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

Engage with the Art of Resistance

The arts collective Fall of Freedom is back — celebrating free expression as a form of resistance with nationwide events on October 2, 3, and 4. The aim is to “counter fascist repression and censorship” with “defiant creativity” underscoring that “art matters” and that “courage is contagious.”

This is the second annual Fall of Freedom festival, and this year’s FoF calendar is packed nationwide, whether you want to enjoy a poetry jam in Alaska, a Bread & Puppet circus in Wisconsin, or join one of dozens of virtual events accessible online. Wherever you live, find a rebellious art happening near you.

Look Ahead to No Kings 4

The No Kings coalition is getting its gang of millions back together on October 17 to promote early balloting where available and voting plans everywhere else. The idea is to help make the 2026 midterm election “too big to rig” by banking huge numbers of early votes — allowing get-out-the-vote campaigns in November to be more targeted and effective. Watch Indivisible cofounder Ezra Levin’s Contrarian interview on No Kings 4, outlining how to channel people power to the polls this fall.

Learn more about the sky-high stakes of the midterms in this explainer.

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Cast Your Ballot Early

If you’re eager to exercise your voting rights, the midterms are already underway in many states. In-person early voting commences within the week in jurisdictions from coast to coast.

October 5: California, Maine, Montana, and Nebraska

October 6: Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio, and Wyoming

October 7: Arizona

(States where in-person early voting will be underway by October 7.)

Vote-by-mail is also commencing within the week in Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts, which join about 20 other states where ballots have already been mailed out. Check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar.

Double Check your Registration

Voter registration deadlines are fast approaching. The most restrictive states require registration nearly a month (either 29 or 30 days) before the end of voting on November 3. This includes Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Please check your state’s details here, and make sure you, your friends, family, and relations are prepared to participate. You can double check your own registration status at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot.

Door Knock (or Dial) for Democracy

Swing Left is recruiting canvassers to knock on doors to boost turnout in the midterms. Click here to find or organize a canvass for “must flip” races near you. (D.C.-area Contrarians, this recurring weekend canvas in Virginia might be of interest.) If going door-to-door isn’t your speed, Swing Left also has a phone-bank campaign to support the group’s target House, Senate, and state-level races. Likewise, Indivisible has phone bank events to boost candidates in 40 target races — 31 in the House and nine in the Senate.

Protest Trump’s Visit to Alabama

Readers in the South might consider attending a rally and march opposing Trump’s Friday, October 2, visit to Mobile, Alabama. The president is speaking at the University of Southern Alabama’s Student Center at 6 p.m. Indivisible Mobile is planning a march beginning at 1:30 p.m. near the Student Center at 350 Student Center Circle. (Sign up here.) A “No Trump on Our Campus” student-led event begins at 1:30 p.m. at the center. And a People’s Rally is planned for 3 p.m. Friday at Cathedral Square at 300 Conti Street in Mobile, featuring elected officials and surprise speakers.

Rally for Education

Stand up for Science is holding a virtual rally on October 7 to introduce its America’s Compact for Higher Education, which it bills as “a united response to the Trump administration’s efforts to bend the will of our higher ed leadership to his authoritarian control.” The compact features eleven affirmations of academic freedom and institutional independence. Register for the rally here.

Protect National Parks

The Trump administration’s mistreatment and neglect of our National Parks is infamous. The Center for Western Priorities has the receipts. Check out a new CWP site, where you can track broken agreements and blocked funding for critical park projects and protections including “fire preparedness, hazardous tree removal, archaeological surveys, [and] endangered species recovery.” (Read more about such cuts in the Washington Post.) CWP has mapped 133 broken funding agreements across 61 federal sites, from the Cape Cod National Seashore to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Click here to survey the damage. And contact your members of Congress to seek full funding of our parks.

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Dolly Parton memorialized. (Brent Moore via Flickr)

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.

Register to Vote!

Don’t miss out on your chance to participate in the midterms. Voter registration deadlines are fast approaching, and the most restrictive states require registration nearly a month (either 29 or 30 days) before the end of voting on November 3. This includes Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Please check your state’s details here, and make sure you, your friends, family, and relations are prepared to participate.

You can double check your own registration status at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot. Learn more about the sky-high stakes of the midterms in this explainer.

Cast Your Ballot Early

This election has already kicked off in select states. Illinois, Michigan, and North Dakota have joined the in-person, early-vote party today. Early voting is also underway in Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, South Dakota, Vermont, and Virginia.

States in blue: where in-person early voting is underway.

Vote-by-mail is also commencing this week in Nebraska, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., joining myriad other states from Oklahoma to Wisconsin to New York.

Check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar.

Track Trump Funding Cuts

The Trump administration has slashed $177 billion in federal funding since January 2025. These haphazard cuts have devastated social programs, jeopardized life-saving activities and research, and disrupted operations across communities and local governments. No state is left unscathed.

A pair of prodemocracy nonprofits, States United and Grant Witness, have teamed up to launch the Lost Funds Project to catalog the massive “funding disruptions” under Donald Trump. Learn how cuts have affected your state via an interactive map. Also check out the accountability page to keep up with how states are fighting back – and how you can, too.

Celebrate 9/25 — Dolly Parton Day

The world lost a moral light when Dolly Parton died. Keep her spirit alive on September 25 (or 9/25 — nine-two-five). Cities from Nashville (which also renamed its airport for the departed country star) to New Orleans to Portland and all of California have all declared local Dolly Parton days on 9/25 — which seems destined to join 3/14 (Pi Day — or St. Louis Day for those in the 314) and May the Fourth (for Star Wars fandom) as treasured American pun days.

“On 9/25, let’s celebrate Dolly the way she lived,” said Portland City Council President Jamie Dunphy, announcing the day of celebration. “Read a book with a child. Help a neighbor. Stand up for someone who needs it…. Do it the Dolly way, with kindness, grace, and a lot of joy!”

Fight for Feminism in Texas

Contrarians near Houston can join the Women’s Convening 2026, sponsored by the activist group Women’s March, on September 26. Attend trainings and speeches about organizing your community under authoritarianism, defending elections, fighting for reproductive freedom, and building power locally. Learn more about the program at the convening’s website; tickets are $25 (and free for “future feminists” under 12). Or get involved in events in your area by signing up for Women’s March’s email list.

Stand for the Climate

New York metro Contrarians, it’s climate week in the Big Apple — expected to draw more than 100,000 people across more than 1,000 events. The focus of this year’s climate week is accelerating the response to global warming. As organizers put it: “Progress is being slowed down by outdated regulation, infrastructure constraints, and misaligned markets. The priority is to remove these barriers and deliver change at speed and scale.” Find events, running through September 27, on this calendar, ranging from caring for street trees to sustainably powering the AI boom.

Train in Election Protection

The nonpartisan Nation of Laws coalition is hosting a training for lawyers who want to defend the 2026 midterms. Join a “Forty Minutes for the Rule of Law” virtual rally on September 26 at noon eastern time; it promises to help legal professionals plug in at “polling places, on hotlines, [or] behind the scenes, making sure every eligible voter can cast a ballot and have it counted.” Register here.

Help Voters Get IDs

Many states now require voter ID at the ballot box — creating a barrier for eligible voters who, for any number of reasons, may not have a government-issued photo identification. Vote Riders offers free support to Americans who need help collecting necessary documents, making appointments, and paying the fees to get an official ID. The group is signing up volunteers to help with this vital work. Find out more here.

Door Knock (or Dial) for Democracy

Swing Left is recruiting canvassers to knock on doors to boost turnout in the midterms. Click here to find or organize a canvass for “must flip” races near you. If going door-to-door isn’t your speed, Swing Left also has a phone-bank campaign to support the group’s target House, Senate, and state-level races. Likewise, Indivisible has phone bank events to boost candidates in 40 target races — 31 in the House and nine in the Senate.

Oppose Exorbitant Visa Fees

The Trump administration is again attempting to turn visas for high-skilled workers into a racket, proposing to charge $100,000 for each H1-B visa applicant. The public can comment on the proposed rule — which would affect the availability of skilled workers in fields from healthcare and advanced research to programming and tech. Speak out through September 24.

Banish AI from Campaign Ads

AI-generated campaign ads are on the rise (see MAGA Senate candidate Ken Paxton’s latest anti-James Talarico creation here) and often wildly misrepresent candidates and their positions. The proposed AI Ads Act would “prohibit fraudulent misrepresentation of political candidates” and ban using AI-generated content to solicit funds. If the truth is important to you, contact your representatives to support this legislation. Meanwhile, you can educate yourself on how to spot AI-generated ads.

