Western Mass Resistance Calendar and Supplmental Reading List

Welcome back to the Western Mass Resistance Calendar for the week of 12/19/25, a listing of resistance actions in response to the depredations of the Trump administration. While it may feel like the resistance to MAGA’s fascist onslaught has gotten quieter in the last few weeks, K. Starling, of We the People Dissent reports that there were over 900 protests and rallies held around the nation last week. Locally there are still standouts nearly every day, offering you a chance to demonstrate your contempt for fascism while building a little solidarity at the same time.

We’ve been away for a couple of weeks, trying to put the calendar in order as some of the weekly events have paused in the face of challenging weather and the holidays and the end of the semester crunch. But it’s impressive how many folks are still at it. We’ve updated the calendar and ask for your help in keeping it current. We’re working on tracking down trainings and virtual resistance so those sections are a bit empty at the moment. Please send us notices of your actions, trainings, and recommendations for good reads to amherstindy@gmail.com.. We’ve culled the list a little bit, but have left much of it intact and hence, this collection has gotten quite long. The sections of the list are noted below and are now hyperlinked so you can get to them easily without having to scroll through the whole thing.

THIS WEEK’S INTRODUCTION & LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Not much in the way of large national actions is in the offing as far as I can see, but there are ongoing boycotts that are having signficiant financial impact on those corporations aligning with the administration. And folks are starting to think, speak, and write more strategically, turning their focus from protest to noncompliance and disruption (see e.g. here). Of course resistance is already all around is, in the courts, in our neighborhoods and in the streets resisting ICE, in the alternative media providing a counter narrative to fascist talking points, and even electorally, with Democratic candidates outperforming Republicans in local and special elections.

Two mass actions are planned in the coming months.

Free America Walkout
Women’s March is calling for a mass walkout next year.
When: January 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
Where? Wherever you are
Host: Host an action at freeameri.ca

“On January 20 at 2 PM local time, we will walk out of work, school, and commerce because a Free America begins the moment we stop cooperating with fascism.”

Check out the website.

National Day of Direct Action
FLARE and Citizens’ Impeachment are teaming up for a national day of action.
When: February 17
Where Your representative’s office
Website: citizensimpeachment.com

“On February 17th, 2026, we will hold organized meetings with congressional offices in their home districts. This is an opportunity to show directly to their face that their constituents demand better. We will not be satisfied with empty promises. We want leaders who will honor their oath and do their job: Defending the Constitution by impeaching Donald Trump.”

Go to their website to register your organization and learn more.

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING ACTIONS

SATURDAY December 20: Anti-fascist overpass standout. I-91 in South Deerfield. 10 a.m. We’ll stand on an overpass in South Deerfield on Saturday with a huge banner that says “Trump = Fascism,” and we’ll wave at cars. This is an hour and a half event. Flags are an important show of solidarity, bring one if you can. Small signs are hard to read at a speed of 65 mph. This event is filled with conversation, beeps, waves, flashing lights and joyful mischief. More info

SATURDAY Decembeer 20: Greenfield Standout for Palestine. 11 a.m. – Noon. Greenfield Town Common, intersection of Main St. and MA RT. 10. Demand a permanent ceasefire. Bring a sign. Sponsored by Traprock Peace Center and JVP.

SATURDAY December 20: Weekly Indivisible Stanout on the Belchertown Town Common. 10 a.m.- Noon. 2 Jabish St. We are a local chapter of the national indivisible organization. We standout weekly in support of democracy and our constitution. We are a friendly, welcoming group. More info.

SATURDAY December 20: Weekly Standout at Pride in Hadley for Migrant Workers. Noon – 2 p.m. Pride gas station, intersection of RT.9 and Bay Road. Join community members to stand against the horrific treatment of our migrant worker neighbors by the Trump administration.Parking: Please don’t park on the Pride property. Parking is available: at Hadley Crossing, just east of the Bay Rd. intersection along the side of Bay Rd. at the vacant gas station just west of Pride at Hampton Inn Village Shops, 41-49 Russell Street. More info.

