Take Action for Juneteenth and Voting Rights

Plus: Visit the Obama Center and prep for ‘All of Us 250.’

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.

Welcome the Obama Center

The Obama Presidential Center opens to the public on Chicago’s South Side on Juneteenth, kickstarting a grand-opening weekend. The 19-acre complex is an innovative take on the “presidential library” and includes an indoor basketball court, a public library branch, a vegetable garden, and a plaza honoring the late civil rights lion John Lewis. You might learn, for example, about the Obama Iran deal, which blunted that country’s nuclear capabilities while avoiding the kind of reckless war that Trump launched this year. Or you can consider the accomplishments of former first lady Michelle Obama, whose legacy cannot be tarnished by gutter bigotry or unhinged conspiracy theories. Tickets for a June 18 preview celebration with the Obamas are sold out, but you can join a livestream by signing up at Obama.org.

Obama Presidential Center Campus, obama.org

Kick Off ‘Freedom Summer’ with Juneteenth Week of Action

The civil rights organizers at Black Power War Room have launched a reprise of Freedom Summer, evoking the historic 1964 mobilization of Black voters in the Deep South. The group’s Juneteenth “week of action” is underway, having kicked off earlier this week in Atlanta where the legislature is weighing redistricting for 2028 that could gut Black voting power. Still on tap: a rally in Harlem on June 20 and a “virtual mass-meeting” on June 23. Find a full schedule and map of events at FreedomSummer2026.com.

A similar Juneteenth weekend of action is being promoted by Good Trouble Lives On, which honors the legacy of John Lewis. Good Trouble is sponsoring events nationwide and offering the rally cry: “Teach! Reach! Preach!” Find a map of events here. Watch a recording of the group’s organizing webinar here.

To find other Juneteenth actions and celebrations across the country, consult this calendar. And check out this essay on the meaning of Juneteenth in America’s 250th year by Deborah Archer, the first person of color to lead the ACLU.

Defend Voting Rights

Trump is making a renewed push to pass the SAVE Act — which would disenfranchise millions of voters, disproportionately women — as Republicans seek to limit access to the ballot box ahead of the November elections. The act has passed the House and must be vigorously opposed in the Senate.

Mobilize for ‘All of Us 250’

The next mass protest of the Trump regime is coming on June 27. The demonstration is organized by the All of Us 250, a coalition made up of “civic, cultural, labor, immigrant rights, racial justice, youth, faith, and democracy organizations.” The protest agenda aims to counter the “narrow and exclusionary narrative” about the nation’s 250th birthday promoted by “the MAGA regime” and offers a positive platform that prioritizes living wages, climate justice, reproductive rights, voting rights, and gun safety. The flagship mobilization will take place in the late morning in Washington, D.C., with satellite actions planned nationwide. Find out more at AllofUs250.org.

Protect Protestors

The Department Homeland Security arrested 15 anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis in a raid on Tuesday. The Department of Justice has charged these members of Minnesota Direct Action with myriad crimes, including conspiracy and interference, denouncing them as “rioters” with “Antifa ties.” These seemingly trumped up charges suggest anyone who has proteste ICE overreach could become a target for prosecution. If you witness a raid in Minneapolis, contact the Minnesota chapter of National Lawyers Guild. If you’re outside of Minnesota consider supporting the labor and faith groups that have denounced the raid as renewed “political repression” from the Trump administration.

Demand Changes at Delaney Hall

Hunger strikes are ongoing at the wretched detention facility in New Jersey known as Delaney Hall, operated on behalf of ICE by the for-profit jailer GEOGroup. Women have joined a strike started by men. Read the strikers’ demands, which include “safe drinking water” and “adequate nutrition.” Their own calls to action include contacting officials in state government, ICE, and GEOGroup itself.

Keep Human Rights Central at the World Cup

Millions of soccer fans are attending FIFA World Cup matches in U.S. host cities. The ACLU offers a handy know-your-rights guide that also explains the risks of attendance. “Fans, players, journalists, and everyone alike should be prepared for potential … 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. Separately, Amnesty International is encouraging soccer fans to tell FIFA to promote respect for human rights across the tournament. “FIFA promises a tournament where everyone ‘feels safe, included and free to exercise their rights.’” Amnesty warns. “But the reality tells a very different story.” Indeed, a FIFA agent was caught on tape confiscating Iranian flags from fans.

Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It

The June primary calendar is wrapping up, with contests in Maryland, New York, Utah on June 23 and 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.