Love in Action: Some Things You Can Do Now

I have been trying to write this post for several days, each day putting it off because I don’t know how to begin it. Let me try: this election has, for reasons both various and legitimate, broken so many of our hearts. And we have various and legitimate reactions to that heartbreak: there is anger. Sadness. Fear. As well as great outpourings of love, and, we hope, a sense of urgency to act in ways that will build up our communal resistance to hatred and oppression. We must love, support, and defend one another.

So many of our students and friends are asking right now: “what do we do?” And for sure, yoga, meditation, nourishing food, rest, and hydration will go a long way toward getting us through the day. But there is more. We can work together to make the days better, long-term, for everyone. On both a local and national level, there is a rich history of organizations and networks committed to peace, justice and equality. Don’t despair. Reach out. Support the things you love and want to see in this world. Here are some places to begin:

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)

(Racial justice work, both national and local chapters)

Southern Poverty Law Center

(Anti-racism education, civil rights legal defense)

El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos

(Albuquerque organization for immigrant rights)

Planned Parenthood

(Women’s health and reproductive care)

Southwest Organizing Project

(Albuquerque organization for social and economic justice)

Sylvia Rivera Law Project

(LGBTQ advocacy)

 

This is a small list. Do you have organizations you’d like to add? Please share in the comments!