SUNDAY December 21`: Anti-fascist overpass standout at I-91 in Greenfield. 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. We;ll stand (or sit) on an overpass over Route 91 in Greenfield on Sunday with a huge banner that says “Trump = Fascism.” Flags are an important symbol of solidarity so bring one if you can. This is an hour and a half event filled with beeps, waves, flashing lights, and awesome opportunities to study human nature. More info

SUNDAY December 21: Easthampton Vigil for Democracy. 4-5:30 p.m. Pulaski Park. 16 Main Street. On the Winter Solstice, let’s come together as a community to reflect on the past year, acknowledge and grieve our losses, and thank and support each other in love and resistance. By sharing poetry, music, and personal experiences, we will affirm our people power and pledge to renew our resistance accompanied by strength and joy.Please dress for the weather. Wear a colorful hat and/or scarf! We will provide flameless candles for all to hold during the gathering. If you’d like, please come with a reflection about something personal (or communal) that has been lost in the past year: a person/people (to death/deportation/imprisonment/etc.), a right, an element of democracy, something material, etc. Bring your reflection on a 4 x 6 notecard or piece of paper. Be prepared to share your reflection (briefly) if you feel comfortable doing so, during our gathering. We will create a Reflection Garland to display at a community location. We will gather after the vigil to eat and drink something warm at a local restaurant. More info

MONDAY December 22: Standout for veterans and all federal workers in Northampton. 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 421 North Main St. Northampton. Stand with us at the entrance to the regional headquarters of the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System to support our veterans and all federal workers! VA workers are the backbone of the VA system, ensuring veterans get the care and support they earned. from a highly specialized staff We are in a high traffic area at a busy light that offers great visibility, with veterans and employees turning into the VA driveway. About a third of all federal workers are veterans adversely affected by the federal government’s major restructuring and job slashing. Our weekly standouts let federal workers know that we support them, while we protest DOGE/Project 2025 cuts and the abrupt cancellation of union contracts. We won’t sit by idly while the Trump regime works to privatize the VA, which would hollow out a system that provides health care and support tailored for the special needs of our veterans. More info.

TUESDAY December 23: Easthampton Standout for Palestine. 5-6 p.m. 50 Payson Street across from City Hall. Easthampton for Ceasefire will hold weekly standouts in support of Palestine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Join them EVERY TUESDAY.

WEDNESDAY December 24: Early Birds for Gaza. Greet L3 Harris (Northampton) employees with a peace message. 6:30 a.m. – 7:15 a.m. 50 Prince St. Northampton. Our message:“No More Weapons to Israel – Convert to Peace Work” Get creative: music, art, dance, nonviolent direct action, teach-ins, food. We‘ll be there every Wednesday, and are inviting others to join us and bring their own ideas! Hosted by Demilitarize Western Mass

WEDNESDAY December 24: Weekly Bearing Witness @ ICE . Every Wednesday 11:00AM-1:00PM. ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations Office, 1000 District Avenue, Burlington MA. (this is not in Western Mass but to our knowledge this is the closest MA ICE detention facility to us). We invite you to stand in solidarity outside the ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations Office in Burlington every Wednesday from 11am-1pm. Together, we can show love & support for immigrants, express our shame at ICE, and bear witness to the cruel and unconstitutional actions of our government. Regardless of your views on any other political issues, if you support immigrants and their constitutional rights and are committed to nonviolence you are welcome to join. Click here to read more information about this action, and watch this video.

FRIDAY December 26: Standout in Northampton for an Israel Arms Embargo. Noon – 1 p.m. Northampton City Hall. 210 Main St.

FRIDAY December 26: Gill/Montague Bridge/RT 2 standout. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Rt 2 intersection near bridge into Turners Falls. More info

FRIDAY December 26: Good Trouble Demcracy Brigade. Standout in South Deerfield. 3-4 p.m. Rt. 116 and Sugarloaf Street. More info

FRIDAY December 26: Jewish Voice for Peace Standout. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Coolidge Bridge Roundabout on the Northampton side of the bridge. Plenty of signs & banners are provided, but it’s helpful if you can bring your own.

FRIDAY, December 26: Overpasses for Democracy. Overpasses for Democracy event will be held 4:00 – 5:30 p.m on overpasses from Hartford, CT to St. Johnsbury Vermont on the fourth Friday of every month. Click here for an interactive map of all of the locations. PLEASE NOTE: In November and December, many overpass locations are changing their schedules due to the holidays. Please check the listing for individual locations information. Note: Because of the holiday, the Longmeadow location has changed its date to Sunday, December 28. Best to check with individual locations before you go.

