the corner. Do you approve of where your tax dollars are going? Tax resistance is not for everyone and can carry serious consequences. But it can also take many forms, including sending a letter of protest with your tax return. The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee has been around since the 1980s and offers an illuminating how-to guide for both the committed and the curious.

Know Your Air-Travel Rights

With ICE goons deployed at the nation’s airports, read the ACLU’s “Know Your Rights” guide for travelers. Remember that all people on American soil have rights guaranteed by the Constitution and that you also have rights surrounding your electronic devices.

Hold the Line on DHS Funding

Keep up the fight over Department of Homeland Security funding. You’re winning. The standoff has already secured the ouster of the execrable DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. And the Congress is reportedly poised to approve a DHS package that funds everything but ICE. Indivisible offers talking points to demand Congress continue to negotiate reforms to Trump’s deeply unpopular mass deportation agenda.

Oppose the Illegal War in Iran

Call on lawmakers to block funding for Trump’s illegal war on Iran. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress demanding cessation of hostilities, congressional oversight, and a vote on a war powers resolution. Join or organize a peaceful anti-war protest. Find resources here.

Protect Voting Rights

The SAVE Act — which would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters — has passed the House and must be opposed in the Senate, where it is being debated. Pay attention to state-based voter-suppression bills; Florida just passed what Governor Ron DeSantis is touting as the state’s mini version of the SAVE Act. (The ACLU is already contesting it in court.)

Track ICE Warehouses

Find out if ICE is seeking to open a detention warehouse near you with the ICE Warehouse Tracker built by Project Salt Box. Raise your voice to local elected officials or consider staging a protest outside these facilities, which have been likened to concentration camps. Learn more about how local activists have blocked warehouse sales to ICE in this video from 50501.

Cast Your Ballot

Wisconsin, you have a special Supreme Court election on April 7th. Look up your state’s voter registration deadline and primary date. (See below for more tips to ensure your right to vote.)

March for Change

The We Are American March is leaving Philadelphia on April 11 to start a 160-mile walk to Washington, D.C. From the group’s website: “We march for more reasons than there are miles … but we all share the belief that when our government stops taking care of us, we need to step up and take care of each other. Only then can we protect the continuing experiment of American democracy and effect positive, lasting change in our communities.” WAAM is holding series of information sessions next week. Find out more here.

Subscribe now

Below, find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life:

Demand Epstein Accountability

The Department of Justice continues to turn a blind eye to Epstein collaborators. Pressure your representatives to reveal the full rot of Epstein’s sex-trafficking network and hold criminals accountable. That includes releasing all documents relating to Donald Trump, many of which still appear to have been covered up. Call for the ouster of Commerce Secretary and Epstein associate Howard Lutnick and obstructionist Attorney General Pam Bondi. Turn up the heat on companies, universities, and other institutions to cut ties with Epstein cronies.

Contact Your Elected Officials

It can feel old-school (or even cringe), but calling your elected officials is effective in moving the political needle. This is true whether you’re calling to oppose an official’s stance or spur them into action that matches their rhetoric. Watch our how-to video here.

To reach the Washington, D.C. office of any House or Senate member, call the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121. In the runup to big votes, you may have better luck reaching a human by calling the politician’s state or district office.

Common Cause has built a remarkable tool that lets you plug in your home address and receive a roster of contact information for the many politicians who represent you — from city council members to U.S. senators.

E-mail from constituents can be effective too. Democracy.io has a one-stop tool to email your Senators and Representatives.

Get Active with Neighbors

No group has channelled the energies of the anti-Trump coalition more effectively than Indivisible. The group focuses on empowering local activists who come together in periodic, nationwide mobilizations that stretch from big, blue cities to sleepy red-state towns. (Watch Jen Rubin’s interview with Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin on the tactics of effective resistance).

If you’re more comfortable organizing on a Reddit forum or a Discord server than a living room potluck, try the newest player on the activist block: 50501.org. And if you’re just looking to make a difference on your own, Mobilize.us offers an array of local volunteer opportunities, petitions, and events.

Guarantee Your Vote

Trump & Co. are committed to gerrymandering and voter-suppression — including purging voter rolls of supposedly ineligible or “inactive” voters — because they’re afraid of the power of your vote. Don’t be intimidated. Vote.org offers a one-stop shop to double-check your registration status; if you’re not registered, you can sign up in minutes online. The group also offers a toolkit to begin a voter registration drive of your own. The Fair Elections Center has compiled a helpful, state-by-state resource (click the map) that will alert you to registration deadlines and help you find your polling location. A federal mail-in voter registration form is also available in many languages here.

Help Flip the House

The best near-term hope for restoring American checks and balances is flipping the House of Representatives in November. Swing Left is a progressive organization focused on 33 key House seats for the 2026 midterm —19 GOP-held seats to target and 14 Democratic seats to defend. Around since 2016, Swing Left solicits donations for these high-impact races and organizes grassroots volunteers.

Demand ICE Detention Oversight

Ask your members of Congress to conduct oversight visits of ICE detention centers in their districts and publicize their findings — or raise hell if they’re denied access. Hold a vigil or a protest outside a detention facility near you. Work locally to block the sale or permitting of warehouses intended for new ICE camps. Freedom for Immigrants offers resources for people who want to help abolish migrant detention.