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

Seize the Midterm Moment

The stakes of these midterm elections could not be higher. If Republicans lose the House, Donald Trump’s legislative agenda stops cold, and real investigations begin. If Democrats capture the Senate, Trump’s mission to pack courts with MAGA extremists ends, and Democrats could start moving popular legislation through Congress, daring Trump to veto, for example, restoring funding for Obamacare, Medicaid, and Head Start.

Watch this Contrarian explainer about why your vote matters these midterms:

Cast Your Ballot Early

The “November” election actually kicks off this week in several states. In-person early voting begins on September 18 in Idaho, Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia, and on September 21 in Mississippi and Vermont.

If you’re a mail-in voter you can relax: Trump’s attempt to monkey-wrench vote-by-mail by weaponizing the U.S. Postal Service has been blocked by the Supreme Court. Look for the arrival of absentee ballots in states including New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

Check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar. Check your voting details at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot.

Prep for No Kings 4

The No Kings coalition is getting its gang of millions back together on October 17 to promote early balloting, where available, and promote voting plans everywhere else. The idea is to help make the 2026 midterm election “too big to rig” by banking huge numbers of early votes — allowing November get-out-the-vote campaigns to be more targeted and effective. Watch Indivisible cofounder Ezra Levin’s Contrarian interview on No Kings 4, outlining how to channel people power to the polls this fall.

Join ‘Hands Around the Kennedy Center’

Trump’s crusade to transform the Kennedy Center into another vanity project has escalated. On Tuesday, Trump-appointed board members defied court orders and voted to “temporarily” close the cultural institution, citing supposed structural dangers. And Trump is vowing to withhold appropriated funding for the center until his naming demands are met. He has even threatened to tear down the center, and was recently photographed reviewing what appear to be Kennedy Center demolition plans on Air Force One.

Local advocates are organizing a Hands Around the Kennedy Center event on Friday, September 18, to celebrate the institution and demand its preservation. Stay tuned to The Contrarian for live coverage of the event.

Grade Your Congress Members on Anti-Corruption

Democracy Defenders Action — a sister organization to The Contrarian — has developed a scorecard for members of Congress, indexing their votes on how effective they are at preserving the public trust. The “Stop Corruption Now Scorecard” seeks to celebrate elected officials for taking action to “advance anti-corruption reforms” as well as to “highlight which members of Congress are turning a blind eye.” Look up your members here.

Celebrate Constitution Week

Join us in observing Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on September 17. Citizenship Day celebrates individuals naturalized as U.S. citizens, and Constitution Day kicks off Constitution Week — a federal commemoration of the 1787 ratification of the Constitution that encourages Americans to learn about their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Use this week to brush up on the Bill of Rights, check out the Contrarian’s America 250 reading list, or attend a naturalization ceremony in your area to celebrate your new fellow Americans.

Help Voters Get IDs

Many states now require voter ID at the ballot box — creating a barrier for eligible voters who, for any number of reasons, may not have a government-issued photo identification. Vote Riders offers free support to Americans who need help collecting necessary documents, making appointments, and paying the fees to get an official ID. The group is signing up volunteers to help with this vital work. Find out more here.

Door Knock (or Dial) for Democracy

Swing Left is recruiting canvassers to knock on doors to boost turnout in the midterms. This weekend, Swing Left activists are aiming to knock on 5,000 doors across more than 70 communities. Click here to find, or organize, a canvass for swing races near you.

If going door-to-door isn’t your speed, Swing Left also has a phone-bank campaign to support the group’s target House, Senate, and state-level races. Likewise, Indivisible has phone bank events to boost candidates in 40 target races — 31 in the House and nine in the Senate. Never phone banked before? Not to worry! Each event has in-depth training, with Indivisible staff on call to answer questions.

Banish AI from Campaign Ads

Remember that AI-generated attack ad falsely depicting Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) having an “affair” with liberal “squad” members Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN)? AI-generated campaign ads are on the rise (see MAGA Texas senate candidate Ken Paxton’s latest anti-James Talarico creation here) and often wildly misrepresent candidates and their positions.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) have introduced a bill to stop this weaponization of AI slop. The AI Ads Act would “prohibit fraudulent misrepresentation of political candidates or committees through content generated by artificial intelligence.” The bill would also prohibit using AI-generated content to solicit funds. If truth is important to you, contact your representatives to support this legislation. Meanwhile, you can educate yourself on how to spot AI-generated ads.

Preserve the ‘Roadless Rule’

The Trump administration is attempting — again — to open pristine stands of federal forest to logging and development roads. The Department of Agriculture recently announced it is attempting to rescind a landmark 2001 “Roadless Rule” that protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest from resource exploitation.

The administration is dressing up this giveaway to logging and mining companies as a way to reduce wildfire risk. However, according to the Center for Western Priorities, the move would actually “degrade drinking water, fragment wildlife habitat, and increase the Forest Service’s $10 billion road maintenance backlog.” You can comment on the proposed regulation through September 21.

Oppose Exorbitant Visa Fees

The Trump administration is again attempting to turn visas for high-skilled workers into a racket, proposing to charge $100,000 for each H1-B visa applicant. A federal judge previously struck down a Trump executive order imposing a similar exorbitant charge as an illegal tax. But Trump is now seeking to enact this fee through a regulation. The public can comment on the proposed rule — which would affect the availability of skilled workers in fields from healthcare and advanced research to programming and tech. Speak out through September 24.

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.

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 4

Get ready for the most important No Kings event yet. The coalition famous for record-setting street protests is getting the gang of millions back together on October 17 to cast early-vote ballots, where available, and to promote midterm election voting plans everywhere else. The idea is to help make the 2026 midterm election “too big to rig” by banking huge numbers of ballots early.

The No Kings coalition is holding a kickoff call tonight, September 10, at 8 p.m. eastern, to convey “the vision, urgency, and strategy” of the mid-October action. You can also watch Indivisible cofounder Ezra Levin’s recent interview with The Contrarian outlining how to channel people power to the polls.

Help Voters Get IDs

Many states now require voter ID at the polls — creating a barrier for eligible voters who, for any number of reasons, may not have a government-issued photo identification. Vote Riders offers free support to Americans who need help collecting necessary documents, making appointments, and paying the fees to get an official ID. The group is signing up volunteers to help with this vital work. Find out more here.

Dial for Democracy

You don’t have to live in a swing district to help key candidates win in November. Talking to voters one-on-one, even over the phone, is a highly effective way to share information about Election Day and convey how high the stakes are this midterm.

Indivisible has organized phone banking events to boost candidates in 40 target races — 31 in the House and nine in the Senate — from Florida to California and many states in between. Never phone banked before? Not to worry! Each event has in-depth training included, with Indivisible staff on call to answer questions. For more on Indivisible’s midterm plans, check out the group’s General Election Kickoff Call.

Accompany Migrants in Court

New York based Contrarians, you can help folks navigate the immigration court system. The New Sanctuary Coalition is offering weekly trainings this fall support to people “pursuing legal immigration status while facing a hostile system.” You’ll learn how to help with paperwork, accompany people throughout their hearings, and connect them with “resources to… fight deportation and detention.” Sign up for a training in Brooklyn September 17 or September 24.

Participate in National Voter Registration Day

The Trump administration, in league with the Supreme Court, continues to diminish voting rights. Help boost turnout in the midterms by celebrating National Voter Registration Day, a “civic holiday dedicated to celebrating our democracy,” on September 15. The NVRD website offers resources on understanding your ballot and encouraging your community members to exercise their voting rights. A handy tool can help you register in your state.

Turn the South Blue

Join Run for Something and YALLvote on September 15 for a virtual learning session on transforming the South from red to blue. You’ll hear from state representatives, community members, and pro-democracy leaders, including Amanda Litman and Amanda Nelson, on topics ranging from running for office to activating your digital community.

Powerscroll for Your Country

SwingLeft has a new program to “doomscroll” for the greater good. The idea is to get friends together and engage with prodemocracy content online — goosing the Big Tech algorithms that will then serve that content up to a much wider audience. These Social Strategy Power Hours take place each Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. eastern time. Attend and make sure to share the Contrarian’s Instagram and TikTok pages.