FRIDAY December 26: Hatflied Mountain Drive Overpass Standouts. 3-4 p.m. We stand on the Mountain Drive overpass over Route 91 with signs and messages in BIG letters, educating and activating drivers. We get honks, waves, and the occasional middle finger in response. (But hey, we don’t just want to preach to the choir!) Bring a BIG sign, or just bring yourself and ave–waving is the most important way to get drivers’ attention and get a response. For the winter–please sign up for all shifts you plan to come to. That way if the weather is too awful, we can let you know that we’re cancelling. We don’t want y’all to freeze! And no worries if you’ve signed up but can’t make it–we’ll miss you, but we’ll cope. More info

SATURDAY December 27: Anti-fascist overpass standout. I-91 in South Deerfield. 10 a.m. We’ll stand on an overpass in South Deerfield on Saturday with a huge banner that says “Trump = Fascism,” and we’ll wave at cars. This is an hour and a half event. Flags are an important show of solidarity, bring one if you can. Small signs are hard to read at a speed of 65 mph. This event is filled with conversation, beeps, waves, flashing lights and joyful mischief. More info

SATURDAY Decembeer 27: Greenfield Standout for Palestine. 11 a.m. – Noon. Greenfield Town Common, intersection of Main St. and MA RT. 10. Demand a permanent ceasefire. Bring a sign. Sponsored by Traprock Peace Center and JVP.

SATURDAY December 27: Weekly Indivisible Stanout on the Belchertown Town Common. 10 a.m.- Noon. 2 Jabish St. We are a local chapter of the national indivisible organization. We standout weekly in support of democracy and our constitution. We are a friendly, welcoming group. More info.

SATURDAY December 27: Weekly Standout at Pride in Hadley for Migrant Workers. Noon – 2 p.m. Pride gas station, intersection of RT.9 and Bay Road. Join community members to stand against the horrific treatment of our migrant worker neighbors by the Trump administration.Parking: Please don’t park on the Pride property. Parking is available: at Hadley Crossing, just east of the Bay Rd. intersection along the side of Bay Rd. at the vacant gas station just west of Pride at Hampton Inn Village Shops, 41-49 Russell Street. More info.

SUNDAY December 28`: Anti-fascist overpass standout at I-91 in Greenfield. 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. We;ll stand (or sit) on an overpass over Route 91 in Greenfield on Sunday with a huge banner that says “Trump = Fascism.” Flags are an important symbol of solidarity so bring one if you can. This is an hour and a half event filled with beeps, waves, flashing lights, and awesome opportunities to study human nature. More info

MONDAY December 29: Standout for veterans and all federal workers in Northampton. 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 421 North Main St. Northampton. Stand with us at the entrance to the regional headquarters of the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System to support our veterans and all federal workers! VA workers are the backbone of the VA system, ensuring veterans get the care and support they earned. from a highly specialized staff We are in a high traffic area at a busy light that offers great visibility, with veterans and employees turning into the VA driveway. About a third of all federal workers are veterans adversely affected by the federal government’s major restructuring and job slashing. Our weekly standouts let federal workers know that we support them, while we protest DOGE/Project 2025 cuts and the abrupt cancellation of union contracts. We won’t sit by idly while the Trump regime works to privatize the VA, which would hollow out a system that provides health care and support tailored for the special needs of our veterans. More info.

TUESDAY December 30: Easthampton Standout for Palestine. 5-6 p.m. 50 Payson Street across from City Hall. Easthampton for Ceasefire will hold weekly standouts in support of Palestine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Join them EVERY TUESDAY.

WEDNESDAY December 31: Early Birds for Gaza. Greet L3 Harris (Northampton) employees with a peace message. 6:30 a.m. – 7:15 a.m. 50 Prince St. Northampton. Our message:“No More Weapons to Israel – Convert to Peace Work” Get creative: music, art, dance, nonviolent direct action, teach-ins, food. We‘ll be there every Wednesday, and are inviting others to join us and bring their own ideas! Hosted by Demilitarize Western Mass

WEDNESDAY December 31: Weekly Bearing Witness @ ICE . Every Wednesday 11:00AM-1:00PM. ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations Office, 1000 District Avenue, Burlington MA. (this is not in Western Mass but to our knowledge this is the closest MA ICE detention facility to us). We invite you to stand in solidarity outside the ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations Office in Burlington every Wednesday from 11am-1pm. Together, we can show love & support for immigrants, express our shame at ICE, and bear witness to the cruel and unconstitutional actions of our government. Regardless of your views on any other political issues, if you support immigrants and their constitutional rights and are committed to nonviolence you are welcome to join. Click here to read more information about this action, and watch this video.

FRIDAY January 2: Standout in Northampton for an Israel Arms Embargo. Noon – 1 p.m. Northampton City Hall. 210 Main St.

FRIDAY January 2: Jewish Voice for Peace Standout. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Coolidge Bridge Roundabout on the Northampton side of the bridge. Plenty of signs & banners are provided, but it’s helpful if you can bring your own.

SATURDAY January 3: Greenfield Standout for Palestine. 11 a.m. – Noon. Greenfield Town Common, intersection of Main St. and MA RT. 10. Demand a permanent ceasefire. Bring a sign. Sponsored by Traprock Peace Center and JVP.