Help Targeted Community Members

When ICE is out in force, many immigrants and citizens of color alike are afraid to leave their homes. Some ways to show solidarity:

• Distribute know-your-rights cards.

• Learn the SALUTE method for documenting the presence of federal agents.

• Hand out whistles to blow if deportation agents are spotted in your neighborhood. (You can connect with activists distributing free, 3D-printed whistles here.)

• Print out zines (in English and Spanish) with advice for reporting ICE activity.

• Create teams to monitor neighborhoods near schools and bus routes for federal agents.

• Organize school carpools or grocery runs for vulnerable families.

• Record federal agents (from a safe distance) and distribute evidence of abuses. Watch an ACLU-led “Eyes on ICE” training.

• Contact the House Judiciary Committee’s whistleblower tip line to report illegal activities by a federal agency or agent.

Back Pro-Democracy Organizations

In the fight against authoritarian overreach, the United States is lucky to have a robust civil society with institutional knowhow. Connect with groups that are engaged in the good fight on behalf of civil liberties, racial justice, immigrant rights, and veterans issues.

Find out more at: American Civil Liberties Union, American Immigration Council, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Brennan Center, Color of Change, Common Cause, Native American Rights Fund, Public Citizen, VoteVets.

Run for Office

If you’re ready to take a leap into politics yourself, Run For Something can help you get off the ground. The organization has built an impressive pipeline of progressive talent to reshape our politics — from local races up to members of Congress. Founded by millennial author and activist Amanda Litman (watch her interview with Jen Rubin here), Run for Something specifically recruits next-generation candidates. But the organization offers resources for first-time candidates of all ages.

Embrace ‘Tactical Frivolity’

The serious business of defending democracy doesn’t have to be so, well, serious. As the inflatable frogs of Portland taught us, there is room — and, indeed, a need — for lightness and what academics call “tactical frivolity.” This carnival-like spirit, which may involve costumes or music or goofy protest signs, buoys fellow protesters even as it confounds would-be authoritarians who are counting on fear to reinforce the perception of their power. (Context is key, consider whether your inflatable costume will be out of place at a somber vigil.)

Consider a Boycott

In capitalist America, one of the most powerful ways to vote is with your pocketbook. Withholding spending can send a powerful signal to corporations that they should think twice before collaborating with the Trump administration or complying with its culture-war marching orders.

Protests at Tesla dealerships played a role in pushing Elon Musk out of his destructive White House stint as unofficial co-president. The Rev. Jamal Bryant has led a consumer boycott of Target, which abandoned its once-robust DEI commitments after Trump’s election, leading to several quarters of reduced revenue. Home Depot, Hilton, and Amazon have all been hit by recent anti-MAGA consumer protests. These protests are effective. Boycotts of Avelo Airlines helped spur that budget carrier to end its deportation-flight contract with ICE. Spotify similarly stopped airing ICE recruitment ads after consumer backlash.

The activist group Choose Democracy has a solid boycott tracker. Also check out the list at BoycottHere.com. Resist and Unsubscribe also offers a one-stop resource for moving your money from businesses linked to ICE.

Combat Misinformation Online

Social media billionaires like Musk are rigging their algorithms to prioritize right-wing content — especially surrounding ICE operations. Report posts with false or misleading content, add or request “community notes,” and circulate or create factual content. RumorGuard — a project of the nonpartisan News Literacy Project — offers tools to recognize misinformation, including a catalog of hoax content that’s gone viral. Snopes.com also specializes in debunking misinformation.

Declare Energy Independence

The planet is overheating and our foreign policy is a nightmare, significantly because of America’s addiction to fossil fuels. The Trump administration wants to keep American drivers hooked on Big Oil and keep the energy grid powered by fossil fuels — and has reduced pollution controls and phased out federal tax incentives for renewable energy and electric vehicles.

But with state-level support, the economics of green energy still make sense for millions of Americans. Kelley Blue Book offers a state-by-state catalog of electric vehicle incentives. Homeowners can get a rough cost estimate for powering their homes with renewable energy at Solar-estimate.org. For renters, a group called Bright Saver is lobbying to make “balcony solar” — think: small, DIY solar arrays plugged into your home outlets — legal and accessible across the country.

Back Gun Reforms

Moms Demand Action has a collection of events to help people demand better gun laws from their elected officials. Find an event in your area here.

Become a Museum Watchdog

Trump has taken an axe to anything that resembles diversity, equity, and inclusion — and esteemed museums and National Parks are under pressure to censor honest accountings of American history. Monitor museums and cultural institutions near you. If you see anything – such as the removal of the slavery exhibit in Philadelphia by the National Park Service – pressure stakeholders to demand reinstatement.

Support Nonprofit Media

In an age of right-wing billionaire takeovers of once-great newspapers, broadcast networks, and social media platforms, supporting independent media outlets has never been more critical. Some of our favorites include ProPublica, Mother Jones, and local outlets such as the Barbed Wire in Texas, the Minnesota Reformer, the Tennessee Holler, and the Mississippi Free Press.

The publication you’re reading is also unique: The Contrarian is not owned by anybody and helps fund pro-democracy litigation Subscribe or give a subscription as a gift.