Preserve the ‘Roadless Rule’

The Trump administration is attempting — again — to open pristine stands of federal forest to logging and development roads. The Department of Agriculture recently announced it is attempting to rescind a landmark 2001 “Roadless Rule” that protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest from resource exploitation.

The administration is dressing up this giveaway to logging and mining companies as a way to reduce wildfire risk. However, according to the Center for Western Priorities, the move would actually “degrade drinking water, fragment wildlife habitat, and increase the Forest Service’s $10 billion road maintenance backlog.” You can comment on the proposed regulation through September 21.

Oppose Exorbitant Visa Fees

The Trump administration is again attempting to turn visas for high-skilled workers into a racket, proposing to charge $100,000 for each H1-B visa applicant. A federal judge previously struck down a Trump executive order imposing a similar exorbitant charge as an illegal tax. But Trump is now seeking to enact this fee through a regulation. The public can comment on the proposed rule — which would affect the availability of skilled workers in fields from healthcare and advanced research to programming and tech. Speak out through September 24.

Block a Yosemite Giveaway

The Trump administration wants to surrender protected Yosemite parkland to a private developer so it can build a road to upscale lodging it plans to build just outside the park. The deal would benefit Kingsbarn Realty Capital by shortening the drive from its luxury development to the valley floor. (Watch this video for a quick explainer.) You can contact your members of Congress at this petition site and demand they protect the national park.

Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It

The “November” midterms actually begin as early as September in some states, with early voting set to start in just weeks. Opportunities differ by jurisdiction, so check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early, whether in-person at an early voting center, or by mail. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar. 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.

Stand Up for Workers

Labor Day is more than just a bookend to summer. It’s time to stand with working Americans who are facing a fierce onslaught from AI job displacement, greed-driven layoffs, and inflation caused by war and tariffs. This year, we are seeing record corporate profits and a falling worker share of national income. While the stock market is booming, the national minimum wage ($7.25 for non-tipped workers) hasn’t budged since 2009, and union membership has shrunk to just one worker in ten.

Some ideas for helping turn the tide:

• Read up on the radical roots of Labor Day.

• Find a union-organized Labor Day celebration or picnic near you.

• Join the National Employment Law Center’s push for a $17 minimum wage.

• Take the AFL-CIO’s “Sh*t’s Too Expensive” survey about the issues most important to working people.

• Read about how to start a union at work.

Restore TPS for Haiti

Pierre Damas Bel was a gifted college student and soccer player from Haiti who held temporary protected status in Ohio and was a member of the ROTC. In late July, the Department of Homeland Security revoked TPS status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants, despite the State Department maintaining a do-not-travel advisory warning of Haiti’s “crime, terrorism, kidnapping, [and] unrest.” The 20-year old Bel was fitted with an ankle monitor, making him unable to play soccer. His classmates began to bully him. He faced threats of deportation. Bel died by suicide Monday.

This tragedy underscores the Trump administration’s inhumane treatment of nonwhite immigrants. Read this open letter from mayors across the nation, and join their demand that the Senate pass a bill to restore temporary protected status for Haiti. Call for oversight and accountability of ICE. And find ways to support our immigrant neighbors at Haitian Bridge Alliance and the Haitian Support Center.

Catch Up on Indivisible’s Midterm Kickoff

Indivisible held a general election kickoff call on September 2 outlining its action plan for the midterms. Watch a recording of the video call below:

Indivisible is empowering citizens to counter voter suppression efforts and election interference. The group warns of the MAGA administration: “It’s going to be no-holds-barred from them this year as they try desperately to block free, democratic elections.” Check out the group’s 19-page election-protection toolkit for actions and strategies to ensure fair elections in your community in November.

Block a Yosemite Giveaway

The Trump administration wants to surrender protected Yosemite parkland to a private developer so it can build a road to upscale lodging it plans to build just outside the park. The deal would benefit Kingsbarn Realty Capital by shortening the drive from its luxury development to the valley floor. (Watch this video for a quick explainer.) You can contact your members of Congress at this petition site and demand they protect the national park.

Fight Big Data’s ‘Reign’

Nearly 7 in 10 Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their communities. But Donald Trump, throwing his lot in with Big Tech, is demanding that local opposition roll over and “let Data Reign” or be, as Trump put it, “backwards and poor.” Food & Water Watch has a comprehensive resource for mobilizing community opposition to these sprawling, water-chugging, electricity hogging, emissions-spewing, noise-polluting supercenters that are powering the rise of anti-worker AI technology and the private surveillance state.

Participate in National Voter Registration Day

The Trump administration, in league with the Supreme Court, continues to diminish voting rights. Help make the midterms “too big to rig” by celebrating National Voter Registration Day, a “civic holiday dedicated to celebrating our democracy,” on September 15. The NVRD website offers resources on understanding your ballot and encouraging your community members to exercise their voting rights. A handy tool can help you register in your state.

Turn the South Blue

Join Run for Something and YALLvote on September 15 for a virtual learning session on transforming the South from red to blue. You’ll hear from state representatives, community members, and pro-democracy leaders including Amanda Litman and Amanda Nelson on topics ranging from running for office to activating your digital community.

Oppose Exorbitant Visa Fees

The Trump administration is again attempting to turn visas for high-skilled workers into a racket, proposing to charge $100,000 for each H1-B visa applicant. A federal judge previously struck down a Trump executive order imposing a similar exorbitant charge as an illegal tax. But Trump is now seeking to enact this fee through a regulation. The public can comment on the proposed rule — which would affect the availability of skilled workers in fields from healthcare and advanced research to programming and tech. Speak out through September 24.

Preserve the ‘Roadless Rule’

The Trump administration is attempting — again — to open pristine stands of federal forest to logging and development roads. The Department of Agriculture recently announced it is attempting to rescind a landmark 2001 “Roadless Rule” that protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest from resource exploitation.

The administration is dressing up this giveaway to logging and mining companies as a way to reduce wildfire risk. However, according to the Center for Western Priorities, the move would actually “degrade drinking water, fragment wildlife habitat, and increase the Forest Service’s $10 billion road maintenance backlog.” You can comment on the proposed regulation through September 21.

Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It

The “November” midterms actually begin as early as September in some states, with early voting set to start in just weeks. Opportunities differ by jurisdiction, so check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early, whether in-person at an early voting center, or by mail. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar. 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.

Honor Dolly Parton

We lost a transcendent American this week with the death of Dolly Parton, who inspired generations with her music, her philanthropy, and a moral clarity that bridged the divides of our politics. Perhaps Parton’s greatest legacy is her Imagination Library project, which has encouraged literacy and lifelong love of reading by giving away more than 300 million books to children across America and other countries. Visit ImaginationLibrary.com and the nonprofit Dollywood Foundation to help keep Parton’s legacy thriving.

March on Washington

Participate in a new March on Washington tomorrow, Friday, August 28.

Sponsored by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, and a coalition of civil rights groups, marchers will gather at the Lincoln Memorial beginning at 8 a.m. to demand voting rights — in the face of the ongoing Republican assault on fair representation — and economic justice. The march will observe the 63rd anniversary of the 1963 March, at which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.

In addition to prominent civil rights leaders such as NAACP President Derrick Johnson and Legal Defense Fund President Janai Nelson, the day’s program will also feature speeches from politicians including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

Find out more about the event at MarchonWashington2026.com. Watch the livestream from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.. And follow The Contrarian for special coverage.

Sign Up for a Weekend of Action

Swing Left aims to defeat MAGA in the midterms on the strength of voter-to-voter contact. Join a Weekend of Action on August 28 and 29; Swing Left is seeking volunteers to conduct 50 on-the-ground canvasses and 10 phone banks for the benefit of 55 target races across the country. The weekend is part of the group’s larger push to spark 500,000 conversations with voters before election day. Visit Swing Left’s website to find out how to volunteer on a race near you. For a quick volunteer orientation, click here. Or watch a Contrarian interview to learn more about Swing Left’s big-picture strategy and practice.

Oppose Exorbitant Visa Fees

The Trump administration is again attempting to turn visas for high-skilled workers into a racket, proposing to charge $100,000 for each H1-B visa applicant. A federal judge previously struck down an executive order that Donald Trump issued, imposing a similar exorbitant charge, as an illegal tax. But Trump is now seeking to enact this fee through a regulation. The public can comment on the proposed rule — which would affect the availability of skilled workers in fields from healthcare and advanced research to programming and tech. Speak out through September 24.

