Hope in hard times for change-seekers and activists
With the midterm elections just weeks away, opportunity knocks for those wanting to save the soul of this country. Here is where possibility lies in my eyes:
Voter Engagement
I take most hope from one simple fact from the 2024 presidential election results: Of nearly 245 million eligible voters in the U.S., more did not vote (89,425,935) than voted for either Trump (77,302,580) or Harris (75,017,613).
This holds tremendous potential for voter engagement. Better yet, it means that we don’t need to try to change the cult-addled minds of MAGA. Rather, we can focus on motivating those who do not vote. If you have any energy left to try to influence the outcome of the midterms, use it to convince non-voters to vote. There are countless options, from tapping into your own circles to joining one of many postcard campaigns to reach out to potential voters.
Radicalization
We’re in an intense period for radicalization; you can see it as the pendulum swings. Today’s struggles build tomorrow’s visionaries and resistors. No one interested freedom, justice, and equality becomes radicalized under an Obama administration. Rather, it’s fascism and disregard for rule of law and civility that awaken people, especially youth. Take every opportunity to encourage and support people both seeking and undergoing change. With youth, give them space and trust to lead, to make mistakes, to adjust and proceed. If this isn’t your first rodeo, then stand down and the next generation ride the bucking bronco of activism.
Get Deborah Jacobs’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
Vision and Rebuilding
We have opportunity to shape the future now. With American democracy at the mercy of the orange wrecking ball, the time to rebuild is ahead. The very undoing of key American values and systems (voting, courts, immigration, civil liberties) opens possibility for new thinking. We should contemplate broader reforms and improvements to our democracy, leveraging modern sensibilities and tools to secure foundational freedoms. Our success will depend on intentionality, vision, and persistence. I especially encourage those who maintain that there is little difference between Democrats and Republicans to take this moment to re-envision American democracy into something that better represents your views.
Look to Ancestors
When the going gets tough, draw strength from those who struggled before. Every prior generation of people fighting for change had things worse, sometimes way worse: enslavement, torture, imprisonment, poverty, theft of property and lives. It’s a far cry from what even our most punished activists endure (though Trump is trying). In times of uncertainty, channel your ancestors and heroes to inspire courage and the resolve to fight. If they could keep going, so can we.
Make it Fun
This era offers unprecedented opportunity for creativity in activism. The activists and artivist who led in Ferguson had some of the most creative and courageous actions I’ve ever witnessed. They held “die-ins” in malls, bought out tickets and dropped massive banners at sporting events, did overnight postings of clever and compelling signs all over the city. One of the most meaningful I remember involved a performance of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at which a group of activists bought seats together and broke out singing a haunted version of “Which Side Are You On?” to the crowd in a moment coordinated with musicians. Creative actions help communicate messages and energize activists.
From little things, big things grow
When things seem so big, and we feel so small, it’s overwhelming. But one thing each of us controls is our personal commitment to build community and connect with people directly. We can “be the change we want to see in the world.” We can be loving, ethical, kind, and inclusive on the daily. We can talk about our commitment to living an intentional life, guided not by materialism but instead by an interest in healing the world and creating a meaningful life. In the words of Australia’s Paul Kelly: From little things, big things grow.
Many thanks to Julia Weber and Michael T. McPhearson for their significant contributions to this piece. I welcome inspiration from others who have ideas for these challenging times.