Says the May Day Strong website: “On May 1, 2026, workers, students, and families rally, march, and take action across the country to demand a nation that puts workers over billionaires, with many refusing business as usual through No School. No Work. No Shopping.”

That’s because organizers know that a single protest won’t change a regime with authoritarian bent. Mary Frances Berry, former head of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, told me, “It’s crucial, though, to be persistent; success takes time.” Berry looked to the past for example: “Anti-Vietnam protests took time to succeed, and there is always room for the opposition to define you as too radical or something.” The iconic civil rights leader also reminded us that the “Free South Africa” movement took a year and a half of daily coordinated protests. “My history teaches us to resist.”

Saturday’s No Kings Day saw over 3,300 demonstrations with more than 8 million participants rallying against the authoritarianism of Donald Trump. That the protests were so highly attended was no surprise given that Trump’s disapproval rating sits above 60 percent. Participants included Democrats, Republicans, and independents; people of all races, genders, religions, and sexual orientations; and people in red states as well as blue and purple states. The protests were peaceful — and fun.

“Non-violent protest is a means of saying we don’t agree with you [President Trump].…They help to push the politics, getting politicians to eventually or right away respond,” Berry said.

Those who protested over the weekend want to see change in life-defining circumstances and an end to controversies. Their pocketbooks are pinched. They are frustrated with the reversal of rights in this country. They are scared for their neighbors who are rounded up, detained, and deported.

Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, was part of The Contrarians’ No King’s Day coverage Saturday. He said rising costs are hurting people, “whether it’s rent, mortgages, gas, eggs, bread, food.” Morial further defined Americans financial pain: “the increased cost of health care, the loss of health care for many folks, and the difficulty in getting support for higher education. And then the final and most extreme is the massive job losses.”

History has shown that the greater the pain, the greater the protest. “So the pain quotient … is moving every day. Sixty days ago, the Iran war was not on the radar screen.” Morial lamented, “We’re spending $2 billion a day to fund this war” while other domestic priorities are not met.

Meanwhile, Indivisible and others are now using another tool: economics.

“We’ve seen that boycotting works because businesses don’t want to lose money, whether or not they agree with you,” said Berry, an outspoken activist who was jailed for her nonviolent protests during the Free South Africa movement.

Boycotts have long been effective in American resistance. Segregation on public buses ended after a year into the Montgomery bus boycott, which began in 1955. When Black Americans and their allies began boycotting Target after it ended some diversity programs — after the anti-diversity Trump was elected — the department store’s revenue fell. The store has been scrambling ever since.

That’s why May Day Strong is calling for a school, work, and shopping hiatus on May 1, the International Workers’ Day. “Noncooperation is simple in principle: we withhold our labor, our money, and our participation. We don’t go along,” Indivisble’s website says. The group outlined three goals:

• Tax the rich so our families, not their fortunes, come first;

• ICE out: no unchecked federal enforcement power in our communities;

• Expand democracy, not corporate control; defend free and fair elections.

When the government works for only some, it’s incumbent on us to stand up and speak out — with our labor, our minds, and our wallets.

April Ryan, host of The Contrarian’s The Tea With April Ryan, is the longest-serving Black woman reporter in the White House press corps. She is the author of “Black Women Will Save the World,” “The Presidency in Black and White: My Up-Close View of Three Presidents and Race in America,” “Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House,” and “At Mama’s Knee: Mothers and Race in Black and White.”

The third No Kings Day was celebrated Saturday in every state, Washington, D.C., and and internationally. Here, a look at the amazing crowds, inspired signs, great joy, and defense of democracy at a rally in each U.S. state. Come back to the Democracy Movement this week and next for continued coverage of No Kings Day and other protests and rallies.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

Washington, D.C.

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Know Your Rights at TSA

If you or a loved one is flying soon, read the ACLU’s “Know Your Rights” guide for travelers.

As theTrump regime pumps airports full of immigration agents, remember that all people on American soil have rights guaranteed by the Constitution. You also have rights surrounding your electronic devices. Read the ACLU’s expert advice on electronic devices before heading to the airport. Consider turning off fingerprint and facial recognition access to all electronic devices, because law enforcement can use them without permission to unlock your device. Citizens can’t be denied entry to the United States for refusing to reveal a passcode, but others can. Also, record – safely and without obstructing – any law enforcement interactions that are violent, oppressive, or otherwise seem wrong.

Gear Up for “No Kings”

The third No Kings protest is THIS Saturday, March 28! Get ready to play your part. Attend one of the many training sessions (including protest safety and know-your-rights seminars) and make a plan to attend a demonstration near you. For more accessible or virtual events, sign up for Stand Up for Science’s inclusive rally from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. (with a livestream of the Minnesota Twin Cities rally after) and DIYabled’s disability leaders and movements post-protest virtual event at 4 p.m. ET.

Hold the Line on DHS Funding

The Department of Homeland Security remains shut down in the battle to reform ICE and the machinery of mass deportation. Despite Republicans and Democrats reaching a potential deal on DHS funding, Trump is holding the vote hostage over the SAVE Act. Recent polling shows ICE is wildly unpopular and that 65 percent of independents support the ongoing shutdown. Tell your representatives to demand ICE reforms. Fill out this form to sign the discharge petition to fund TSA (while negotiating) and kick ICE out of our airports.

