Six Lessons from a Decade Fighting Trump: How Community Resists Authoritarianism
In January 2017, I sent a hesitant email to a few dozen friends and acquaintances who I suspected were equally alarmed by Donald Trump's election. I asked if they wanted to join a local chapter of Indivisible, a grassroots liberal movement intended to counter the new administration. At that time, I knew virtually nothing about activism or organizing.
Over the past nine years, our group has sent approximately 2,300 daily emails with concrete actions for members: call your representatives, make donations, attend rallies. We have knocked on tens of thousands of doors, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, sponsored refugee families, and mobilized countless individuals to defend democracy.
The Resilience of Ordinary People
When Trump was re-elected in 2024, I feared our members might surrender to creeping authoritarianism. Instead, something extraordinary occurred: our group more than doubled in size and ambition. We expanded our efforts to support refugees and asylum seekers under threat, launched weekly Freedom Friday protests, and distributed thousands of ICE whistles and informational cards.
As powerful figures—CEOs, lawmakers, media moguls—capitulated to Trump, ordinary people like our members stepped up. Through initiatives like this weekend's No Kings 3 protest and numerous unseen efforts, they continue to resist.
In that spirit, and hoping more will join, here are six lessons from a decade of fighting Trump's authoritarianism.
1. The Work Is Every Day
Early on, our group committed to a consistent rhythm. We showed up daily, regardless of how daunting or gloomy the political climate became. Trump's second term has felt like an unending avalanche of challenges, with scarce moments of respite. Members consistently express gratitude for our persistent presence in their inboxes and lives. For organizers and volunteers alike, picking a sustainable rhythm—daily, weekly, monthly—and sticking to it is crucial.
2. If You Want to Go Far, Go with Others
I didn't realize it initially, but I aimed for long-term impact. Fortunately, in my initial fumbling after Trump's election, I found many partners willing to dedicate their limited spare time to activism. The most remarkable organizers I know, including my six co-leaders, juggle immense responsibilities: young children, aging parents, demanding careers. They text at dawn and late at night, wake early to canvass voters, and stand in freezing weather to distribute resources.
Our country is fragmented, and our culture often pushes people toward isolated screen time and doomscrolling. The only antidote is community. Not only does it amplify your effectiveness as an organizer, but it also significantly improves your well-being.
3. The Medical School Model
Our approach follows the medical school model: see one, do one, teach one. We've stood on countless street corners in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, offering quick guidance to those who may not have discussed politics since Barack Obama's presidency. It's always someone's first time. Today's learner becomes tomorrow's mentor.
4. The Personal Touch
Activism provides a narrow yet deep window into others' motivations. I might glimpse profound reasons driving members to action but not know their children's names or workplaces. While deeply communal, activism can feel impersonal. People may drift away if they feel unnoticed. Long-term groups must prioritize connection.
Over the past year, we've hosted regular community-building events like zine folding and art sessions. After Alex Pretti's death in Minneapolis, my co-leaders and I sent about 150 personal emails and texts in a single Sunday, checking on members. We gained insights into their responses to tragedy and reinforced bonds by demonstrating our unwavering presence.
5. Be Stubborn
Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, and JD Vance want you to surrender. They want you to believe America is irredeemable, that they are more determined, that all is lost. Do not accept this. I pride myself on stubbornness, inherited from generations of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors and honed through years of negotiating homework with my children. I tell them that however stubborn they are about avoiding math, I am a hundred times more stubborn about ensuring they complete it. Channel that inner resolve for democracy.
6. Hope Is a Muscle
Hope is not merely a belief; it is a practice. America's current state is dire, arguably the worst I've witnessed in nearly fifty years. Yet, I strive to hope. Despair is easy, cheap, and demanding. Hope requires effort. You must find reasons for it, hack a path toward it. America can improve because we, too, are America.
Hope is a responsibility. You cultivate it to share with others; it cannot be hoarded privately. It flourishes only when given away. Hope precedes action. So each morning, rise with hope and proceed from there.
What's Giving Me Hope Now
For No Kings 2, our group, led by illustrator Megan Piontkowski, created a new zine with tips for political engagement. We printed and distributed about 4,000 copies, handed out during and after the march. For No Kings 3 this Saturday, we updated the zine, renamed it Everyday Resistance, and printed 7,000 copies. Volunteers covered printing costs, folded zines, and distributed them. People are fighting wholeheartedly for a vibrant American democracy, and each step inspires others to join. It demands everything we have.
