What Comes Next?: How to make a difference in a new America

I’m not sure what I expected when I walked into Wilson 101 last Tuesday for the Brown Democrats’ post-election “What Comes Next?” event. I am not registered as a Democrat. I had never participated in anything overtly political outside of mailing in my ballot a few weeks before Election Day.I was surprised. We talked. We shared how we were coping, why we were here, and what we wanted to see in the future. And at the end of the meeting, miraculously, I no longer felt as powerless as I had an hour ago. Here’s what I learned from the Brown Dems and all of the amazing people who attended.

• We need to protect marginalized people at Brown and in Rhode Island.

This is a no-brainer. With a future President mocking the disabled, bragging about sexual assault, proposing systems to track Muslim Americans, and being supported by the KKK, it’s no wonder so many members of marginalized groups feel terrified for their own safety.It’s our job to walk with them at night, to speak up for them when we know that they are in danger, to stand up for them, whether it be violence in public or jokes cracked at their expense over dinner. Here are some of Blog's tips on how to be a better ally.

• We need to engage with people who have different viewpoints.

The ideology of creating an "us versus them" dichotomy in relation to an election is dangerous, because it not only creates hatred and fear, but kills conversation. Meaningful exchange of ideas occurs on an interpersonal level, when we talk to people who have different viewpoints, and both parties explain their ideas, beliefs, and goals.So have those awkward conversations. Talk to your next-door neighbor who voted for Trump. Have a discussion with your uncle who has an entirely different view on the economy than you do. Have productive conversations--it's the only way to change people's minds.

• We need to take part in local politics.

First off, we need to educate ourselves on the issues. Next, we need to stop just complaining about unjust systems and actually take action against them by using progressive policy to improve the conditions of life in Providence and Rhode Island.Whether it be canvassing (i.e. knocking on doors) and phone banking for politicians we support (Brown Democrats often talk with Rhode Island Representative Aaron Regunberg) writing letters to our representatives, participating in political protests, or simply voting in local elections, we must understand that we have an important hand in our city, and the entire nation.What happens in Rhode Island doesn't just stay in Rhode Island--Rhode Island's energy policy, for example, has served as a model for other states seeking to improve themselves. What we do here matters.

• We need to support and donate to programs that are important to us.

Many of us fear for certain policies and groups that may be challenged under a Trump presidency. What better way can we show support to, and strengthen, these groups than by giving them our time and/or money? Groups that need our support include groups like Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Border Angels, and the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN), among many others.For more resources, check out Blog's list of at-risk groups in detail.

• We need to take advantage of our geographic diversity.

We come from all over--from red states to blue states to swingin' purple states, and even from countries beyond the borders of the United States of America. If you aren't registered to vote in Rhode Island, take advantage of where you are allowed to vote by making your views count in your home state.Vote. Write your representatives. Talk to your neighbors. Get involved in your home community.

• We need to diversify our media.

This discussion helped me realize that it doesn't make sense to surround ourselves with media that shares our same biases. We can't just look at the world through a lens that is catered to what we want to see. Instead of existing in safe bubbles of content we agree with--which is what the algorithms that determine your Facebook feed aim to do--go out of your way to get news from different sources. If you are liberal, read a few conservative websites too; if you are conservative, check out some liberal news sources. I know that's easier said than done, but after listening to what people were saying at the meeting, I think it's so important.Know what those who don't think like you are thinking about, and how they're thinking about it. How else are you supposed to understand the other side and go about changing minds?

• We need to have CONSTANT VIGILANCE!

Speak out against policies you disagree with. Make sure people know if anything egregious is on the docket. Shut down oppression in your dorm, your classrooms, and your streets. Don't let any bullshit slide.At the end of the meeting, miraculously, I no longer felt as insignificant as I had an hour ago. There were things I could do, organizations I could support, ways I could dedicate my time, that would leave the world a little better off than it had been before. And even though winning is never guaranteed, I knew that, at the very least, my voice would be heard.Images via, via, via, and via.