TUESDAY January 6: Easthampton Standout for Palestine. 5-6 p.m. 50 Payson Street across from City Hall. Easthampton for Ceasefire will hold weekly standouts in support of Palestine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Join them EVERY TUESDAY.

WEDNESDAY January 7: Early Birds for Gaza. Greet L3 Harris (Northampton) employees with a peace message. 6:30 a.m. – 7:15 a.m. 50 Prince St. Northampton. Our message:“No More Weapons to Israel – Convert to Peace Work” Get creative: music, art, dance, nonviolent direct action, teach-ins, food. We‘ll be there every Wednesday, and are inviting others to join us and bring their own ideas! Hosted by Demilitarize Western Mass

OTHER LISTINGS & CALENDARS

ACTIVE BOYCOTTS

Boycotts can be a powerful tool to make companies stop doing bad things. Perhaps you’ve seen dozens of boycotts across your social media feed. Look up what boycotts are happening now and who is organizing them rated by Choose Democracy’s criteria of what makes a boycott effective.

Starbucks Boycott (see also here and here and details above)
Emerging Boycott of AT&T
Emerging Boycott of Disney (see also here)
T Mobile Boycott
Expanding the Target Boycott to Dollar General
A Guide to BDS Boycotts
Look up what boycotts are happening now

TRAININGS & WORKSHOPS

Ongoing: How to Organize a Bearing Witness Standout at ICE Facilities. This is a one page handout. Every Wednesday since February, a growing group of people have gathered at the ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations office in Burlington, Massachusetts. They call it Bearing Witness. Their purpose: to show love and support to immigrants, express shame at ICE, and bear witness to the cruelty of our government. We can see video of their protests here. Now, the organizers have created a shareable guide to organizing a bearing witness standout. Let’s consider using it to organize our own standouts, and let’s share it.

VIRTUAL DISSENT & ORGANIZING

K Starling, at We The People Dissent, has started a listing of virtual , ADA accessible and at home ways to dissent. Check out her first listing for virtual events here.

Take on The Lawyers Whose Firms Caved to Trump
(from Jess Craven – Chop Wood Carry Water) Rachel Cohen, the lawyer who left her law firm over its decision to comply with the Trump administration, has created a fantastic action to hold the law firms that are caving to Trump accountable. The idea is to send emails to organizations where these lawyers sit on the boards and ask them to remove those lawyers from their board. This creates specific individual consequences for the lawyers who decided to cave. She’s created a tool kit that allows you to send emails automatically, by clicking on a link—this will work for everyone EXCEPT for those with VPNs. If it doesn’t work for you she also provides all of the letters as separate docs so you can copy and paste them into an email or print them. (Here’s a link to her TikTok about this action, although I know you’re not all on TikTok. It doesn’t seem to be on any other platforms.)I sent about twenty emails this morning. It’s addictive! Just make sure you proofread the first paragraph and add your name at the end!

Every Sunday: Massachusetts Rapid Response for Our Freedoms: Virtual 6:30 pm. – 7:30 p.m. To mobilize and activate a network of people ready to take immediate, strategic action to defend our rights, freedoms, the rule of law, and democracy.-To educate and inform participants about current authoritarian threats, legal overreach, and coordinated attacks on our freedoms.-To share concrete tools, tactics, and next steps that individuals and groups can take in their communities to push back.-To build a connected movement rooted in collective power, solidarity, and a shared vision of justice and equality for all—not just the wealthy, powerful, or those with privilege. Register and more information.

Lobbying Your Elected Representatives
The Western Mass Resistance Calendar Focuses on Direct Action. But there are many folks out there who are organizing for lobbying Congress to act to prevent a long list of specific atrocities and there are numerous blogs and list-serves that offer weekly actions that you take in response to the most pressing issues. Usually provided are addresses, phone numbers, and scripts that you can use to exhort your reps into action. If you are looking for an action that you can take in 15 minutes, you can find all sorts of suggestions on these lists. Many of these lists also contain weekly summary’s of wins or good news from the resistance -reminding readers that resistance is not futile. Here is a sample of places to check out.

Rogan’s List
American’s of Conscience Checklist (also provides a listing of GOOD NEWS from the previous week)
Chop Wood, Carry Water
5Calls.org
Resistbot
Third Act (focusing on actions by seniors)

Postering
You can resist on your block, at your library, or at your gym. Consider printing and posting resistance messages. It can be a sticker, printed art, or homemade posters. HERE is information on how to get started.