Run for Something Training

Democracy works best when we all participate – including by serving in public office. Join Run For Something Civics, a nonprofit, on March 31 for a National Run For Office event to motivate and mobilize. Whether you want to run for a seat on your city council or nominate someone who would be a great member of your state legislature, can click here to learn more.

Save the Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service is more than birthday cards — Americans are increasingly relying on it for voting. Sign Common Cause’s petition and call your members of Congress to ask them to protect the Postal Service. This unsung spoke in the democracy wheel is under threat by both the President’s personal agenda to end mail-in voting and privatization dreamers. Trump-appointed USPS head is claiming the service could be broke and stop deliveries by October. Congress imposed a weird and unique retirement prefunding mandate Congress on the USPS in 2006. Though it was repealed in 2022, USPS’ finances are still recovering. Call your members of Congress through the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 to ask them to protect the Postal Service and sign Common Cause’s petition.

Oppose the Illegal War in Iran

Call on lawmakers to block funding for Donald Trump’s illegal war on Iran, for which the Pentagon is reportedly seeking $200 billion. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress demanding cessation of hostilities, congressional oversight, and a vote on a war powers resolution. Join or organize a peaceful anti-war protest. Find resources here.

Additionally, amplify the human stories emerging out of Iran, Lebanon, and Afghanistan and surrounding areas by sharing them with your online and in person networks.

Subscribe now

Uphold the Rule of Law

Hey lawyers — don’t remain on the sidelines as the fight to save democracy unfolds. Learn how to make a difference with The Rule of Lawyer’s new toolkit, which helps lawyers answer this very straight forward question: “What can lawyers do?” in a time like this one. You don’t need to start with the heroic stuff — start small and build from there. Find out more about The Rule of Lawyers and what you can do here.

Demand Accountability for a Deadly School Strike

A Tomahawk missile strike on an elementary school in Iran killed more than 160 people in late February, and a preliminary assessment indicates the United States is responsible. Amnesty International is seeking an investigation into violations of international law and a potential “war crime.” Hold our military leaders accountable. Congress can demand transparency in the military’s accounting, and even open an investigation under the War Crimes Act. Contrarians abroad can push for an international fact-finding mission through the UN Human Rights Council.

Protect Voting Rights

The SAVE Act — which would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters — has passed the House and must be opposed in the Senate, where it is being debated. Remind your local and state election authorities that the federal government has no say in state elections and no right to state voter rolls.

Track ICE Warehouses

Find out if an ICE detention warehouse is opening near you — or planned to be — through the ICE Warehouse Tracker built by the public records activists of Project Salt Box. Raise your voice to your elected officials or consider staging a protest outside these facilities, which have been likened to concentration camps. Learn more about how local activists have blocked warehouse sales to ICE in this video from 50501.

Reconsider “Cesar Chavez” Streets

In the wake of reporting that alleges the storied farm labor organizer Cesar Chavez sexually abused minors and raped fellow United Farm Workers icon Dolores Huerta, communities across the country are planning to remove Chavez’s name from streets, schools, parks, state holidays, and other ceremonial places of honor. If this speaks to you, contact your elected leaders.

Cast Your Ballot

Wisconsin, you have a special Supreme Court election on April 7th. Look up your state’s voter registration deadline and primary date. (See below for more tips to ensure your right to vote.)

Below, find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life:

Demand Epstein Accountability

The Department of Justice continues to turn a blind eye to Epstein collaborators. Pressure your representatives to reveal the full rot of Epstein’s sex-trafficking network and hold criminals accountable. That includes releasing all documents relating to Donald Trump, many of which still appear to have been covered up. Call for the ouster of Commerce Secretary and Epstein associate Howard Lutnick and obstructionist Attorney General Pam Bondi. Turn up the heat on companies, universities, and other institutions to cut ties with Epstein cronies.

Contact Your Elected Officials

It can feel old-school (or even cringe), but calling your elected officials is effective in moving the political needle. This is true whether you’re calling to oppose an official’s stance or spur them into action that matches their rhetoric. Watch our how-to video here.

To reach the Washington, D.C. office of any House or Senate member, call the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121. In the runup to big votes, you may have better luck reaching a human by calling the politician’s state or district office.

Common Cause has built a remarkable tool that lets you plug in your home address and receive a roster of contact information for the many politicians who represent you — from city council members to U.S. senators.

E-mail from constituents can be effective too. Democracy.io has a one-stop tool to email your Senators and Representatives.

Get Active with Neighbors

No group has channelled the energies of the anti-Trump coalition more effectively than Indivisible. The group focuses on empowering local activists who come together in periodic, nationwide mobilizations that stretch from big, blue cities to sleepy red-state towns. (Watch Jen Rubin’s interview with Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin on the tactics of effective resistance).

If you’re more comfortable organizing on a Reddit forum or a Discord server than a living room potluck, try the newest player on the activist block: 50501.org. And if you’re just looking to make a difference on your own, Mobilize.us offers an array of local volunteer opportunities, petitions, and events.

