*Editor’s Note: Elephant Journal articles represent the personal views of the authors, and can not possibly reflect Elephant Journal as a whole. Disagree with an Op-Ed or opinion? We’re happy to share your experience here.

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I’m as enraged, disappointed, sad, and scared as you.

Seriously? Another four years of that foul-mouthed, lying, incompetent asshole running our country?

Over half of Americans think that a convicted felon…a rapist…a racist, fascist is better than a smart, successful, respectful woman. It disgusts me.

The first three days post-election, I bawled my eyes out. I bitched to all my democrat friends. I wallowed in hopelessness and lashed out in anger at the people on Facebook who voted for Trump. I was unhinged.

That’s not me. I’m usually the problem-solver. The optimist. I wasn’t proud that I let my emotions take over, that I let cynicism and hate consume me. Yet, the gravity of this situation made me unapologetic for my feelings.

I gave myself permission to feel all the feels for a few days, and then I decided to get to work.

As grim as the future looks, we still have power and agency. We still have a voice. So many of us have great privilege—money, social status, education, connections, and influence—all of which are weapons in our arsenal…the arsenal we’ll use as we go to war against hate, violence, discrimination, and the attack on democracy.

We must unite and defend our rights and freedoms.

We must stand up for truth, kindness, and community.

We must fight for those with less power and privilege—the people Trump’s policies will affect the most.

But how? That’s the looming question in all of our minds, right?

How can little old me fight (and win) against Trump and all the billionaires backing him with so much money and power? Do we have a chance against Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and all the other rich, misogynistic bastards who support Project 2025?

How can everyday people go up against larger-than-life influencers like Joe Rogan? Do we dare try to talk sense into all the Republicans who blindly follow Trump like sheep being led to the slaughterhouse?

If we fight alone, we cannot. We must unite and fight together…every single day.

Here’s what we can do:

1. Boycott businesses that support Trump and Project 2025.

Some businesses that donated the most money to Trump include:

>> Elon Musk ($200 million donated)—owner of SpaceX, Tesla, X (formerly Twitter)

>> McMahon Ventures ($5 million donated)—a consulting firm that funded World Wrestling Entertainment

>> The New York Jets/Johnson Co. ($1 million donated)—owns the football team

>> Cantor Fitzgerald ($1 million donated)—a financial brokerage and real estate investment firm

>> Advance Financial ($1 million donated)—a Nashville-based payday lender

>> Next Generation Films ($1 million donated)—a film-packing company based in Ohio

New York Jets fans: it’s time to find a new favorite team. Don’t buy tickets to the game or fan gear. Let’s all turn off World Wrestling while we’re at it.

While it’s unclear if Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon, Goodreads, and the Washington Post, donated funds to Trump, he is publicly supporting Trump and forbid the Post from endorsing Kamala Harris.

Now is the time to cancel your Amazon memberships and shop local, small businesses.

Delete your X account. Don’t purchase from Tesla or sign up for Starlink internet service.

Hit them where it hurts. Don’t make these billionaires richer and more influential by giving them your hard-earned money.

2. Support organizations owned by Black/Brown people and women who stand for what we believe in.

This requires some research, but it’s worth it. Instead of using Goodreads (owned by Amazon), switch to Storygraph, a black-owned, fully-featured Amazon-free alternative.

Visit the WeBuyBlack website for a directory of independent Black-owned business alternatives to Amazon.

Buy from businesses that make products in America, preferably companies that support environmental sustainability and donate a portion of their profits to people in need.

Bombas donates underwear, socks, and T-shirts to homeless shelters. Ben & Jerry’s supports fair trade, environmentally-friendly farming, and offers grants for social justice programs.

3. Choose boots-to-the-ground organizing over social media commentary.

Social media isn’t great for building genuine, mutually respectful relationships with people. Lies, deception, and hate fill our feeds every day. Protect your mental health by getting off social media and connecting with people in your community face-to-face.

Strike up conversations with your neighbors or strangers you meet while running errands. Find the people who care about what we care about. Then, join together over coffee or a pot-luck dinner to share ideas about how to work together to make changes in your community.

4. Curate the content you consume.

The divide between the left and the right only grows deeper when each group consumes biased content. If Republicans continue to only listen to Fox News while Democrats only listen to MSNBC, the hate and vitriol will intensify.

Subscribe to independent, bipartisan journalism for a more objective, unbiased understanding of what’s happening politically.

Some recommendations include:

>> Emilyinyourphone on Substack– provides information about how to get involved in civic engagement in productive ways

>> Tangle News– unbiased political news that summarizes the best arguments from the left, right, and center

>> GroundNews– a news service that allows users to compare media coverage from across the political spectrum

5. Donate to organizations fighting for the rights of women, immigrants, minorities, and democracy.

Put your money where your values are. Money is power, and by donating to organizations that are fighting on our behalf, we’re contributing the resources and manpower needed to create massive change.

Considering donating to these organizations:

>> Planned Parenthood

>> American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

>> The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

>> The Center for Reproductive Rights

>> Protect Democracy

>> MacArthur Foundation

6. Volunteer

Join the People’s March in January 2025 to protest President-elect Trump and the policy priorities that will undermine the rights of women, immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, and racial and religious minorities.

Volunteer at organizations in your community that are raising awareness about how these people will be impacted by Trump’s policies. Seek out opportunities in your local area to help move the needle toward equal rights.

Write letters to the elected representatives in your state. Tell them what’s important to you and what you won’t tolerate. Flood their inboxes with support, encouragement, and respectfully demand that they defend our rights and freedoms.

7. Spread kindness, compassion, and gratitude everywhere you go.

We will never end the darkness with more darkness; only light can do that. Be the light.

I had to go to the bank on the morning the election results came in. I pulled up to the drive-thru crying. The teller, a beautiful, young Black woman asked how I was, and all I could do was shake my head and sob.

She treated me with such kindness in that moment. She said, “Honey, we’ve been here before. It will be okay. I love you so much. Love you so much.” She made hearts with her hands through the glass window of the drive-thru and sent a handful of candy to me through the tube.

Her compassion made such a difference in my day. It renewed my faith in humanity and gave me hope that not all is lost.

We all need to be like her. Loving one another. Lifting each other up. Showing our appreciation for the people in our community who keep showing up for the greater good.

We can’t fight this battle alone. We need each other. There’s power in numbers.

If I’m the only one who boycotts Amazon or emails my Governor, nothing will change. If 47 percent of Americans do it, we will send a clear message that we call bullsh*t and we won’t allow our country to be ruined by Donald Trump and his constituents.

My challenge to you is this: Go ahead and take some time to be pissed. Then channel that anger toward a greater purpose and get to work.

Make a plan by deciding what action you’ll take moving forward. Maybe you’ll include some of the things I’ve suggested here or come up with even better ideas.

Tell your friends. Share this post. Join together in your efforts. Ask them to tell their friends.

Together, we fight. Together, we win.

I love you all so much. Be kind to yourself and others. We need kindness and resolve now more than ever.

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