GOOD READS

The State We Are In
The assaults on the rule of law and on well-established civil rights have been coming so quickly that it’s hard to absorb how dramatic the changes to our society have been. I have been following six blogs that help me to track the proliferating atrocities and to help direct me toward the malfeasance that is most consequential.

Letters from an American by Heather Cox Richardson – Richardson, an historian, offers her daily dissection of (usually) a single Trump Administration atrocity and then places it in the context of American history. Each day offers a compelling read that includes citations. Read the blog or subscribe here.

Today’s Edition Newsletter by Robert Hubble. Hubble offers a daily summary of the worst of Trump/Musk from the previous day and then reports on what folks are doing to resist Trump’s edicts and actions. Read past editions here.

The Daily Briefing by Rick Seltzer. This blog provides a daily rundown of Trump’s assault on Higher Education – providing the most comprehensive tracking of Trump’s war on universities that I have found. This one is behind a paywall but if you’re concerned with where Trump’s attacks on education are going and where the resistance is forming in higher education, this is the place to stay on top of those issues. The blog is a feature of the Chronicle of Higher Education and can be found here

Democracy Docket: Tracking the Legal Fight Against Trump. A great blog for keeping tabs on where Trump’s actions are being challenged in the courts. Read a sample or subscribe here.

Organizing My Thoughts by Kelly Hayes, the blog of writer, organizer, and Truth Out editor Hayes, features interviews with other organizers, tips on self-care and staying sane and brave through the crisis, and a monthly, must-read reading list, reviewing the major atrocities emanating mostly from, but not limited to Washington. Read her posts here.

The Anit-Authoritarian Playbook by Scot Nakagawa. Nakagawa’s career has been built around studying right wing ideologies and movements and building pro democracy resistance. His nearly weekly posts discuss the courses of action that can overthrow the current fascist regime. It’s a dose of “here is what we need to do.” Read his posts on Substack and subscribe here.

Atrocity Trackers:
Project 2025 Tracker – tracks each stated Project 2025 goal and its completion level far.
Icebreaker News: From detentions to deportations, ICE continues to terrorize our communities. Read the latest news, share the truth, and join us to demand dignity, safety, and justice for all.
Trump Tyranny Tracker
Timeline: Tracking the Trump Justice Department’s Anti-Voting Shift
This Week in Democracy (by Zeteo)
United States Disappeared Tracker
ICE Raid and Deportation Tracker

Wins Trackers (this section will be updated soon)
Filling Sandbags: Nine Wins to be Thankful For by Ben Ratersdorf (9/5/25). Holding on to incremental wins is part of how we blunt the shock-and-awe strategy coming from the White House. Donald Trump wants you to feel overwhelmed and despondent. In fact, he’s counting on it — that’s the only way the authoritarian project succeeds. (If You Can Keep It – Substack)
Harvard secures win in fight with Trump over federal research funding Judge rules Trump illegally deployed National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles. (NBC News)
Chop Wood Carry Water: Extra Extra – A Long List of Things to Celebrate – by Jess Craven (9/7/25).
Good News: Wins for Democracy, Equality, Kindness and the Planet by (Americans of Conscience Checklist)

Resistance Is Everywhere: The Supplemental Reading List
How We’ve Resisted ICE: Street Lessons from Chicago by Kelly Hayes (12/11/25). The best way to respond to fear and intimidation tactics is to just show we’re not afraid. We’re going to keep showing up. We’re going to keep speaking out,” says musician Jocelyn Walsh, who is facing federal charges for protesting ICE activity in Chicagoland. In this episode of “Movement Memos,” Walsh and Chicago organizers Gabe Gonzalez and Rey Wences talk with host Kelly Hayes about what activists have learned from months of raids, repression, and escalating authoritarian violence. (Truthout)

We’re Entering a New Phase of the Resistance by Daniel Hunter (11/26/25). Mapping the Shift from Shock to the Beginnings of Mass Action over the Last 10 months of the Anti-authoritarian Struggle in the U.S. (Waging Nonviolence)

Chicagoans Refuse to Be Cowed in the Face of Unrelenting State Violence by Kelly Hayes (11/11/25). Chicago is giving the US “a stellar example of how to fight back against these xenophobic pogroms,” said one organizer. (Truthout)

A Year on from Trump’s Victory, Resistance is Everwhere. Rebecca Solnit (11/9/25). (Meditations in an Emergency). Resistance is everywhere, both geographically and in terms of the constituencies participating: civil society and civil servants; human rights, climate and environmental groups (who in many cases had plans in place before the election and hit the ground running when the new administration came in); religious leaders and institutions, elected officials at all levels from city councils to the US Senate, the military, lawyers and judges, educators and students, librarians, of course, medical professionals, journalists, editors and publishers, people in the arts. Of course there’s been shameful collaboration, submission and silence from many figures in most of these constituencies as well. It has been striking that the most wealthy and theoretically most powerful have, in this crisis, often been the first to surrender. It’s non-elites who have stood on principle even when it means taking risks.