Guarantee Your Vote

Trump & Co. are committed to gerrymandering and voter-suppression — including purging voter rolls of supposedly ineligible or “inactive” voters — because they’re afraid of the power of your vote. Don’t be intimidated. Vote.org offers a one-stop shop to double-check your registration status; if you’re not registered, you can sign up in minutes online. The group also offers a toolkit to begin a voter registration drive of your own. The Fair Elections Center has compiled a helpful, state-by-state resource (click the map) that will alert you to registration deadlines and help you find your polling location. A federal mail-in voter registration form is also available in many languages here.

Help Flip the House

The best near-term hope for restoring American checks and balances is flipping the House of Representatives in November. Swing Left is a progressive organization focused on 33 key House seats for the 2026 midterm —19 GOP-held seats to target and 14 Democratic seats to defend. Around since 2016, Swing Left solicits donations for these high-impact races and organizes grassroots volunteers.

Demand ICE Detention Oversight

Ask your members of Congress to conduct oversight visits of ICE detention centers in their districts and publicize their findings — or raise hell if they’re denied access. Hold a vigil or a protest outside a detention facility near you. Work locally to block the sale or permitting of warehouses intended for new ICE camps. Freedom for Immigrants offers resources for people who want to help abolish migrant detention.

Help Targeted Community Members

When ICE is out in force, many immigrants and citizens of color alike are afraid to leave their homes. Some ways to show solidarity:

• Distribute know-your-rights cards.

• Learn the SALUTE method for documenting the presence of federal agents.

• Hand out whistles to blow if deportation agents are spotted in your neighborhood. (You can connect with activists distributing free, 3D-printed whistles here.)

• Print out zines (in English and Spanish) with advice for reporting ICE activity.

• Create teams to monitor neighborhoods near schools and bus routes for federal agents.

• Organize school carpools or grocery runs for vulnerable families.

• Record federal agents (from a safe distance) and distribute evidence of abuses. Watch an ACLU-led “Eyes on ICE” training.

• Contact the House Judiciary Committee’s whistleblower tip line to report illegal activities by a federal agency or agent.

Back Pro-Democracy Organizations

In the fight against authoritarian overreach, the United States is lucky to have a robust civil society with institutional knowhow. Connect with groups that are engaged in the good fight on behalf of civil liberties, racial justice, immigrant rights, and veterans issues.

Find out more at: American Civil Liberties Union, American Immigration Council, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Brennan Center, Color of Change, Common Cause, Native American Rights Fund, Public Citizen, VoteVets.

Run for Office

If you’re ready to take a leap into politics yourself, Run For Something can help you get off the ground. The organization has built an impressive pipeline of progressive talent to reshape our politics — from local races up to members of Congress. Founded by millennial author and activist Amanda Litman (watch her interview with Jen Rubin here), Run for Something specifically recruits next-generation candidates. But the organization offers resources for first-time candidates of all ages.

Embrace ‘Tactical Frivolity’

The serious business of defending democracy doesn’t have to be so, well, serious. As the inflatable frogs of Portland taught us, there is room — and, indeed, a need — for lightness and what academics call “tactical frivolity.” This carnival-like spirit, which may involve costumes or music or goofy protest signs, buoys fellow protesters even as it confounds would-be authoritarians who are counting on fear to reinforce the perception of their power. (Context is key, consider whether your inflatable costume will be out of place at a somber vigil.)

Consider a Boycott

In capitalist America, one of the most powerful ways to vote is with your pocketbook. Withholding spending can send a powerful signal to corporations that they should think twice before collaborating with the Trump administration or complying with its culture-war marching orders.

Protests at Tesla dealerships played a role in pushing Elon Musk out of his destructive White House stint as unofficial co-president. The Rev. Jamal Bryant has led a consumer boycott of Target, which abandoned its once-robust DEI commitments after Trump’s election, leading to several quarters of reduced revenue. Home Depot, Hilton, and Amazon have all been hit by recent anti-MAGA consumer protests. These protests are effective. Boycotts of Avelo Airlines helped spur that budget carrier to end its deportation-flight contract with ICE. Spotify similarly stopped airing ICE recruitment ads after consumer backlash.

The activist group Choose Democracy has a solid boycott tracker. Also check out the list at BoycottHere.com. Resist and Unsubscribe also offers a one-stop resource for moving your money from businesses linked to ICE.

Combat Misinformation Online

Social media billionaires like Musk are rigging their algorithms to prioritize right-wing content — especially surrounding ICE operations. Report posts with false or misleading content, add or request “community notes,” and circulate or create factual content. RumorGuard — a project of the nonpartisan News Literacy Project — offers tools to recognize misinformation, including a catalog of hoax content that’s gone viral. Snopes.com also specializes in debunking misinformation.

Declare Energy Independence

The planet is overheating and our foreign policy is a nightmare, significantly because of America’s addiction to fossil fuels. The Trump administration wants to keep American drivers hooked on Big Oil and keep the energy grid powered by fossil fuels — and has reduced pollution controls and phased out federal tax incentives for renewable energy and electric vehicles.

But with state-level support, the economics of green energy still make sense for millions of Americans. Kelley Blue Book offers a state-by-state catalog of electric vehicle incentives. Homeowners can get a rough cost estimate for powering their homes with renewable energy at Solar-estimate.org. For renters, a group called Bright Saver is lobbying to make “balcony solar” — think: small, DIY solar arrays plugged into your home outlets — legal and accessible across the country.