Take in a Showing of ‘Rocky Horror’

The legendary actor Tim Curry also died this week. One of his defining roles was portraying mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which became a midnight cult classic at indie movie houses across the country — providing a safe haven for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and cultivating a loyal fanbase of misfits and contrarians. Check the independent theaters in your community for a showing — and buy some extra popcorn.

Preserve the ‘Roadless Rule’

The Trump administration is attempting — again — to open pristine stands of federal forest to logging and development roads. The Department of Agriculture recently announced it is attempting to rescind a landmark 2001 “Roadless Rule” that protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest from resource exploitation.

The administration is dressing up this giveaway to logging and mining companies as a way to reduce wildfire risk. However, according to the Center for Western Priorities, the move would actually “degrade drinking water, fragment wildlife habitat, and increase the Forest Service’s $10 billion road maintenance backlog.” You can comment on the proposed regulation through September 21.

Participate in National Voter Registration Day

The Trump administration, in league with the Supreme Court, continues to diminish voting rights and seeks to meddle in our elections. Help make the midterms “too big to rig” by celebrating National Voter Registration Day, a “civic holiday dedicated to celebrating our democracy,” on September 15. The NVRD website offers resources on understanding your ballot and encouraging your community members to exercise their voting rights. A handy tool can help you register in your state.

Turn the South Blue

Join Run for Something and YALLvote on September 15 for a virtual learning session on transforming the South from red to blue. You’ll hear from state representatives, community members, and leaders including Amanda Litman and Amanda Nelson on topics ranging from running for office to activating your digital community.

Join ‘Hands Off Our Vote’

Indivisible has mounted a campaign to empower citizens against voter suppression efforts and even election interference in the midterms. The group warns of the MAGA administration: “It’s going to be no-holds-barred from them this year as they try desperately to block free, democratic elections.” Check out the group’s 19-page election-protection toolkit for actions and strategies to ensure fair elections in November.

Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It

The “November” midterms actually begin as early as September in some states, with early voting set to start in just weeks. Opportunities differ by jurisdiction, so check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early, whether in-person at an early voting center or by mail. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar. 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.

March on Washington

A new March on Washington is scheduled for August 28. Sponsored by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, and a coalition of civil rights groups, marchers will gather at the Lincoln Memorial beginning at 8 a.m. to demand voting rights — in the face of the ongoing Republican assault on fair representation — and economic justice.

The march is being organized around the 63rd anniversary of the original 1963 March, at which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Find out more about the event at MarchonWashington2026.com, where you can register to attend, sponsor a bus to the event, organize on behalf of a religious congregation, or partner with march organizers.

Stop Government Spying

A stunning New York Times report describes how federal authorities used invasive surveillance practices against Minnesota activists who opposed the Trump administration’s violent “Operation Metro Surge” ICE deployment. The feds reportedly infiltrated houses of worship and community meetings and tracked activists using license plates and financial records.

The ACLU of Minnesota is highlighting “profound First Amendment concerns” about this activity, particularly “federal law enforcement’s use of facial recognition software” to identify people not suspected of any specific crime. Join the ACLU in demanding “a full accounting” of this federal overreach. The civil liberties organization offers language that could be fashioned into a letter to members of Congress: “The public deserves to know who authorized this surveillance, what legal basis was asserted for it, how broadly it was conducted, what information was collected and retained, with whom information was shared, when it will be deleted, and what processes — if any — were in place to safeguard constitutionally protected activity.”

Stop ICE Shock Gloves

ICE announced plans last week to spend up to $20 million to buy electric-shock gloves for its agents. The G.L.O.V.E, or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, by Compliant Technologies, allows agents to “deliver a pain stimulus” to an individual to “gain compliance.” Despite being touted as “nonlethal,” the gloves pose significant danger; according to the company’s own manual, the shocks “may cause or contribute to death or serious injury.” Considering ICE’s recent escalations and history of violence, many fear that the gloves will be used to inflict wanton cruelty on suspects, detainees, or those protesting the agency. Join the NAACP and LULAC in calling for transparency, accountability, and oversight by contacting your representatives in Congress to ask them to halt the procurement of these taser gloves. As LULAC CEO Juan Proaño told The Contrarian: “It is degrading, it is dehumanizing, and it puts at great risk the general population — American citizens and immigrants alike.”

Stand Up for Sailors

Conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, amid an eight-month deployment, have become desperate — with reports of depleted rations, squalid bathrooms, and a lack of soap, deodorant, toothpaste and other necessities. Crew have been unable to regularly communicate with family and working shifts have been extended, pushing service members to the brink. Several sailors have attempted to throw themselves overboard or made other attempts at self-harm.

The commander in chief, Donald Trump, has dismissed this scandal as “fake news,” even insisting that the extended carrier deployment has not been “nearly long enough.” Families of the deployed called out the president, and the NAACP posted a call to action on behalf of the ship’s sailors of color, with a list of demands: “Relieve these Sailors. Investigate these conditions. Protect their mental health. Support their families. And bring them home safely.”

You can also call on your elected officials to join Senate efforts to demand transparency from the Department of Defense. As 15 Senators wrote to Secretary Pete Hegseth: “Denial and defensiveness are not acceptable responses. Congress and these families need accountability.”

Preserve the ‘Roadless Rule’

The Trump administration is attempting — again — to open pristine stands of federal forest to logging and development roads. The Department of Agriculture announced this week it is attempting to rescind a landmark 2001 “Roadless Rule” that protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest from resource exploitation.

The administration is dressing up this giveaway to logging and mining companies as a way to reduce wildfire risk. However, according to the Center for Western Priorities, the move would actually “degrade drinking water, fragment wildlife habitat, and increase the Forest Service’s $10 billion road maintenance backlog.” You can comment on the proposed regulation through September 21.

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Sign Up for a Weekend of Action

Swing Left aims to defeat MAGA in the midterms on the strength of voter-to-voter contact. It is organizing a Weekend of Action on August 28 and 29, for which it is seeking volunteers to conduct 50 on-the-ground canvasses and 10 phone banks for the benefit of 55 target races across the country. The group is aiming to spark 500,000 conversations with voters before election day. Visit Swing Left’s website to find out how to volunteer on a race near you. For a quick volunteer orientation, click here. Or watch a Contrarian interview to learn more about Swing Left’s big-picture strategy and practice.

Join ‘Hands Off Our Vote’

Indivisible has mounted a campaign to empower citizens against voter suppression efforts and even election interference in the midterms. The group warns of the MAGA administration: “It’s going to be no-holds-barred from them this year as they try desperately to block free, democratic elections.” Check out the group’s 19-page election-protection toolkit for actions and strategies to ensure fair elections in November.

Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It

The “November” midterms actually begin as early as September in some states, with early voting set to start in just weeks. Opportunities differ by jurisdiction, so check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early, whether in-person at an early voting center, or by mail. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar. Check your voting details at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot.

An earlier version included an incorrect date and incorrect link for the comment period on the roadless rule. This version has been updated.

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

Fight Flock Surveillance

Communities across the U.S. are calling on local police departments and HOAs to end contracts with AI-powered surveillance companies, including Flock and Axon, that track Americans using a vast network of roadside cameras. These pole-mounted automated licence plate readers (ALPRs) can identify your vehicle and track your location, and they share that data with potentially thousands of law enforcement agencies.

The largest network is run by Flock, a company already out of favor with the public, which is back in the news amid reporting that at least 50 police officers used Flock cameras to stalk women. The technology is also error-prone: Misread plates have frequently subjected innocent motorists to dangerous police enforcement actions based on mistaken identity.

To defend yourself against the rise of this Big-Brother-like tech, check out the ACLU’s toolkit to “Fight Creepy ALPR Cameras.” Activist group DeFlock offers resources to report ALPR locations and has a map of cameras where you can see what’s in your area. DeFlock is also organizing a National Week of Action from August 16 to 22 with activities planned in nearly 400 cities nationwide. Find an event near you or check out the group’s toolkit for ideas about how to shift the tide against digital surveillance in your community.

The pushback is making waves. Flock on Thursday announced changes to be implemented by January 1, including requiring the use of audit tools and codes for searches. While a step in the right direction, critics are warning that these changes are not enough and act as “window dressing” for companies “in panic mode.”

Stand Up for Dr. Fauci

Dr. Anthony Fauci served as a key member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force in Donald Trump’s first term, helping fast-track vaccines that saved millions of lives. Yet Fauci has long been the subject of a right-wing ire because of the unpopularity of pandemic-era public health measures such as masking and business closures — as well the conspiracy theory that he hid evidence around an uncorroborated hypothesis that the virus escaped from a Chinese lab that had received a modest U.S. research grant.

