Activism Not Slacktivism

It's been a week since Election Day and I've said nothing. Here. I don't know what to say. I have three rambling, disjointed, drafts of entries, but nothing I could post. I think for now it's safer to just tell you what you can DO. If you're not happy with how the election turned out, there are things you can do. I don't mean anything violent. I don't mean take to the bed. I don't mean fight on Facebook. And trust me, I've done my fair share of that. All I realized is that fighting with people on Facebook just makes me angrier and keeps me from sleeping. Rage sleeping is not healthy either. My Fitbit has been telling me I'm sleeping, on average, one hundred and forty-one minutes a night. I'm pretty sure that's not a recommended amount.

So I don't want to discuss the election right now. It's all too raw. A lot of us are walking around, not like the "whiny crybabies" we're being called, but as raw, open wounds. We're worried for the rights of our ourselves, friends, neighbors, coworkers, family members, and strangers. I'm feeling a lot like I've been talking to walls. Or banging my head against them. It's frustrating as hell for me and not making any difference that I can see or tell. Instead, I'd like to make the most of my limited free time.

I don't want to talk about Donald Trump. He's the President Elect. There are things I cannot control in life and this is one of them. I can't get bogged down in what I can't control. I can only control my reactions and give you the information to do what you're going to do to make sure no one loses any of the rights they currently have as Americans and as humans. My advice, to make any of this palatable, is to be an activist, not a slacktivist.

I need a little space and time, I think, to write anything else about my feelings, thoughts, etc about the whole thing. I'm cried out, talked out, and fought out. My contribution, for now, is the following:

If you want to do any Planned Parenthood volunteering, in NJ, these are the links to the community action nights calendars.

Hackensack: www.ppaction.org/site/Calendar?id=130679&view=Detail

Morristown: www.ppaction.org/site/Calendar?id=130680&view=Detail

Princeton: www.ppaction.org/site/Calendar?id=130681&view=Detail

Montclair: www.ppaction.org/site/Calendar?id=130686&view=Detail

Shrewsbury: www.ppaction.org/site/Calendar?id=130685&view=Detail

Something that will take probably 10 minutes of your day: Call your senators and reps local offices, as well as the offices of Speaker Ryan and Majority Leader McConnell. Ask that they refuse to work with the Trump transition team until Steve Bannon, a white nationalist and anti-semite, is removed from his staff. For those of us with an outgoing rep, I plan to call the outgoing and the incoming

Senators: http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

For those looking for something to do here is another opportunity should you be concerned about the Myron Ebell appointment: petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/do-not-allow-myron-ebell-lead-epa-transition

I took this list from Jezebel. But I wanted to make sure I have ALL the info RIGHT here, as to give even the laziest of the lazy the tools to do something with the most minimal of effort.
The article I took the list from: http://jezebel.com/a-list-of-pro-women-pro-immigrant-pro-earth-anti-big-1788752078

Here are a few organizations that work to fight for the rights of our most vulnerable populations, and ways you can volunteer or donate to make sure they are able to work harder than ever.

The American Civil Liberties Union works to defend individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. Donate here.

The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 to “stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, it fights against anti-semitism and bigotry as one of the largest civil rights organizations in the country. Find your local affiliate here and donate here.

Border Angels is an all-volunteer non-profit that advocates for immigration reform and social justice focusing on the U.S.-Mexico border. It offers educational and awareness programs and migrant outreach programs to San Diego County’s immigrant population. Donate here.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America offers enrichment programs and support for children when they’re not in school. Donate and learn about ways to volunteer here.

Campaign Zero advocates for policy solutions to end police violence in America. Fill out this survey to learn how to get involved.

The Center for Reproductive Rights is the world’s foremost legal advocate for securing women’s access to quality reproductive health care. Donate here.

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) is an advocacy and organizing group focusing on achieving human, civil, and labor rights for immigrants. Donate here.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is the country’s largest Muslim civil liberties organization. Donate here or find your local chapter here.

The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) is a national civil rights law and policy center devoted to advancing the rights of people with disabilities through advocacy, training, education, and public policy. Donate here.