Back Gun Reforms

Moms Demand Action has a collection of events to help people demand better gun laws from their elected officials. Find an event in your area here.

Become a Museum Watchdog

Trump has taken an axe to anything that resembles diversity, equity, and inclusion — and esteemed museums and National Parks are under pressure to censor honest accountings of American history. Monitor museums and cultural institutions near you. If you see anything – such as the removal of the slavery exhibit in Philadelphia by the National Park Service – pressure stakeholders to demand reinstatement.

Support Nonprofit Media

In an age of right-wing billionaire takeovers of once-great newspapers, broadcast networks, and social media platforms, supporting independent media outlets has never been more critical. Some of our favorites include ProPublica, Mother Jones, and local outlets such as the Barbed Wire in Texas, the Minnesota Reformer, the Tennessee Holler, and the Mississippi Free Press.

The publication you’re reading is also unique: The Contrarian is not owned by anybody and helps fund pro-democracy litigation Subscribe or give a subscription as a gift.

Join us for LIVE coast-to-coast coverage of the United States standing up against Trump’s corruption—because America doesn’t bow to kings.

This Saturday, March 28, we’re broadcasting live from No Kings protests across the country.

Three streams. Reporters and contributors embedded at multiple sites. More on-the-ground coverage than you’ll find anywhere else!

STREAM LINKS

• The shows will be available LIVE on contrariannews.org throughout the day on Saturday, March 28

  📍 3PM ET | 6PM ET | 8:30PM ET

• Or you can watch on YouTube

• We will also post the shows after they air, so if you’re out protesting, you can catch up on all the happenings from across the U.S. when you get back

What’s happening

The list of reasons why we protest grows every day. Our friends at Indivisible, MoveOn, and say that over 3,200 events are planned, with millions expected to take to the streets to reject lawless authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy.

will take us through the day’s events and bring you on-the-ground protest coverage from all over the country.

, , and will be on the ground reporting from key protests in Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and Portland — and we are working directly with organizers in dozens more cities to bring you coverage from across the nation.

We’ll welcome some of our favorite Contrarians, including , to talk about how we got here, what’s happening in major cities and small towns across America, and where we go from here.

How can you help?

• Show up to a protest and find your fellow Contrarians! Find an event near you.

• Attend a No Kings training this week before the big day.

• Share this to help spread the word about the millions of people around the world who are standing up for democracy and don’t want to sit back while Trump’s fascism takes hold.

  Share

• You do not have to pay to play in this space. If you’re able to support monetarily, proceeds from all Contrarian paid subscriptions do go right back into independent coverage of the nationwide resistance and help fund critical lawsuits to stop Trump in court.

Subscribe now

The Supreme Court today seems like they’re going to agree with the challengers, which means that sometime in June, the Supreme Court could likely invalidate all similar laws that exist. Well, a similar law does exist in these 14 states: Alaska, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington.

These 14 states account for 114 million eligible voters. That is almost half the entire voting eligible population of the United States.

Out of these, nine of them are blue states. Nine of them have competitive House elections, and nine also have a Senate election this year, including Alaska and Texas, which are surprisingly competitive for Democrats.

Why are Republicans doing this? Well, they’re saying that mail-in ballot laws in these 14 states violate laws passed in the 19th century.

In 1845, Congress said that election day for president is going to be the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November; and in 1875, Congress said this is also going to be the day for congressional elections. But as you can see, if you read them, neither of these laws say anything about mail-in ballots or early voting or anything like that.

So why are Republicans focused on this? Let’s look at who votes by mail. According to the nonpartisan States United Democracy Center, white people vote by mail, as do people over the age of 65, and people who are serving in our military or living overseas. But also, as you may have guessed, Democrats tend to vote by mail a little bit more than Republicans, by about 8%.

Which means that in a close election, changing the rules around mail-in balloting could affect the outcome, especially in these states which vote entirely by mail: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington. And four of these would be particularly affected by this law: California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

We should be making voting easier, not harder. So in advance of this Supreme Court ruling, what can states do?

1. They can send out ballots earlier.

2. They can expand early in-person voting.

3. They can remove requirements that you need an excuse to vote early or absentee.

And if your state decides not to make voting more convenient for you, which again, Congress did for farmers twice in the 19th century, whom we are still accommodating today, even though just 1% of us currently farm, the question is why?

Ben Sheehan is a political commentator and digital creator. He specializes in civics education, which is showcased in his latest book, What Does the Constitution Actually Say?: A Non-Boring Guide to How Our Democracy Is Supposed to Work. Check out his Substack, Politics Made Easy.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Gear Up for “No Kings”

The next No Kings protest is March 28. Get ready to play your part. Join the “Kickoff Call” on March 19 (tonight) at 8 p.m. ET. Attend one of the many training sessions (including protest safety and know-your-rights seminars) and make a plan to attend a demonstration near you.

Oppose the Illegal War in Iran

Call on lawmakers to block funding for Donald Trump’s illegal war on Iran, for which the Pentagon is reportedly seeking $200 billion. Indivisible has a form to send messages to your members of Congress demanding cessation of hostilities, congressional oversight, and a vote on a war powers resolution. Join or organize a peaceful anti-war protest. Find resources here.