Students and Faculty at over 100 US Universities Protest Trump’s Attacks by Alice Speri (11.7/25). Student, national, and local groups across US organized day of action to condemn Trump’s assault on academic freedom. (The Guardian)

Can Nonviolent Struggle Defeat a Tyrant? This Data Base Says Emphatically Yes. by George Lakey (10/23/25).
The Global Nonviolent Action Database details some 40 cases of mass movements overcoming tyrants through strategic nonviolent campaigns. Occasional actions that simply protest a particular policy or egregious action aren’t enough. (Portside)

Portand’s Protests Are Getting Ridiculous and That’s the Point by Joe Berkowitz (10/14/25). Protesters in cities like Portland, Oregon, are using humor to reveal the absurdity of MAGA’s claims about them, joining a rich history of clowning against authoritarianism. (Fast Company)

The Resistance to Trump’s Military Occupation Just Keeps Growing by Sasha Abransky (10/10/25). In Illinois, California, and Oregon, residents and attorneys general are pushing back against the deployment of federal troops in their cities. So far, it’s working. (The Nation)

This Free Speech Group at Columbia Is Taking on Trump When the University Won’t – and Winning. by Alice Speri (10/10/25). The Knight Institute is defending free speech at a school now synonymous with compromising on it. (The Guardian)

‘We Will Fight’: Denver Schools Defy Trump’s Attacks on Trans Students Despite Threats to Federal Funds by Stephen Praeger (9/3/25). “The district has made clear it will not fold quietly, signaling that some institutions still have the resolve to stand against a federal campaign of erasure,” wrote one LGBTQ+ rights journalist. (Common Dreams)

Fighting Fascism Through Solidarity by Naomi Braine (9/3/25). Fascism depends on scapegoating, isolation and fear. Embracing the concept that “an injury to one is an injury to all” is an essential tool to fight back. (In These Times)

Resources for Your Activism – from Indivisible Northampton – Swing Left Western Massachusetts.

The DC Night Patrols Are Showing Cities How to Fight Trump’s Occupation by David Zirin and Chuck Modiano (8/29/25). With only their cell phones, medical kits, and the confidence to assert their rights, volunteer night patrols follow and record the armed troops who have taken over the capital. (The Nation)

The Resistance is Active in D.C. You’re Just Not Looking Closely Enough by Abby Vesoulis (8/22/25). It’s not massive protests on Pennsylvania Avenue, but happenstance hecklers and Nextdoor posts. (Mother Jones).

Pushing MAGA Out: The Resistance Ramps Up. by Max Elbaum, August 19, 2025. Zohran Mamdani wins big, outrage mounts at Israel’s genocide, and new projects take off, including One Million Rising and the Battleground Alliance PAC—all building momentum against MAGA’s drive toward authoritarian rule. (Convergence)

Free DC Models Effective Resistance to Trump’s Takeover by Daniel Hunter (8/13/125). Washington, D.C. residents’ rapid response to Trump’s National Guard deployment is a masterclass in how to prepare for crises and fight authoritarianism. (Waging Nonviolence)

The Danes Resisted Fascism and So Can We by Sarah Sophie Flicker (8/5/25). Danish resistance didn’t arrive all at once during World War II. But taken as a whole, the Danes’ actions are a testament to what’s possible when we work together to fight fascism. (The Nation)

Public Assemblies Strengthen Community Resistance to Rising Authoritarianism by Kelly Hayes (8/7/25). The People’s Movement Assembly process provides a unique opportunity for people to build a democracy that has yet to be born,” says Denzel Caldwell. In this episode of Movement Memos, Caldwell and host Kelly Hayes discuss the power and potential of People’s Movement Assemblies, and how the practice of direct democracy can help us fight fascism. (Truthout)

Grassroots Assemblies Empower People to Fight Back Against Trump’s Agenda by Ella Fassler (6/23/25). Walking through Providence, Rhode Island, it’s hard to miss the flyers posted on storefronts, bulletin boards, and lamp posts rallying passersby with a defiant call to action: Let’s Fight Trump’s Fascism! Defend Our Communities! Build a Better World! Come to the Providence General Assembly. For months, popular assemblies such as these — in Providence, Detroit, and Richmond, Virginia — have been diligently laying the groundwork for resisting Trump’s agenda and building self-governance. (Truthout)