When the 85-year-old Fauci was grilled by conspiracy-theory-addled Republicans in a Senate hearing last month, he repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment constitutional rights. Republicans then voted to hold him in contempt of Congress — arguing that Fauci is not at risk of self-incrimination thanks to a pardon from President Joe Biden.

To oppose this harassment, sign a petition from Stand Up For Science demanding that Congress rescind the contempt charge. “Villainizing a dedicated public health expert and falsifying lessons from the COVID response does not help us prepare for the next public health crisis,” the petition declares. “It makes us more vulnerable.”

Register High School Voters

The youth are alright. Entering the home stretch for the 2026 midterms, 42 percent of 18 year olds are registered to vote, a big jump from the 2022 midterms, when just 35 percent had registered. That data comes from a new study by Civics Center, a group dedicated to turning out young voters, which hopes to boost the registration of young adults to 51 percent by November.

With the school year gearing up, Civics Center is now promoting High School Voter Registration Weeks, offering toolkits for students and educators to create registration drives for eligible students. The group also focuses on voter pre-registration, available in some states, where students as young as 15 can register today to ensure their spot on the voting rolls when they come of age. The group’s website also offers a handy online registration portal for eligible voters of all ages. Voter registration deadlines vary by state, so check out the last day to register in your state here.

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Join ‘Hands Off Our Vote’

Indivisible has mounted a campaign to empower citizens against voter suppression efforts and even election interference in the midterms. The group warns of the MAGA administration: “It’s going to be no-holds-barred from them this year as they try desperately to block free, democratic elections.” Check out the group’s 19-page election-protection toolkit for actions and strategies to ensure fair elections in November.

Say No to the Big Bend Border Wall

The Department of Homeland Security has waived environmental regulations to fast-track the construction of border barriers and access roads through Texas’ Big Bend region, including parts of Big Bend National Park. Local officials, business owners, and conservationists warn the $1.7 billion project will permanently damage fragile ecosystems, disrupt wildlife corridors, threaten the region’s tourism economy, and restrict access to one of Texas’ most treasured public landscapes. The No Big Bend Wall coalition is working to protect the Big Bend region through public education and efforts to preserve the area’s environmental, cultural, and economic resources. Find call scripts and sample letters to contact representatives, shareable resources, and a petition on its website.

Fight for Food Safety

A string of foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls this summer – from the major cyclospora outbreak to salmonella-contaminated jalapeños – has highlighted the importance of catching foodborne illnesses before they spread. Under the Trump administration, cuts to federal public health programs and disease surveillance have made it harder to detect and respond to outbreaks. The Center for Science in the Public Interest offers several ways to push back on its website, including sending messages to Congress to increase funding for food safety programs and protect state food safety laws. Take action and tell your representatives to strengthen the systems that keep America’s food safe.

Cyclospora infections have surged this summer, with confirmed cases reported in 45 states. The illness, brought on by consuming contaminated food, is best known for causing explosive diarrhea and has been linked to two deaths in Michigan. The outbreak is reigniting concerns about the tracking and containment of foodborne illnesses. Last year, the Trump administration made the surveillance of cyclospora optional through FoodNet, a collaboration of federal and state health departments, which had tracked the parasite since 1997. Sign MoveOn’s petition urging the Trump administration to restore mandatory cyclospora surveillance and strengthen the nation’s ability to detect and respond to future foodborne outbreaks.

Prep for a New March on Washington

Set your calendars for a new March on Washington on August 28. Sponsored by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, and a coalition of civil rights groups, marchers will gather at the Lincoln Memorial to demand voting rights — in the face of the ongoing Republican assault on fair representation — and economic justice.

The march is being organized around the 63rd anniversary of the original 1963 March, at which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Find out more about the event at MarchonWashington2026.com, where you can register to attend, sponsor a bus to the event, organize on behalf of a religious congregation, or partner with march organizers.

Sign Up for a Weekend of Action

Swing Left is an activist group that aims to defeat MAGA in the midterms on the strength of voter-to-voter contact. It is organizing a Weekend of Action on August 28 and 29, for which it is seeking volunteers to conduct 50 on-the-ground canvasses and 10 phone banks for the benefit of 55 target races across the country. The group is aiming to spark 500,000 conversations with voters before election day. Visit Swing Left’s website to find out how to volunteer on a race near you. For a quick volunteer orientation, click here, or watch a Contrarian interview to learn more about Swing Left’s big-picture strategy and practice.

Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It

August 18 is a busy primary date, with elections in Alaska, Florida, and Wyoming. Make your voice heard at the polls. Check your voting details at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot.

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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.

Support the Trumpsonian

After the Department of Justice announced it had concluded its review of the Epstein files, The Institute of Primary Facts and collaborators created a free immersive experience named the Trumpsonian to keep Epstein and his crimes at the forefront. The Trumpsonian debuted in New York with a 24-hour broadcast and is now in Washington, D.C. Inside the “museum” is the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room, which contains 3,437 bound volumes of the Epstein files and hosts survivor-centered talks and a Q&A. For folks in the Washington, D.C. area (or those down for last-minute travel), reserve your free visit to The Trumpsonian through June 14. With enough support, the organization intends to bring the experience to cities across America.

Oppose the ‘Trump Arch’

Donald Trump wants to build a massive triumphal arch to celebrate himself. The 250-foot-tall structure would stand between the National Mall and Arlington Cemetery. If approved, the arch would be a stark, vertical structure situated in an area designed for horizontal memorials, block views of historical sites, including the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, and possibly disrupt flight patterns in nearby National Airport. The public comment period for Trump’s vanity project is open. You can review planning documents, impact reports, and renderings at the National Park’s comment page and submit feedback through June 15.

Shatter the Corporatization of “Pride”

June is Pride Month, which corporations co-opt with rainbow merchandise and supposed support of the queer community. Yet behind the rainbow square profile pictures sometimes lurks a dirty secret: Many of these companies give massive donations to politicians who work against the LGBTQ community. Gen Z For Change’s Pay Back Pride campaign is unmasking these corporations because “performative allyship sucks.” Find a list of the largest donors and let the companies know, that without true support of the gay community, they won’t have your support.

Defend Human Rights During the World Cup

Millions of soccer fans are making their way to FIFA World Cup host cities this week, including in the United States, where the Trump regime’s harsh immigration tactics have incited widespread fear. The ACLU has a handy guide for knowing your rights that also explains the risks of attending a World Cup game in the United States. “Fans, players, journalists, and everyone alike should be prepared for potential risks, including racial profiling by law enforcement, invasive social media screening, searches of electronic devices, suppression of speech and protest, and other threats to civil liberties,” the ACLU warns.

Amnesty International is encouraging soccer fans — and all fans of human rights — to tell FIFA to demand host cities respect human rights. Amnesty’s website, which includes several action items for the World Cup, says: “FIFA promises a tournament where everyone ‘feels safe, included and free to exercise their rights.’ But the reality tells a very different story.”

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Block the Nomination of Trump Toadies

Trump cronies Todd Blanche and Bill Pulte are unfit, especially to be the Senate-approved head of the Department of Justice or the acting director of the nation’s intelligence apparatus, respectively. Contact your senators to insist that Trump’s former personal lawyer, Blanche, not become attorney general and to find a way to deny Pulte’s entry into the national security apparatus. Indivisible has launched a campaign to block the “ludicrously unqualified” Pulte, in particular.

Rise Up, Sing Out: June 14

As counterprogramming to the UFC spectacle Trump is planning at the White House, the No Kings Coalition is hosting a nationwide organizing event on June 14. 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, Jane Fonda, Julia Roberts, and Singing Resistance. Sign up for an organizing event at NoKings.org or look for concert tickets here if you can make it to New York City. (Watch Ezra Levin of Indivisible describe the June 14 events and the need for a diversity of tactics to defend democracy here.)

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 kickoff is a Juneteenth “week of action” — June 16 to 24 — with anchor events in Harlem and Atlanta. The full Freedom Summer calendar includes events culminating in a pre-election “last push” on Halloween. Sign up with an email to access the group’s toolkit for activists.