Demand Accountability for a Deadly School Strike

A Tomahawk missile strike on an elementary school in Iran killed more than 160 people in late February, and a preliminary assessment indicates the United States is responsible. Amnesty International is seeking an investigation into violations of international law and a potential “war crime.” Hold our military leaders accountable. Congress can demand transparency in the military’s accounting, and even open an investigation under the War Crimes Act. Contrarians abroad can push for an international fact-finding mission through the UN Human Rights Council.

Protect Voting Rights

The SAVE Act — which would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters — has passed the House and must be opposed in the Senate, where it is being debated. Remind your local and state election authorities that the federal government has no say in state elections and no right to state voter rolls.

Track ICE Warehouses

Find out if an ICE detention warehouse is opening near you — or planned to be — through the ICE Warehouse Tracker built by the public records activists of Project Salt Box. Raise your voice to your elected officials or consider staging a protest outside these facilities, which have been likened to concentration camps. Learn more about how local activists have blocked warehouse sales to ICE in this video from 50501.

Hold the Line on DHS Funding

The Department of Homeland Security remains shut down in the battle to reform ICE and the machinery of mass deportation. The change in DHS leadership from Kristi Noem to Trump nominee Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is hardly an improvement. Recent polling shows ICE is wildly unpopular and that 65 percent of independents support the ongoing shutdown. Encourage senators and representatives to demand ICE reforms and embrace Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s simple logic: “No accountability? No check.”

Reconsider “Cesar Chavez” Streets

In the wake of reporting that alleges the storied farm labor organizer Cesar Chavez sexually abused minors and raped fellow United Farm Workers icon Dolores Huerta, communities across the country are planning to remove Chavez’s name from streets, schools, parks, state holidays, and other ceremonial places of honor. If this speaks to you, contact your elected leaders.

Demand Epstein Accountability

The Department of Justice continues to turn a blind eye to Epstein collaborators. Pressure your representatives to reveal the full rot of Epstein’s sex-trafficking network and hold criminals accountable. That includes releasing all documents relating to Donald Trump, many of which still appear to have been covered up. Call for the ouster of Commerce Secretary and Epstein associate Howard Lutnick and obstructionist Attorney General Pam Bondi. Turn up the heat on companies, universities, and other institutions to cut ties with Epstein cronies.

Amplify Human Stories

Use your voice to amplify the humanitarian cost of war on Iran. Much of the conversation about the conflict is centered around its legality and strategy, sidelining the already-massive human toll. Read Refugee International’s warning of a “cataclysmic” humanitarian crisis or watch its companion webinar. Learn about the devastating impact of the war in neighboring countries, including Lebanon and Afghanistan, and share with your in-person and online networks.

Cast Your Ballot

Florida is holding a special election on March 24. Look up your state’s voter registration deadline and primary date. (See below for more tips to ensure your right to vote.)

Below, find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life:

Contact Your Elected Officials

It can feel old-school (or even cringe), but calling your elected officials is effective in moving the political needle. This is true whether you’re calling to oppose an official’s stance or spur them into action that matches their rhetoric. Watch our how-to video here.

To reach the Washington, D.C. office of any House or Senate member, call the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121. In the run-up to big votes, you may have better luck reaching a human by calling the politician’s state or district office.

Common Cause has built a remarkable tool that lets you plug in your home address and receive a roster of contact information for the many politicians who represent you — from city council members to U.S. senators.

E-mail from constituents can be effective too. Democracy.io has a one-stop tool to email your Senators and Representatives.

Subscribe now

Get Active with Neighbors

No group has channelled the energies of the anti-Trump coalition more effectively than Indivisible. The group focuses on empowering local activists who come together in periodic, nationwide mobilizations that stretch from big, blue cities to sleepy red-state towns. (Watch Jen Rubin’s interview with Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin on the tactics of effective resistance).

If you’re more comfortable organizing on a Reddit forum or a Discord server than a living room potluck, try the newest player on the activist block: 50501.org. And if you’re just looking to make a difference on your own, Mobilize.us offers an array of local volunteer opportunities, petitions, and events.

Guarantee Your Vote

Trump & Co. are committed to gerrymandering and voter-suppression — including purging voter rolls of supposedly ineligible or “inactive” voters — because they’re afraid of the power of your vote. Don’t be intimidated. Vote.org offers a one-stop shop to double-check your registration status; if you’re not registered, you can sign up in minutes online. The group also offers a toolkit to begin a voter registration drive of your own. The Fair Elections Center has compiled a helpful, state-by-state resource (click the map) that will alert you to registration deadlines and help you find your polling location. A federal mail-in voter registration form is also available in many languages here.

Help Flip the House

The best near-term hope for restoring American checks and balances is flipping the House of Representatives in November. Swing Left is a progressive organization focused on 33 key House seats for the 2026 midterm —19 GOP-held seats to target and 14 Democratic seats to defend. Around since 2016, Swing Left solicits donations for these high-impact races and organizes grassroots volunteers.

Demand ICE Detention Oversight

Ask your members of Congress to conduct oversight visits of ICE detention centers in their districts and publicize their findings — or raise hell if they’re denied access. Hold a vigil or a protest outside a detention facility near you. Work locally to block the sale or permitting of warehouses intended for new ICE camps. Freedom for Immigrants offers resources for people who want to help abolish migrant detention.

