Protest
Civil stewards are informed about the role and means of protest.
What You Can Do
Become informed, not just on the rights of protest but on the complexities and realities of it. Protest is not a comfortable situation by design and that can introduce hesitation to protect its exercise.
There are many helpful organizations and writings that can help you explore the complexity of protest, its importance and its role in our civil toolkit.
Social Media
Social media protests through hashtags, posts and other change to profile interactions have become a common form of protest, though, the effectiveness can be quite unclear in terms of driving actual change. However, social media protests are an aspect of driving attention to important issues.
Marches & Demonstrations
The most historically prominent and effective forms of protest throughout history has been the gathering of people for marches, demonstrations and sit-ins. This form of protest has also become more complicated as the U.S. has become more heavily policed. Take time to understand your rights as a protestor so you can participate safely and effectively.
Opt-Outs
A less noticeable but not necessarily less effective form of protest throughout history has been the removal of oneself from participation, association or employment in order to protest actions. We often see this occur in the form of resignations or cancellation of membership or association.
Readings & Resources
Institutions & Organizations
Black Lives Matter
“Black Lives Matter imagines a world where Black people across the diaspora thrive, experience joy, and are not defined by their struggles. In pursuing liberation, we envision a future fully divested from police, prisons, and all punishment paradigms and which invests in justice, joy, and culture.”
American Civil Liberties Union
“The ACLU has evolved in the years since from this small group of idealists into the nation’s premier defender of the rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. With more than 1.1 million members, 500 staff attorneys, thousands of volunteer attorneys, and offices throughout the nation, the ACLU of today continues to fight government abuse.”