Mobilize for ‘All of Us 250’

The next mass protest of the Trump regime is coming on June 27, organized by the All of Us 250 coalition. The group’s website says the United States is at a “crossroads” on its 250th birthday. Organizers seek to push back against the MAGA “whitewash” of the nation’s past and push forward in a commitment of “finishing the work” to make the United States a country in which “freedom and equality are truly for all.” This is not a No Kings event, but it includes familiar partners, such as 50501 and the Women’s March. Plan to join the main mobilization in Washington, D.C., or find or host a local demonstration near you. You can also sign on to the group’s declaration or put your own words to paper for a companion project called Letters to America.

Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It

Tuesday, June 16, features primary elections in Oklahoma and Washington, D.C.

The rest of the June primary calendar includes contests in Maryland, New York, Utah on June 23, and rounds out with Colorado on June 30.

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.

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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.

Sing a Song of Resistance

Singing Resistance — a group that brought viral protest songs to the streets of Minneapolis and other ICE-occupied cities — is holding a nationwide “Weekend of Action” Feb. 28 through March 1. Demonstrators will gather and sing at locally meaningful sites, including locations where immigration agents abducted a neighbor or outside a corporation that’s collaborating with the administration. Singing Resistance seeks to offer “a loving entry point” for people “new to social movements and activism.” (Watch the group in action at a recent Brandi Carlile concert.) Check out the songbook, and find a protest in your area — or organize one of your own.

Stand Up for Science

Join The Contrarian on March 7 at the Stand up for Science national day of action. Stand up for Science was founded last year to resist the “Trump administration’s dismantling of our nation’s premier science institutions.” Protestors will rally in over 30 U.S. cities to support science, protest dangerous health policies from the Trump regime, and defend democracy. Find a rally near you here or plan one of your own.

Protect Students

The American Federation of Teachers is holding a “Day of Action to Protect Our Kids, Our Families and Our Communities” on March 4. “As this administration uses violence and fear to intimidate communities, our members are building mutual aid networks and protecting our kids and communities.” Read the AFT’s toolkit and find a rally near you.

Students have been mobilizing across the country in opposition to brutal immigration enforcement actions — and some are paying a price. Several students in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, were arrested after police intervention during their school walkout turned physical. Consider donating to help with legal expenses.

In Texas, students are facing repercussions for similar First Amendment activities. Students who walk out of class to protest could face arrest, and the Texas Education Agency has threatened schools that fail to punish protesters with a state takeover. Action Network has a petition to tell Texas officials to respect free expression.

Persist in the ICE Funding Fight

The Department of Homeland Security remains shut down in the battle to reform ICE, its brutal detention camps, and the machinery of mass deportation. Keep up the pressure on senators and representatives to demand reforms that have broad public support. Encourage them to embrace Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s simple logic: “No accountability? No check.”

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.

Demand Epstein Accountability

The Department of Justice is turning a blind eye to Jeffrey 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 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 and universities to dismiss Epstein cronies.

For Contrarians in New Mexico, there is a March 8 rally planned in Albuquerque that will be “caravanning to the gates of Zorro Ranch” — the rural estate where Epstein allegedly trafficked women for decades.

Protect Voting Rights

The GOP’s SAVE Act — which would create new hurdles to the ballot box — has passed the House and must be opposed in the Senate. Remind your local and state election authorities that the federal government has no say in state elections and no right to state voter rolls.

Cast Your Ballot

The first primary elections of 2026 are on March 3, with contests in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas. Look up your state’s upcoming primary date here. Check voter registration deadlines here.

Help Targeted Community Members

Despite promises of a drawdown, there are still more than 900 federal deportation agents in Minnesota. 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 here.

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

• Consumers can also pressure the companies that empower ICE. Resist and Unsubscribe offers a one-stop resource for moving your money.

Prepare for “No Kings”

• The next No Kings protest is on March 28. Get ready to play your part. Attend one of the many training sessions (including protest safety and know-your-rights seminars) or find a protest planned near you.

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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 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.

Find out more at: Common Cause; Democracy.io.

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.

Find out more at: Indivisible.org, where you can read the handbook and find an active group in your area or start one of your own. Discover 50501.org’s “Welcome Guide” here. Or click your state at Mobilize.us to find an action that works for you.

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.

Find out more at: Vote.org, Fair Elections Center. 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.

Find out more at: Swing Left.

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 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.

Find out more at: RunforSomething.net

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.)

Learn more here.

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.

Find out more at: BoycottHere; Boycott Central; TeslaTakedown; WeAintBuyingit; Groundavelo; Resist and Unsubscribe

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.

Find out more: RumorGuard; Snopes

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.

Find out more at: KBB; Solar-estimate.org; Bright Saver.

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

Find out more: Subscribe to The Contrarian or give a subscription as a gift.

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.

Keep Up the ICE Funding Fight

The Department of Homeland Security remains shut down because of the budget battle over reforming ICE, its brutal detention camps, and the machinery of mass deportation. Keep contacting your senators and representatives to demand reforms that have broad public support. (Indivisible offers talking points.)

Demand ICE Camp Oversight

Ask your members of Congress to conduct oversight visits of ICE detention camps 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.

Demand Epstein Accountability

Pressure your representatives to reveal the full rot of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network and hold criminals accountable. Turn up the heat on companies and universities to dismiss Epstein cronies. Call for the ouster of Commerce Secretary and Epstein associate Howard Lutnick and obstructionist Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Protect Voting Rights

The GOP’s SAVE Act — which would create new hurdles to the ballot box — has passed the House and must be opposed in the Senate. Remind your local and state election authorities that the federal government has no right to state voter rolls.

Cast Your Ballot

The first primary elections of 2026 are coming up on March 3 with contests in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas. (North Carolina voter registration remains open during early voting, which runs through Feb. 28.) Look up your state’s upcoming primary date here. Check voter registration deadlines here.

Learn About AI’s Threat to Democracy

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) will discuss the future of AI and the battle between the people and tech oligarchs at a livestreamed Feb. 20 town hall at Stanford University. (An October report by Sanders found AI threatens as many as 100 million jobs and offers proposals like a “robot tax” to guarantee all Americans benefit from advancing technology.)

Sit Out Trump’s State of the Union

Don’t hold yourself hostage to Donald Trump’s State of the Union ramble on Feb. 24. Instead, join The Contrarian’s Katie Phang – virtually or in person – at the National Mall for the People’s State of the Union (which we will be reporting live on our socials) or watch Contrarian Co-Founder Norm Eisen at the Drain the Swamp counter event. Alternatively, gather with friends to plot ways to strengthen democracy — or protect neighbors in peril.

Help Targeted Community Members

When ICE agents are 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 here.

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

• Consumers can also pressure the companies that empower ICE. Resist and Unsubscribe offers a one-stop resource for moving your money.

Mark Your Calendars

• The next No Kings protest is on March 28. Find a protest planned near you.

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

Keep Up the ICE Funding Fight

A partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security appears imminent — as the showdown over funding ICE, its detention camps, and the machinery of mass-deportation continues. The expiration of funding on Feb. 13 will ratchet up pressure on Democrats to cut a deal. Keep calling Congress to demand reforms with broad public support. Indivisible offers talking points and advice for contacting your senators and representatives.

Consumers can also pressure companies that empower ICE. If you’re looking to move your own money, Resist and Unsubscribe offer a one-stop resource.

Demand Epstein Accountability

Pressure your representatives to reveal the full rot of Epstein’s sex-trafficking network and hold criminals accountable. Europe is showing how easy it would be to purge Epstein cronies from government. And, after her absurdly combative, see-no-evil performance before Congress, Attorney General Pam Bondi should also be shown the exit from the Department of Justice.

World Without Exploitation, a coalition fighting to end human trafficking and sexual exploitation, has a petition seeking the full release of the files. “We are demanding answers about rape, trafficking, and abuse — and why the justice system failed to pursue those crimes,” it reads. “The [DOJ]’s actions mirror the very dynamics that allowed Epstein’s crimes to persist: secrecy for the powerful and consequences for everyone else.” (Read an essay from World Without Exploitation Co-Founder and President Rachel Foster here.)

Impeachment 3.0?

50501 is organizing a Feb. 17 “day of action” for citizens to visit the district offices of their members of Congress and lobby to impeach Donald Trump for a third time — citing the “unconstitutional military strike” on Venezuela, the paramilitary excess of ICE, and obstruction of justice for Epstein survivors. Practicalities of a new impeachment aside, organizers are determined to send a message about the president’s overreach: “It’s not getting better and Congress is not meeting the moment.” Find a calendar of events here.

