An “Unprecedented” Moment: Community Resources for Social and Environmental Action

First and foremost, I want to make clear that the views expressed in this piece are my own. Given recent events with the Trump administration and the feelings expressed by my friends here at USF, I wanted to share some of my ideas, feelings, and resources with my community. For this blog, I will share some of my thoughts and resources for action. These resources might be helpful to people who want to get involved.

So, to begin, it is unequivocal that Trump’s agenda threatens BIPOC people, immigrants, LGBTQIA+ people, people with disabilities, the working class, and the environment. Right now, our community and countless others across the US and the world are experiencing a wide range of emotions concerning the new administration, and sadly, many are already facing the devastating effects of deportations, job loss, funding cuts, etc. Because of the sheer amount of executive orders and actions taken by this administration, people are feeling shocked, overwhelmed, and paralyzed. I have noticed this in my communities and have certainly felt it myself. However, while these feelings are completely valid, I want to use this blog as an opportunity to potentially inspire my community to transform these feelings into energy that can drive action. So perhaps, if this blog is to say anything, let it be this: inaction, distraction, overwhelment, and individualism function as benefits to Trump and his billionaire friends in realizing their oppressive agenda.

Therefore, simply surrendering and sitting back and watching as our country descends into authoritarianism is unacceptable. I believe we possess a shared responsibility to act. Further, I think this responsibility is even greater as students since we have the privilege of our education, and we can use it to make positive change in our communities and the world. In fact, this notion is the supposed mission of USF. Not only do I feel this to be our responsibility as students but also plainly as US citizens. As an International Studies student and the daughter of a history teacher, I know that many times, past and present, the US’ actions have been colonialist, racist, sexist, ableist, neoliberal, exploitative, exclusive, and traumatizing (and this exhaustive list of adjectives still does not even come close to capturing the whole story). Anyway, despite the work of countless inspiring social and environmental justice heroes, this problematic legacy continues today. So, the work must continue for the long haul. Through my personal experiences and my studies, I have noticed a pattern of short-term thinking in social, political, and environmental issues, and we must counter this and center perspectives that account for the more distant future and the future generations. So, with all of that said, I think we, as American students who are participating in these systems and always affected by them, have a great responsibility to hold our government accountable and to fight for a better future. Because it is our government and our country that has caused and continues to cause injustice in the US and all over the world. And frankly, I think the inaction and complacency of many American people (specifically more privileged people) is precisely what allows these injustices to proliferate.

Another facet of this monstrosity I want to comment on is the unrelenting onslaught of executive orders, the tidal wave of devastating news headlines, and the total information overload. We must know this is entirely intentional. It is designed to make the people of this country so overwhelmed that they become paralyzed, divided, and motionless.

So let me make one thing clear: yes, the actions and agenda of the Trump administration are appalling, and we must act now, but to neglect the actions of previous administrations–even democratic ones–and the history and processes that have led up to this exact moment is a grave mistake.

Also, I keep seeing the word “unprecedented” everywhere–which is why I, ironically, included it in the title of this blog. But seriously, were the processes that led up to this moment not clear to see? Was Project 2025 not written in plain letters and long before the election? Was Trump not already a 34-count felon? Did he not already make his racist, sexist, nationalist, fascist politics clear to the American people? Were partisanism and political polarization not already present? Have we learned nothing from world history? In my view, to say that all of this is so unprecedented is true in the sense that it is severe, but false in that it was a surprise or that it wasn’t possible to see coming or understand why it took place. Thus, although the current reality is daunting, we must not allow it to make us feel defeated or hopeless. We must instead look to one another. I fear people are not doing this, and instead, they’re just isolating themselves and coping through distraction. People are falling directly into the distraction traps that Trump and his counterparts are setting up completely on purpose. Evidenced by outlandish things like the “Gulf of America,” “Red White and Blueland,” or his millions of other outrageous remarks and theatrics. Knowing this, I argue that the prerequisite to any effective action is a total reframing of our political perspective and understanding. Rather than focusing on these distractions, what is not possible, what divides us, and who is seemingly more powerful–like many people are right now, I think that focusing instead on what is possible, our unity, our power, and our potential is vastly more effective. We must collectively believe, and really truly believe, that a better future is possible and work together tenaciously to achieve it for ourselves and our future generations so that they may live on a healthy planet with peace and justice. That is what I think this work is about, and I hope that more people commit to the fight.

I think many people want to take action and are just looking for direction. So, as someone who has always been passionate about social and environmental justice, activism, and service, I wanted to share some resources that may be useful for my community, and if you have others that you think might be valuable, please share them with me.