Help Targeted Community Members

When ICE is out in force, many immigrants and citizens of color alike are afraid to leave their homes. Some ways to show solidarity:

• Distribute know-your-rights cards.

• Learn the SALUTE method for documenting the presence of federal agents.

• Hand out whistles to blow if deportation agents are spotted in your neighborhood. (You can connect with activists distributing free, 3D-printed whistles here.)

• Print out zines (in English and Spanish) with advice for reporting ICE activity.

• Create teams to monitor neighborhoods near schools and bus routes for federal agents.

• Organize school carpools or grocery runs for vulnerable families.

• Record federal agents (from a safe distance) and distribute evidence of abuses. Watch an ACLU-led “Eyes on ICE” training.

• Contact the House Judiciary Committee’s whistleblower tip line to report illegal activities by a federal agency or agent.

Back Pro-Democracy Organizations

In the fight against authoritarian overreach, the United States is lucky to have a robust civil society with institutional knowhow. Connect with groups that are engaged in the good fight on behalf of civil liberties, racial justice, immigrant rights, and veterans issues.

Find out more at: American Civil Liberties Union, American Immigration Council, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Brennan Center, Color of Change, Common Cause, Native American Rights Fund, Public Citizen, VoteVets.

Run for Office

If you’re ready to take a leap into politics yourself, Run For Something can help you get off the ground. The organization has built an impressive pipeline of progressive talent to reshape our politics — from local races up to members of Congress. Founded by millennial author and activist Amanda Litman (watch her interview with Jen Rubin here), Run for Something specifically recruits next-generation candidates. But the organization offers resources for first-time candidates of all ages.

Embrace ‘Tactical Frivolity’

The serious business of defending democracy doesn’t have to be so, well, serious. As the inflatable frogs of Portland taught us, there is room — and, indeed, a need — for lightness and what academics call “tactical frivolity.” This carnival-like spirit, which may involve costumes or music or goofy protest signs, buoys fellow protesters even as it confounds would-be authoritarians who are counting on fear to reinforce the perception of their power. (Context is key, consider whether your inflatable costume will be out of place at a somber vigil.)

Consider a Boycott

In capitalist America, one of the most powerful ways to vote is with your pocketbook. Withholding spending can send a powerful signal to corporations that they should think twice before collaborating with the Trump administration or complying with its culture-war marching orders.

Protests at Tesla dealerships played a role in pushing Elon Musk out of his destructive White House stint as unofficial co-president. The Rev. Jamal Bryant has led a consumer boycott of Target, which abandoned its once-robust DEI commitments after Trump’s election, leading to several quarters of reduced revenue. Home Depot, Hilton, and Amazon have all been hit by recent anti-MAGA consumer protests. These protests are effective. Boycotts of Avelo Airlines helped spur that budget carrier to end its deportation-flight contract with ICE. Spotify similarly stopped airing ICE recruitment ads after consumer backlash.

The activist group Choose Democracy has a solid boycott tracker. Also check out the list at BoycottHere.com. Resist and Unsubscribe also offers a one-stop resource for moving your money from businesses linked to ICE.

Combat Misinformation Online

Social media billionaires like Musk are rigging their algorithms to prioritize right-wing content — especially surrounding ICE operations. Report posts with false or misleading content, add or request “community notes,” and circulate or create factual content. RumorGuard — a project of the nonpartisan News Literacy Project — offers tools to recognize misinformation, including a catalog of hoax content that’s gone viral. Snopes.com also specializes in debunking misinformation.

Declare Energy Independence

The planet is overheating and our foreign policy is a nightmare, significantly because of America’s addiction to fossil fuels. The Trump administration wants to keep American drivers hooked on Big Oil and keep the energy grid powered by fossil fuels — and has reduced pollution controls and phased out federal tax incentives for renewable energy and electric vehicles.

But with state-level support, the economics of green energy still make sense for millions of Americans. Kelley Blue Book offers a state-by-state catalog of electric vehicle incentives. Homeowners can get a rough cost estimate for powering their homes with renewable energy at Solar-estimate.org. For renters, a group called Bright Saver is lobbying to make “balcony solar” — think: small, DIY solar arrays plugged into your home outlets — legal and accessible across the country.

Back Gun Reforms

Moms Demand Action has a collection of events to help people demand better gun laws from their elected officials. Find an event in your area here.

Become a Museum Watchdog

Trump has taken an axe to anything that resembles diversity, equity, and inclusion — and esteemed museums and National Parks are under pressure to censor honest accountings of American history. Monitor museums and cultural institutions near you. If you see anything – such as the removal of the slavery exhibit in Philadelphia by the National Park Service – pressure stakeholders to demand reinstatement.

Support Nonprofit Media

In an age of right-wing billionaire takeovers of once-great newspapers, broadcast networks, and social media platforms, supporting independent media outlets has never been more critical. Some of our favorites include ProPublica, Mother Jones, and local outlets such as the Barbed Wire in Texas, the Minnesota Reformer, the Tennessee Holler, and the Mississippi Free Press.

The publication you’re reading is also unique: The Contrarian is not owned by anybody and helps fund pro-democracy litigation Subscribe or give a subscription as a gift.

Subscribe now