How to to build community IRL

For young people across the country, this month has been extremely difficult. We know Donald Trump and his loyalists only care about themselves –  they don't care about us, our futures, or our opportunities to live a prosperous life.

I started organizing in my early twenties in Texas because I believed in the power of us – the people – to stand up, fight back, and build a government and economy that works for all of us. After organizing construction workers for fair working conditions in the wake of the 2016 election I founded Jolt, an organization to turn out young Latino voters in Texas. Today, as the leader of the nation’s largest youth vote organization, NextGen America, I’m continuing the work of educating, empowering, and mobilizing this critical bloc.

If you’re feeling hopeless, take solace knowing that young people make up nearly one-fifth of the electorate and are a critical section of our democracy. Together, we are a powerful force for change. We believe in building a nation and economy that works for everyday people, not billionaires and corporations. Creating a better tomorrow means taking little steps one day at a time to grow our grassroots power, and you can start today

Here’s five simple things you can do to support the people-powered movement for progress:

1. Don’t disconnect.

   In the months ahead, it’s critical that we stay informed on the Trump Administration’s decisions and policies that will impact us, our neighbors, and our families. It can feel exhausting to think about what can happen in the next four years, and it’s important that we take a minute to acknowledge these emotions, but we cannot let them paralyze us. There is strength in our collective voices, and the work each of us can do every day to stay informed and build power remains essential.

2. Uplift facts and accurate resources.

   Donald Trump rode disinformation to power.  So it’s critical that we stay informed with reputable, fact-based news outlets like the 19th, NPR, Salon, Associated Press, and The Guardian. By supporting informed and credible reporting, we can know where our work will be the most effective even as the Trump administration targets journalists.

   There’s a flood of misinformation and disinformation, and experts advise caution and critical thinking about what you read online. A lot of the misinformation is spread during big events, and it's important to consider who may benefit from false information going viral. Before you hit the ‘like’ or ‘share’, be thoughtful of the news you consume and make sure to verify the original source of the report as credible.

   To counter the influx of mis/disinformation on your feed, make sure to also follow a range of fact-based experts and advocates.

3. Join a community event.

   With Donald Trump back in power, our rights and communities are under direct threat—but we won’t back down. Together, we can defy his agenda and fight for a nation that protects and uplifts us all. It’s why we joined “Worth Fighting For,” a community-building campaign to process the current moment, deepen our connections, and think about how we’ll take action in 2025 — individually and together. You can find an event near you, or if you want to host an event, you can take steps to start by clicking here.

4. Take action at the local level.

   The work to educate, empower, and mobilize young people has always been about building a progressive movement that is larger than any single candidate or election year. One way to build the movement is through local action. If you haven’t already, take a look at who your state and local representatives are, and figure out where they stand on issues that are the most important to you.

   There’s bills moving in Congress right now, like H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, which would give the Treasury Department unchecked authority to declare ANY nonprofit they don’t like a “terrorist supporting organization,” – a label that would cost nonprofits their tax-exempt status, effectively silencing any opposition to the far-right. But you can take action right now by writing to your representatives and urging them to vote ‘No.’
   From school board actions to mayoral decisions, what happens in one state doesn’t stay there – many state initiatives could end up in the MAGA-stacked U.S. Supreme Court and impact all of us. It’s important that we take action to combat threats to our freedoms and our futures at every level.

5. Take care of yourself.

   It’s easy to fall victim to burnout at a time when it feels like our country is moving in the wrong direction. Whether we like it or not, burnout can result in apathy and overwhelm. We understand that finding time to do the things that help you feel whole and give you the energy to fight can be challenging, especially in the current landscape. However, it’s essential to combat these feelings. In the words of the great Audre Lorde, “Joy, and celebrations in particular, focus our attention on our commonalities, not our differences.

Young people turned out this year, and by taking these steps, we can continue our movement for freedom, equity, and hope. This is a movement built by a collection of diverse coalitions and unity, and we are proud to stand together with our partners like NAACP, Planned Parenthood, Climate Power, Alliance for Youth Action, and so many more. No matter who’s in office, the people always have power.