Help Targeted Community Members

The administration has announced a drawdown of its violent immigration surge in Minneapolis, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents can turn up in anywhere. When agents are 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 here.

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

Feb. 14 Self Care

Whether or not you have a Valentine, take a moment to practice self-care. The fight to save our democracy will be long and hard. Go for a walk — or lift weights to remind yourself how strong you and America are. Have a taste (or two or ten) of your favorite indulgence to stave off autocracy’s bitterness. Or have tea with a gaggle of friends to giggle about the utter failure of the first lady’s documentary.

Get Presidential at the Library

Monday, we celebrate Presidents Day. Visit your local library to find a biography of a celebrated statesman and remind yourself of what a real leader is. NPR has a good list of recommendations for books about Abraham Lincoln. Check out this list of recommendations for books about George Washington. Inside Hook has recommendations for works about Teddy Roosevelt.

Mark Your Calendars

The next No Kings protest has been called for March 28. (Watch Jen Rubin’s interview with Indivisible founder Ezra Levin to learn more.)

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 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. When you’re ready to make a call, the League of Conservation Voters offers a comprehensive guide on best practices.

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

Find out more at: Common Cause; LCV; Democracy.io.

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.

Find out more at: Indivisible.org, where you can read the handbook and find an active group in your area or start one of your own. Discover 50501.org’s “Welcome Guide” here. Or click your state at Mobilize.us to find an action that works for you.

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.

Find out more at: Vote.org, Fair Elections Center. 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.

Find out more at: Swing Left.

Support 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, including logistical support to help run “efficient, strategic, grassroots, driven campaigns.”

Find out more at: RunforSomething.net

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.)

Learn more here.

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.

Find out more at: BoycottHere; Boycott Central; TeslaTakedown; WeAintBuyingit; Groundavelo.

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.

Find out more: RumorGuard; Snopes

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 maintains 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.

Find out more at: KBB; Solar-estimate.org; Bright Saver.

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

Find out more: Subscribe to The Contrarian or give a subscription as a gift.

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 Over the Epstein Files

After weeks of flouting Congress, the Department of Justice finally released three million new Epstein files — though millions more are still being withheld. The documents are riddled with the names of some of the world’s most powerful people. But DOJ has not moved toward justice for survivors — and, worse, left many of their names unredacted. Pressure your representatives to demand DOJ reveal the full rot of Epstein’s sex-trafficking network and hold criminals accountable. You can also sign a Women’s March petition demanding an end to impunity for Epstein associates.

Keep Up the DHS Funding Fight

The Department of Homeland Security budget fight is not over. Constituent pressure got Congress to break out DHS funding in a standalone budget bill — now due in mid-February. This is a critical window to demand reforms with broad public support, including unmasking federal immigration agents and constraining ICE funding. Indivisible offers talking points and advice for contacting your Senators and Representatives.

“Eyes on ICE”

Get trained to document and record ICE activity. Promoted by the ACLU, Indivisible is leading an “Eyes on ICE” training on the evening of Feb. 5 (today!). Training begins at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT. RSVP here. Find a standing resource for digital-security best practices here.

Radicalize Your Super Bowl Party

Take advantage of gathering with your friends and neighbors to enjoy Bad Bunny’s halftime performance — and talk about how you can support vulnerable members of your community. Start a Signal chat over nachos and guac. Listen to Bruce Springsteen’s new anti-ICE anthem. If you’re in the Bay Area, consider joining ICE Out protests near Levi’s Stadium.

Help Targeted Community Members

If you’re looking to help targeted communities in the Twin Cities, Stand with Minnesota has a list of dozens of mutual-aid efforts and organizations. Springfield, Ohio is bracing for a potential ICE incursion targeting Haitian immigrants. Here is a list of organizations that are asking for help.

ICE can turn up in anywhere, and when agents are 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 to local advocacy groups.

• 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.

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

Subscribe now

Find a Student Protest

In a significant broadening of the pro-democracy movement, high school and university students have been leading school walkouts to protest ICE — and drawing ire from Trump allies. Though these protests are locally organized, several organizations have resources for planning a safe and effective walkout. Learn how you can support these protests or, if you are a student, think about organizing one yourself.

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.

Mark Your Calendars

• 50501 is organizing a Feb. 17 day of action to lobby in support of impeaching Trump for a third time.

• The next No Kings protest has been called for March 28. (Watch Jen Rubin’s interview with Indivisible founder Ezra Levin to learn more.)

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 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. When you’re ready to make a call, the League of Conservation Voters offers a comprehensive guide on best practices.

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

Find out more at: Common Cause; LCV; Democracy.io.

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.

Find out more at: Indivisible.org, where you can read the handbook and find an active group in your area or start one of your own. Discover 50501.org’s “Welcome Guide” here. Or click your state at Mobilize.us to find an action that works for you.

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.

Find out more at: Vote.org, Fair Elections Center. 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.

Find out more at: Swing Left.

Support 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, including logistical support to help run “efficient, strategic, grassroots, driven campaigns.”

Find out more at: RunforSomething.net

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.)

Learn more here.

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.

Find out more at: BoycottHere; Boycott Central; TeslaTakedown; WeAintBuyingit; Groundavelo.

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.

Find out more: RumorGuard; Snopes

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 maintains 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.

Find out more at: KBB; Solar-estimate.org; Bright Saver.

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

Find out more: Subscribe to The Contrarian or give a subscription as a gift.

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.

Keep Up the Fight Over Homeland Security Funding

• The fight is ongoing! Thanks to pressure from constituents outraged over Immigration and Customs Enforcement killings, Senate Democrats (and a couple Republicans) blocked a Republican-authored budget package that includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Because 60 votes are required for passage, Democrats have leverage to insist on meaningful reforms and/or reduce DHS funding. (As The Contrarian’s own Jen Rubin insists, the point is less the specific outcome. “The point is the fight” itself.) Indivisible is leading a campaign to keep up the pressure “make sure Dems don’t accept empty reforms and call that a win.” The group offers talking points and advice for contacting your Senators.

Join or Support a Nurses’ Strike

• National Nurses United has organized a “Week of Action” to protest the brutal slaying of Veterans Affairs nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol in Minneapolis. (Watch The Contrarian’s coverage of an event in Portland, Oregon, here.) A nationwide vigil is planned to honor Pretti’s life on Feb.1 outside of VA facilities at 6 p.m. local time.

Join a National Shutdown, Jan. 30

• In response to the killing of Pretti, Minnesota student organizers, with the support of 50501, are promoting a National Shutdown on Jan. 30. Building on last week’s general strike in Minnesota, the aim of the shutdown is simple: “No school. No Work, No Shopping.”

Ride For Pretti

• In addition to being a nurse, Pretti was an avid cyclist, and the bike community has organized nationwide rides this Saturday as a rolling memorial. Find a ride near you here.

Subscribe now

Find an ICE Out Rally Near You

• Action Network has a map of upcoming “ICE Out” rallies, protests, and other events nationwide.

Help Targeted Community Members

If you’re looking to help vulnerable communities in the Twin Cities, Stand with Minnesota has a list of dozens of mutual-aid efforts and organizations.

The threat from ICE is not static. The agency targeted immigrant neighborhoods in Maine and could turn up in your community. When agents are 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.

• 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 in your area to local advocacy groups.

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

• Organize school carpools or grocery runs for vulnerable families.

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

• Record federal agents (from a safe distance, please) and distribute evidence of abuses widely.

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

Mark Your Calendars

• The next No Kings protest has been called for March 28. (Watch Jen Rubin’s interview with Indivisible founder Ezra Levin to learn more.)

Keep Epstein in Focus

• The Trump administration continues to flout Congress by not releasing the full Epstein Files. (The deadline was more than a month ago, and millions of pages have been withheld.) This is clearly a sore subject for the president, who flipped the bird at an auto worker who called out his association with the late pedophile. Pressure your representatives to insist that the administration comply with the law and expose the full rot of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network.

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 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. When you’re ready to make a call, the League of Conservation Voters offers a comprehensive guide on best practices.

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

Find out more at: Common Cause; LCV; Democracy.io.

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.

Find out more at: Indivisible.org, where you can read the handbook and find an active group in your area or start one of your own. Discover 50501.org’s “Welcome Guide” here. Or click your state at Mobilize.us to find an action that works for you.

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.

Find out more at: Vote.org, Fair Elections Center. 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.

Find out more at: Swing Left.

