014 It's Up To Us

It’s Up To Us

This episode is all about how to be an effective social activist in the age of Trump.

In it I discuss how to move from panic mode and fretting to taking the small actions that will really make a huge difference, politically.

Not only is the show full of political activism tips, it also outlines suggestions for how to stay sane while taking those actions.

Additionally there are interviews with Alexander Edelman, political campaign consultant, as well as with James Atkinson, social activist. I discuss with both men what the road ahead looks like for those of us who want to take back our Democracy.

Links and articles mentioned on this episode

• How To Be Calm Under Pressure: 3 Secrets From A Bomb Disposal Expert
• Sarah Kendzior’s info: website, twitter, text of her tweet
• The 2018 Town Hall Project Spread Sheet of schedule for all Congress’s town hall meetings
• 5 Calls a Day
• Re:act Newsletter mentioned on the show
• How to subscribe to the re:act newsletter
• Flippable
• Countable
• Swing Left
• Alexander Edelman’s article on Medium
• Here is a link to the site which will tell you exactly who your State Senator and State Assemblyperson is. Remember, these are the elected officials in charge of gerrymandering districts! You want to keep your eye on these races, and flip them blue.
• How Venezuela dealt with the takeover of their government by the extreme right. Very useful. If you have time…read it.
• Air Purifying Vertical Forest Building being constructed in China

Here is James Atkinson’s sample list of organizations in Los Angeles that you can volunteer in to make a huge difference:

If you’re concerned about politics/social justice, and you want to get involved, there are lots of opportunities in LA. Here’s a list of organizations. I’ll update with more later.

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION

• civil liberties group
• volunteer: https://action.aclu.org/secure/volunteer-aclu-socal
• donate: https://action.aclu.org/donate-aclu?ms=web_horiz_nav_hp
• contact: 213–977–9500

ANSWER

• antiwar / antiracism group
• volunteer: http://www.answercoalition.org/volunteer
• donate: https://answercoalition.nationbuilder.com/donate
• contact: 2936 W 8th St Los Angeles, CA 90005 (2nd floor of the First Unitarian Church)

COUNSEL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS

• America’s largest Muslim civil liberties organization
• donate: https://www.cair.com/donations/general-donation/campaign/…
• volunteer: https://www.cair.com/about-us/volunteer-with-us.html
• contact: 2180 W. Crescent Avenue, Suite F Anaheim, CA 92801 714–776–1847 [email protected]

DEMOCRATIC PARTY - LOS ANGELES COUNTY

• LACDP conducts Democratic Party campaigns in Los Angeles County
• volunteer: http://www.lacdp.org/volunteer/
• donate: https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/lacdpdonate
• contact: 3550 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 1203 Los Angeles, CA 90010 213–382–0063 [email protected]

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA

• multi-issue, non partisan socialist group
• join: https://dsausa.nationbuilder.com/join
• donate: https://dsausa.nationbuilder.com/donate
• event calendar: http://www.dsa-la.org/dsa-la-calendar/
• contact: 323–496–6604 [email protected]

DIDI HIRSCH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

• mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention services
• volunteer: http://www.didihirsch.org/volunteer
• donate: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx…
• contact: 888–807–7250 (M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm)

DOWNTOWN WOMEN’S CENTER

• helping women overcome poverty
• volunteer: http://www.downtownwomenscenter.org/volunteer
• donate: http://downtownwomenscenter.force.com/…/rc_connect__campaig…
• contact: 442 S San Pedro St Los Angeles, CA 90013 213–680–0600

LA WORKS

• calendar of local volunteer opportunities
• volunteer: http://www.laworks.com/HOC__Volunteer_Opportunity_Calendar_…
• donate: http://www.laworks.com/donate
• contact: [email protected] 323–224–6510

LOS ANGELES LGBT CENTER

• LGTB advocacy group
• volunteer: https://lalgbtcenter.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer
• donate: https://lalgbtcenter.org/how-you-can-help/donations
• contact: 1625 N. Schrader Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90028–6213 323–993–7400

LOS ANGELES MUSEUM OF THE HOLOCAUST

• provides free Holocaust education to the public & houses precious artifacts
• volunteer: http://www.lamoth.org/…/job-opport…/volunteer-opportunities/
• donate: http://www.lamoth.org/support-the-museum/make-a-donation/
• contact: Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust 100 S. The Grove Drive Los Angeles, California 90036 323- 651–3704 [email protected]

MEXICAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND

• Latino legal civil rights organization
• volunteer: [email protected]
• donate: http://www.maldef.org/ways_to_donate/index.html
• contact: http://www.maldef.org/contact/index.html 634 S. Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90014 Phone: [phone]

MIDNIGHT MISSION

• services for the homeless to reach self-sufficiency
• volunteer: http://www.midnightmission.org/…/spring–2…/volunteer/step–1/
• donate: https://app.mobilecause.com/form/j6Qkhw
• contact: 601 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 USA 213–624–9258

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN

• multi issue women’s rights group
• join: http://now.org/membership/
• donate: http://now.org/more-ways-to-give/

OPERATION HOPE

• financial literacy for the poor
• volunteer: http://www.operationhope.org/getinvolved
• donate: http://www.operationhope.org/donate
• contact: Youth Empowerment, Los Angeles 707 Wilshire Boulevard, 30th Floor Los Angeles CA 90017 213–891–2900

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ADVOCACY PROJECT LOS ANGELES COUNTY

• public policy & advocacy wing of planned parenthood, the reproductive health care provider
• volunteer: http://www.ppactionca.org/…/los-an…/volunteer-with-ppap.html
• donate: http://www.ppactionca.org/donateppaplac
• contact: [email protected]

PUBLIC COUNSEL

• pro bono law firm that serves people at or below the poverty line
• volunteer: http://www.publiccounsel.org/pages/?id=0048
• donate: https://48477.thankyou4caring.org/pag…/donation-welcome-page
• contact: 610 South Ardmore Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90005 Tel: [phone]

RAPE, ABUSE & INCEST NATIONAL NETWORK

• anti-sexual violence organization that helps survivors and advocates policies
• volunteer: https://www.rainn.org/get-involved
• donate: https://donate.rainn.org
• locations: https://volopps.rainn.org

SIERRA CLUB

• environmental organization
• volunteer: http://clubvolunteer.org/positions?chapter=0400
• join: https://sierra.secure.force.com/…/rc_connect__campaign_desi…
• donate: https://vault.sierraclub.org/ways-to-give/#donate-maintab
• contact: Sierra Club, Angeles Chapter 3435 Wilshire Blvd, #660 Los Angeles, CA 90010–1904 [email protected] 213–387–4287

TREVOR PROJECT

• crisis intervention & suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth
• volunteer: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/volunteer
• donate: https://give.thetrevorproject.org/
• contact: PO Box 69232 West Hollywood, CA 90069 [email protected] 310–271–8845

Thank you To….

Alex Moothart, web design and social media

Elsie Escobar, mentor and fairy godmother extraordinaire!