EarthJustice is the largest nonprofit environmental law organization in the country, working to protect wildlife, for healthy communities, and for cleaner energy options. The organization represents its clients free of charge. Donate here, and sign up for action alerts here.

EMILY’s List is a political action committee that works to elect pro-choice Democratic women candidates to public office. Donate here, or find out how to how to run for office here.

Lambda Legal is a national legal organization dedicated to fighting for the civil rights of the LGBT population and people with HIV through litigation, education, and policy work. Donate here.

The Mazzoni Center offers healthcare services to LGBTQ population in Philadelphia, including trans clinical care services, walk-in HIV and STI testing, primary care, and addiction and recovery services. Donate here and find information about volunteer opportunities here.

NARAL Pro-Choice America is a political advocacy group focused on fighting for women’s reproductive rights and freedom. Click here to donate and here to volunteer.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) works to promote the civil rights of people of color and to eliminate race-based discrimination. Donate here, and find your local chapter for more ways to get involved here.

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund fights for racial justice through litigation, advocacy and education. Donate and learn about ways to get involved here.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) advocates for victims and attempts to change policy surrounding domestic violence. Click here to donate.

The National Immigration Law Center is dedicated to fighting for the rights of low-income immigrants through litigation, policy analysis and advocacy, and various other methods. Donate or learn how you can attend a local training here.

The National Immigration Forum is another leading immigrant advocacy group that offers various programs to integrate immigrants into the workforce and obtain citizenship. Donate here.

National Organization for Women (NOW) is an activist organization, foundation and PAC that advocates for equal rights for women. Donate here, and look for volunteer programs, like clinic escorting, on your local chapter’s page.

The National Women’s Law Center has worked for over 40 years to enact policies and laws on behalf of women and families. Donate here.

The Native American Rights Fund provides legal assistance to Native American tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide who may otherwise go without adequate representation. Donate here.

The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault lists a number of ongoing volunteer opportunities in childcare, community training, rape crisis counseling, and legal advocacy here.

NextGen Climate Action works politically “to prevent climate disaster.” Click here to donate and click here to volunteer.

PEN America works to protect free and open expression in the United States and across the world through literature and writing. Donate here.

Planned Parenthood is the country’s leading sexual and reproductive healthcare provider. Click here for nationwide volunteer opportunities (including as a clinic escort) and click here to donate. Local chapters also list more extensive volunteer opportunities, so take a look at your specific chapter (here’s New York’s page) for more.

***Just for fun, you can make your donation IN HONOR OF Mike Pence. NOT in Mike Pence's name. Or he will receive the tax break. He will receive a certificate for every donation.***
Office of Governor Mike Pence
State House
Room 206
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2797

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is the country’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, which operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE; online.rainn.org; rainn.org/es) and programs to help victims of sexual violence. Click here for information about how to volunteer for the hotline or in your community, and click here to donate.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press offers legal resources, support and advocacy to reporters to protect the First Amendment and freedom of information rights. Donate here.

The Reproductive Health Access Project is a non-profit that trains clinicians to make quality reproductive healthcare more accessible. Click here to donate.

Running Start is another organization dedicated to educating young women and girls about the importance of politics, through the Young Women’s Political Leadership Program and various other fellowships and internships. Donate here.

She Should Run is a non-profit that aims to get more women into elected leadership roles. You can donate here or anonymously ask a woman you know to run for office.

The Sierra Club is the largest grassroots environmental organization in the county, and works to protect millions of acres of wilderness and pass legislation like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. Click here for ways to give.

The Southern Poverty Law Center fights hate groups and bigotry using education, litigation, and advocacy. Donate here.

The Sylvia Rivera Law Project provides legal services specifically to low-income people and people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming. Click here to donate, and click here for to volunteer.

The Union of Concerned Scientists works to create solutions to the planet’s most pressing scientific problems through research, advocacy, and policy. Donate here.

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights works to protect the best interests of children who come to the U.S. on their own. Donate here or learn about how you can volunteer as a Child Advocate in Chicago, New York, Houston, and Washington D.C. here.