Resources for Social and Environmental Action: Organizations, Volunteering, Media

The following links are resources for environmental action, organizations, volunteering, and helpful media.

– Organizations at USF: Office of Sustainability, McCarthy Center, The Change Institute, SEEDS, USF Community Garden, BIPOC for the Environment, USF Hive Minders, Ignite USF, PAWS, Food Recovery Network, and the Environmental Engineering and Science Club.
– Call your representatives, 5 Calls (5calls.org) and Indivisible SF (indivisiblesf.org/call-your-reps) can be helpful tools
– SF Environment, www.sfenvironment.org
– Brightline Defense, www.brightlinedefense.org
– Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, greenaction.org
– Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates, bvhpadvocates.org
– City Hope SF, www.cityhopesf.org/volunteer
– Literacy for Environmental Justice, www.lejyouth.org
– California EJ Alliance, ceja.org
– Sogorea Te Land Trust, sogoreate-landtrust.org
– National Equal Justice Association, www.nationalequaljusticeassociation.com/volunteer 
– 826 Valencia, www.826valencia.org/volunteer
– PODER SF, podersf.org/volunteer
– Save the Bay, savesfbay.org/volunteer
– Greenbelt Alliance, www.greenbelt.org
– Earthjustice, earthjustice.org/about 
– NRDC, action.nrdc.org
– GGNPC, www.parksconservancy.org/volunteer 
– Surfrider Foundation, sf.surfrider.org/volunteer 
– Refuse Refuse SF, refuserefusesf.org
– generalstrike.us, generalstrikeus.com
– Mobilize Us app, www.mobilize.us
– Bay Area Community Action Calendar, www.actiontogetherbayarea.org/calendar 

LA Fire Recovery: 

With the LA fires, there are a lot of resources available to support, so here are just a few. But it’s probably best to talk with people who are from LA to hear their perspectives. On a broader scale however, another important way to prevent such disastrous fires is by advocating for climate change action, responsible forest management practices, and helping to take down fossil fuels.

– List of Go FundMe’s: abc7.com/post/heres-list-verified-gofundme-accounts-help-victims-southern-california-fires/15799665/ 
– Resources to Support LA Fires: www.lahsa.org/newsArticle/resources-to-support-those-during-the-la-fires 

Immigrant Justice: 

Here are a few organizations you can follow to stay updated and learn how you can support these communities.

– Ayudando Latinos a Sonar (ALAS), www.alasdreams.com
– @RightsOverBorders
– @FlowerInSpanish
– ACLU Northern California, www.aclunc.org/home 
– Know Your Rights Resources, www.aclunc.org/our-work/know-your-rights 
– Know Your Rights Red Cards or Tarjetas Rojas, www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas 

Individual Action: 

Although I think the focus should be on the systemic causes of these problems, individual action is still important.

– Consumer decisions drive the economy and have power; you can participate in a boycott or a strike that aligns with your beliefs or goals.
– Try to live more sustainably. We have many blogs on our site that are helpful for this, and you can always chat with our sustainability specialists at our tabling events, too.
– Consume less and consume more intentionally by supporting local or sustainable businesses.
– Avoid wasting excess food, energy, and water, and when you do have waste, sort it properly. (Resources on our Instagram @sustainabilityusfca or online at myusf.usfca.edu/sustainability/live/zero-waste and sfrecycles.org)
– Walk, bike, use public transportation, or if you’re driving, carpool.
– Bring your own cup to the dining hall cafe.
– Avoid taking food to-go and try not to use to-go products unnecessarily.
– Educate yourself with reliable resources and participate in ways that work for you.
– Reading (I am working on a brochure of recommended environmental books), podcasts, media
– Talk with friends, engage in conversations with others on these topics, and share food with others.
Finally, engage in joy! Joy is what sustains movements.

Conclusion

Stepping outside your comfort zone, trying something new, attending a protest, participating in a strike or boycott, or simply developing new perspectives can be uncomfortable. It also requires the sacrifice of your time. And I know how time and money are so limited in this economy where students and the working class are being spread so thin–I have 18 credits, jobs, and am involved in several organizations, so I understand. I know it’s hard to find time to participate, but I think our futures depend on it. I think to achieve real transformational change, there are things everyone must sacrifice, whether it’s convenience, comfort, routine, time, money, etc…whatever it looks like for you. That is part of why these movements are sometimes called struggles. But what is most important to remember is that although it’s hard, if we come together as a community, we can do it. I will close with a quote a mentor once shared with me: “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.” It is most definitely a challenging time–but backing down or losing hope, in my opinion, is not the right choice. Actually, I think there’s hope everywhere if you’re just willing to see it. So, with that, let us keep going together.