Support 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, including logistical support to help run “efficient, strategic, grassroots, driven campaigns.”

Find out more at: RunforSomething.net

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.

Find out more at: BoycottHere; Boycott Central; TeslaTakedown; WeAintBuyingit; Groundavelo.

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.)

Learn more here.

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 maintains 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.

Find out more at: KBB; Solar-estimate.org; Bright Saver.

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.

Find out more: RumorGuard; Snopes

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

Find out more: Subscribe to The Contrarian or give a subscription as a gift.

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.

Counter ICE

Join a General Strike, January 23

Labor unions and progressive religious leaders In Minnesota have organized a statewide general strike for Friday (Jan. 23) — to protest the killing of Renee Good by an immigration agent and daily abuse of immigrants including the recent detention of a 5-year-old boy in the Twin Cities.

ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA is calling for a day of “non-violent moral action” to demand the “immediate cessation” of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the state. The general strike seeks a daylong “pause” of all economic activity — “no work, no school, no shopping” — making room for reflection and protest. There will be a march Minneapolis, beginning at 2 p.m. local time, as well as prayer vigils across the state.

Though centered in the midwest, this strike call has gone national, with the SEIU planning solidarity actions in cities from Seattle to Orlando to Boston to Phoenix.

Find a protest near you here.

Help Targeted Community Members

If you’re looking to help vulnerable communities in the Twin Cities, Stand with Minnesota has a list of dozens of mutual-aid efforts and organizations to consider supporting.

The threat from ICE is not static. The agency is now targeting immigrant neighborhoods in Maine and could turn up in your community. When agents are 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.

• Hand out whistles to blow if deportation agents are spotted in your neighborhood.

• 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 widely.

Demand a Fight Over Homeland Security Funding

Many Americans are horrified at the abuses of President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation regime. A supermajority — 77% — of Democrats want to “abolish ICE,” according to a new YouGov poll, along with 48% of independents and even 12% of Republicans.

Funding the Department of Homeland Security (which houses ICE) is part of budget negotiations that must be completed before Jan. 30. Senate passage will require a bipartisan vote, meaning Democrats have rare leverage to win spending cuts or at least impose meaningful reforms, including unmasking federal agents. As The Contrarian’s own Jen Rubin insists, the point is less the specific outcome. “The point is the fight” itself — and the opportunity to build a “groundswell of opposition.”

Indivisible.org is leading a campaign against ICE funding, with talking points and advice for contacting your members of Congress or paying a visit to local Senate offices this week while the upper chamber is in recess.

Keep Epstein in Focus

The Trump administration continues to flout Congress by not releasing the full Epstein Files. (The deadline was more than a month ago, and millions of pages have been withheld.) This is clearly a sore subject for the president, who flipped the bird at an auto worker who called out his association with the late pedophile. Pressure your representatives to insist that the administration comply with the law and expose the full rot of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network.

Prepare for a “Historic” Winter Storm

An extreme, potentially “historic” winter storm is expected to hit a wide swath of the United States this weekend — including states that don’t have the infrastructure to quickly clear snow and where power and other critical infrastructure could be hobbled for an extended period.

Before the storm, be sure to have shelf-stable food and drinkable water on hand. (Find local food banks here and here.) Check to see if you need to cover outdoor pipe fixtures or leave a drip on until it warms up. The Red Cross and Ready.gov have more tips.

If you need a warming center, check out locator tools from the Red Cross and DisasterAssistance.gov. Alternatively, dial 211; this free service can connect you to local warming centers, as can your local, non-emergency police/fire line.

Looking for ways to help those affected by the storms? Read through Rocky Mountain Human Services’ Tips for Supporting Vulnerable Community Members This Winter.

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 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. When you’re ready to make a call, the League of Conservation Voters offers a comprehensive guide on best practices.

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

Find out more at: Common Cause; LCV; Democracy.io.

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.

Find out more at: Indivisible.org, where you can read the handbook and find an active group in your area or start one of your own. Discover 50501.org’s “Welcome Guide” here. Or click your state at Mobilize.us to find an action that works for you.

Subscribe now

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.

Find out more at: Vote.org, Fair Elections Center. 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.

Find out more at: Swing Left.

Support 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, including logistical support to help run “efficient, strategic, grassroots, driven campaigns.”

Find out more at: RunforSomething.net

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.

Find out more at: BoycottHere; Boycott Central; TeslaTakedown; WeAintBuyingit; Groundavelo.

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.)

Learn more here.

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 maintains 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.

Find out more at: KBB; Solar-estimate.org; Bright Saver.

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.

Find out more: RumorGuard; Snopes

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

Find out more: Subscribe to The Contrarian or give a subscription as a gift.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your congressperson, 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.

Counter ICE

• Contact your members of Congress to demand a full, transparent investigation into the killing of Renee Good by an immigration agent in Minneapolis. Include calls for justice and accountability. (Find resources to connect you with your legislators below)

• Demand a fight over Homeland Security funding. Democrats such as Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are leading efforts to slash the mass-deportation budget, vowing “not one dime” for Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Department of Homeland Security funding is part of budget negotiations that must be completed before January 30. Democrats have rare leverage to slash ICE spending or at least impose meaningful reforms, including unmasking federal agents. But some in the party may be looking to duck another showdown and could use your encouragement. Watch our own how-to video here.

• Support the impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. In the wake of ICE’s deadly shooting, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) has called for Noem’s removal, alleging “obstruction of Congress,” “violation of public trust,” and “self dealing.” With more than 50 House Democrats cosponsoring the impeachment, you have an opportunity to thank your lawmakers or encourage others to get on board.

• Help targeted community members protect themselves from ICE. When federal agents are out in force, many immigrants and citizens of color alike are afraid to leave their homes. Families in Minneapolis (and before them in Chicago and elsewhere) have been demonstrating how to show solidarity:

• Distribute know-your-rights cards to help inform neighbors of their constitutional protections regardless of immigration status.

• Hand out whistles to blow if deportation agents are spotted in your neighborhood. (Honking your car horn works, too.)

• Organize carpools for the children of affected parents or offer to do a grocery run or other essential errands.

• Create volunteer teams to monitor neighborhoods near schools and bus stops to ensure it’s clear for kids to move about.

• Record interactions between federal agents with community members and distribute evidence of abuses widely on social platforms and to the media.

Defend the Fed

• Pressure lawmakers to stand up for the independence of the Federal Reserve. The Trump Justice Department has opened an investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, ostensibly over renovations to Fed offices. Powell released an extraordinary video calling the probe a “pretext” meant to intimidate him into taking Trump’s orders on interest rates. The issue is creating a wedge in the GOP that can be exploited. Top Republican senators, including like Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and banking chair Thom Tillis (R-NC) are expressing their disapproval of DOJ’s overreach, and even Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he was “unhappy” with the investigation.

Honor MLK

• To honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. on the January 19 federal holiday, search Mobilize.us for an event or google for an MLK Day of Service volunteer opportunity near you.

Upcoming Protests

• Timed to the anniversary of Trump’s inauguration, the January 20 “Free America Walkout” is a demonstration against fascism. Organizers are calling for a nationwide “walk out”—of “work, school, and commerce”—at 2 p.m. local time.

• In Minneapolis, labor leaders are calling for a city-wide general strike on January 23.

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 with contact information for the elected officials who represent you — from city council members to U.S. senators. When you’re ready to make a call, the League of Conservation Voters offers a comprehensive guide on best practices.

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

Find out more at: Common Cause; LCV; Democracy.io.

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.

Find out more at: Indivisible.org, where you can read the handbook and find an active group in your area or start one of your own. Discover 50501.org’s “Welcome Guide” here. Or click your state at Mobilize.us to find an action that works for you.

Guarantee Your Vote

Donald 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.

Find out more at: Vote.org, Fair Elections Center. 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.

Find out more at: Swing Left.

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, including logistical support to help run “efficient, strategic, grassroots, driven campaigns.”

Find out more at: RunforSomething.net

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.)

Learn more here.

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.

Find out more at: BoycottHere; Boycott Central; TeslaTakedown; WeAintBuyingit; Groundavelo.

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.

Find out more: RumorGuard; Snopes

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 supports, the economics of green energy still make sense for millions of Americans. Kelley Blue Book maintains 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.

Find out more at: KBB; Solar-estimate.org; Bright Saver.

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 all of our profits fund pro-democracy litigation.

Find out more: Subscribe to The Contrarian or give a subscription as a gift.

Subscribe now