This year, you went to the Women’s March. Maybe for the first time, maybe for the third. If you didn’t, maybe you wished you could, and followed it on the news and social media. Maybe you made a sign; broke out the pink, empowering clothes with slogans; posted about it, spoke about it. You raised your voice and chanted a cry to rally together for the rights of your sisters. Maybe you simply sent your silent encouragement or made contributions. Now that the actual march is over, you’re probably wondering, “What comes next?” or, “How can I keep doing stuff like this?”. Well, here are some simple ways to get involved in what you care about and stay politically active after the Women’s March.
Source: Nicole Drawsky
1. Watch the news and to stay updated and understand current events. Try and vary your sources, and make sure that they’re accurate and reliable, not just political-party-favoring. It’s important to get a grasp of the topics that are being discussed and voted on.
2. Follow activists for causes you care about on social media! Find accounts whose message and image you really like, but also accounts that offer an opposing opinion. Beware of TERFs (Trans-exclusionary radical feminists) and trolls!. Social media is a diverse (though sometimes confrontational) forum of discussion. Seeing the perspective of both sides of the spectrum of a topic or political party can inform and educate your own views, and contributing your own opinion through posts puts your view out there for others.
Source: Giphy
3. See if you can volunteer for a cause you care about— whether it’s reproductive rights with planned parenthood, a voting registration drive with your college or dosomething.org, volunteering at no-kill shelters, delivering meals, buying menstrual products for a women’s shelter or something else.
4. Bring politics and activism into your academic/professional life, if you feel comfortable doing so. Try a women’s gender studies, ethnic studies, or government and policy class next semester. Intern for a campaign over the summer and put your awesome journalism, social media, marketing or other skills to good use for a cause you support.
Source: Giphy- Parks and Recreation
5. Signing a petition is probably the quickest and easiest way to publicly express and draw attention to your beliefs besides social media. Petitions are actually one of the ways to get an issue on the ballot for the next elections. However, they’re not the most effective way to communicate with politicians.
6. If you really want to go the extra mile, in election season write to a political official about a topic that excites you and/or you feel that a local politician should be informed about, support, or take action on. A personal, physical letter definitely stands out from thousands of copy-paste emails and scripted calls they normally receive, and though you might not get a personal reply they (or someone in the office) will probably read it.
7. Become involved in activism through your hobbies, if possible. Write about your favorite political topics and share it with others. Post or join a show for your political art. If public speaking is your thing, people are not speaking out enough and we need your voice! Knit hats for the next Women’s March. Make gorgeous poster ideas for marches and share them with others— or host a fun poster-making booth with friends like HerCampus did at Cal Poly SLO!
8. And of course, remember to vote in EVERY election! You can easily register online at vote.org or your state’s registration website and can vote by mail, in person, or drop your ballot off at your local polling location.
Source: Giphy
Most importantly, simply reach out to and support others, and have fun together. Find what you care about, find the method of expression works best for your voice, find your fellow people and thrive! Whatever you action you take, big or small, creates a positive change in the world simply by expressing yourself and making an impact. So go forth and march every day for what you believe in, not just in January.