What Can I Do to Fight this Coup – a checklist from Choose Democracy. People are resisting at every level. Tesla Takedowns. Refusing illegal orders. Court challenges. Boycotting. Thousands of protests. (More examples!) Alongisde grounding yourself in these times, here are some starting points on how to orient and help fight the coup. (Choose Democracy)

How ICE’s Arrest of a High School Student Activated a Massachusetts Town by Isabela Dias (7/15/25). While Gomes da Silva waited, the local resistance continued. It was primarily led by the students, who walked out of class the Monday after the arrest wearing white T-shirts with the words “Free Marcelo.” An online fundraiser was set up to help the family. Neighbors began bringing them groceries. For several days, Greco’s house became a sort of command post as supporters flowed in and out to offer help and write affidavits attesting to Gomes da Silva’s standing in the community. “I don’t think he really understands how this all came together,” she said, “and just how fast…When I think about all the miracles I got to witness over those two weeks, it still blows my mind.” (Mother Jones)

We Are No Longer Free. But We Can Win Our Freedom Back by Deepak Bhargava (6/14/25). Disruption differs from protest in a key sense. Where protests are designed to capture attention…disruption is not always loud and noisy. Sometimes it involves sitting where you’re not supposed to, not buying what you usually do, or not showing up for work. The point is that disruption must exact real economic or political costs on authoritarians and their collaborators. During the early days of the administration, we have already seen such methods yield results. Take the ongoing boycott of Target over its diversity, equity and inclusion policy rollback, which has depressed the chain’s foot traffic and stock price, or the widespread disavowal of Tesla, resulting in a worldwide sales crisis for Elon Musk’s once-trendy automaker. Or look at the Los Angeles unified school district’s refusal to give federal immigration authorities access to the city’s schools. These acts of non-cooperation create friction, and friction slows the consolidation of authoritarianism. Each act of non-cooperation, of disruption, inspires others to use the power they have to throw sand in the gears. (The Guardian)

Mutual Aid in the Age of Fascism by Judith Levine (Spring 2025). Still more mutual aid formations and institutions will need to be born, or reborn. The Department of Agriculture has canceled over $1 billion in funding for two programs that link local farms with food pantries and public school cafeterias. We need farmers’ cooperatives based in agrarian socialism. Daycare and afterschool programs are under the knife; Christian nationalism is creeping into curricula. Bring back the free school movement of the 1960s. Health and Human Services is closing the Administration for Community Living, which has helped frail elders and people with disabilities live at home, not in institutions. Because caregiving will be even more privatized than it is now (and we won’t have immigrants to do it cheap), the burdens will revert to the family, particularly women. What will family mutual aid look like? Communal, intergenerational housing, shared kitchens, child care shifts, leaving free time for creativity and leisure: let new forms of intimacy and interdependence supplant the patriarchal nuclear family religious fundamentalists and their elected officials have been laboring to reinvigorate for decades. (Boston Review)

American Spring? How Nonviolent Protest is Accelerating in the US by Erica Chenoweth, Soha Hammam, Jeremy Pressman, and Christopher Wiley Shay Contrary to conventional wisdom, the size and scale of anti-Trump protests this year have dwarfed those in 2017, and they have been extraordinarily peaceful. (Waging Nonviolence).

56 Small Tasks to Be Proactive Against Book Censorship in 2025. by Kelly Jensen. It is a myth that book bans increase book sales and “help” an author whose work has been targeted. It is also a myth that book bans encourage young people to get their hands on the banned title. The reality is what’s at stake are our public institutions of democracy: public libraries and public schools. Also at stake are the lives of whole groups of people whose stories are being silenced, erased, and burned nationwide by a small, vocal, wealthy, and well-connected contingent of far-right politicians and Christian nationalists (sometimes those groups are one and the same). (Book Censorship News)

When You Feel Hopeless, Read This. The Resistance is Speading in Towns and Cities Alike. by K. Starling. Not only do I catalogue the protests, but I record their numbers and document their stories. CNN, NBC, and NPR are not telling the whole story, not necessarily due to bias or censorship. Unless you spend hours every week recording protests and listening to people, you’ll miss it—the hope. (We The People Dissent– Substack).

What to Do if the Insurrection Act is Invoked by Daniel Hunter .With the Insurrection Act looming, now is the time to learn how it might unfold and the strategic ways to respond — including the power of ridicule.(Waging Nonviolence)

The Creative Playbook Behind Turkey’s Mass Protests by Ela Buruk In late March 2025, Turkey was rocked by its largest protests in a decade after Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu — a leading rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — was detained on corruption and terrorism charges. Outrage over his jailing and the subsequent closure of city services (such as metro and bus lines) under a protest ban quickly spilled into the streets. Yet alongside anger and defiance, an unexpected element emerged: humor and creative spectacle. (Waging Non-Violence).

How to Fight Fascism in a Captured State by Kelly Hayes and Shane Burley. We need to think deeply about cultivating that mindset of collective survival, of needing to understand each other and work together, even if we don’t like each other, and would never actually choose each other, because this is the ‘us’ we’ve got in an us versus them situation. (Podcast Transcript from Truthout)

The Anti-Authoritarian Play Book: What to Do Now. by Scott Nakagawa Now is the time to build stronger and deeper pro-democracy coalitions that are educated about what’s at stake and prepared to act together. The most effective approach involves forming broad coalitions across civic groups, advocacy organizations, business interests, and faith communities before a crisis hits, like a constitutional crisis, an escalation in immigration enforcement, widespread targeting of opposition leaders, crackdowns on civil society organizations, and other moves. These networks are most powerful when they transcend traditional political divides, bringing together diverse stakeholders united by their commitment to democratic principles rather than specific policy positions. (blog The Anti-authoritarian Play Book – Substack).

Divest Public Dollars from Elon Musk: A How to Guide by teslatakedown.com. Cities & states opposed to Musk’s illegal takeover of the federal government invest trillions of dollars in the stock market through city pension systems. Some cities purchase vehicle fleets from Tesla, and others hold contracts with Musk’s businesses. As Musk’s brutal and unnecessary cuts are ravaging state and local budgets, local governments that care about democracy should not be giving Elon Musk money by investing in his companies.

Be There, Be Counted. An Inventory of Community Actions in 2025. by K. Starling (5/1/25). A(mostly) complete list of (almost) every protest across the country. (We The People Dissent /Substack)

Fighting Elon Musk One Tesla Dealership at a Time by Sarah Larson (3/30/25). “It’s ironic that, as a pro-democracy and pro-climate group, we’re protesting against electric cars,” one activist said. “But you cannot sacrifice our democracy for one piece of the thing.” (The New Yorker)

The People’s Toolkit by Women’s March. Don’t just watch from the sidelines – join a community ready to take action. This power-packed toolkit developed by organizations behind the 2025 People’s March will connect you directly to movements making change on the issues you care about most. We’ve gathered concrete actions and individual demands from grassroots partners across the movement. Whether you’re passionate about voting rights, gender equity, or economic justice – there’s a clear path to make an impact.

17 Ways to Disprupt the Status Quo in Your Hometown by K. Starling (4/21/25). Whether you live in a sea of blue or are a blue dot in a red county, any one of us can dissent from our hometown. Here are 17 ways you can disrupt the status quo and make an impact in your town. And don’t forget—invite others to amplify your impact. (We The People Dissent / Substack).

How to Protest Safely by Courtney Lindwall (10/26/22). We must bear in mind that protesting in person is a privilege that not everyone shares. Some cannot chance gathering in groups due to health vulnerabilities. Some cannot afford run-ins with police due to their immigration status, family responsibilities, or job. And protesting remains uniquely dangerous for people of color—especially Black people—who continue to face intentional targeting and violence at the hands of police. For those who are willing and able to show up and speak out, here is your guide to protesting safely and effectively. (NRDC.org)

What Would a General Strike in the US Actually Look Like by Jeremy Brecher (4/8/25). Calls for a general strike in the US are growing. It’s important to understand how to organize one, given their key role in overcoming tyrants around the world. (Waging Nonviolence)

How Civil Resistance Can Topple A Dictator by Erica Chenoweth ((2/1/25). It may only take 3.5% of the population to topple a dictator – with civil resistance. (Portside / The Guardian)

Resistance is Alive and Well in the United States by Erica Chenoweth, Jeremy Pressman, and Soha Hammam (3/19/25). Protests of Trump may not look like the mass marches of 2017, but research shows they are far more numerous and frequent — while also shifting to more powerful forms of resistance. (Waging Non-Violence)

So You Want to Be a Dissident: A Practical Guide for Courage in Trump’s Age of Fear by Julia Angwin and Amy Fields-Meyer (4/12/25). Sometime in the past two months the United States crossed into a new and unfamiliar realm—one in which the consequences of challenging the state seem to increasingly carry real danger. The sitting President, elected on an explicit platform of revenge against his political enemies, entered office by instituting loyalty tests, banning words, purging civil servants, and installing an F.B.I. director who made his name promising to punish his boss’s critics.Retribution soon followed. (The New Yorker)

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Tags: democracy, fascism, organizing, protest, resistance, Trump administration