Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.
Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.
Stand Up for Workers
Labor Day is more than just a bookend to summer. It’s time to stand with working Americans who are facing a fierce onslaught from AI job displacement, greed-driven layoffs, and inflation caused by war and tariffs. This year, we are seeing record corporate profits and a falling worker share of national income. While the stock market is booming, the national minimum wage ($7.25 for non-tipped workers) hasn’t budged since 2009, and union membership has shrunk to just one worker in ten.
Some ideas for helping turn the tide:
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Read up on the radical roots of Labor Day.
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Find a union-organized Labor Day celebration or picnic near you.
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Join the National Employment Law Center’s push for a $17 minimum wage.
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Take the AFL-CIO’s “Sh*t’s Too Expensive” survey about the issues most important to working people.
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Read about how to start a union at work.
Restore TPS for Haiti
Pierre Damas Bel was a gifted college student and soccer player from Haiti who held temporary protected status in Ohio and was a member of the ROTC. In late July, the Department of Homeland Security revoked TPS status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants, despite the State Department maintaining a do-not-travel advisory warning of Haiti’s “crime, terrorism, kidnapping, [and] unrest.” The 20-year old Bel was fitted with an ankle monitor, making him unable to play soccer. His classmates began to bully him. He faced threats of deportation. Bel died by suicide Monday.
This tragedy underscores the Trump administration’s inhumane treatment of nonwhite immigrants. Read this open letter from mayors across the nation, and join their demand that the Senate pass a bill to restore temporary protected status for Haiti. Call for oversight and accountability of ICE. And find ways to support our immigrant neighbors at Haitian Bridge Alliance and the Haitian Support Center.
Catch Up on Indivisible’s Midterm Kickoff
Indivisible held a general election kickoff call on September 2 outlining its action plan for the midterms. Watch a recording of the video call below:
Indivisible is empowering citizens to counter voter suppression efforts and election interference. The group warns of the MAGA administration: “It’s going to be no-holds-barred from them this year as they try desperately to block free, democratic elections.” Check out the group’s 19-page election-protection toolkit for actions and strategies to ensure fair elections in your community in November.
Block a Yosemite Giveaway
The Trump administration wants to surrender protected Yosemite parkland to a private developer so it can build a road to upscale lodging it plans to build just outside the park. The deal would benefit Kingsbarn Realty Capital by shortening the drive from its luxury development to the valley floor. (Watch this video for a quick explainer.) You can contact your members of Congress at this petition site and demand they protect the national park.
Fight Big Data’s ‘Reign’
Nearly 7 in 10 Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their communities. But Donald Trump, throwing his lot in with Big Tech, is demanding that local opposition roll over and “let Data Reign” or be, as Trump put it, “backwards and poor.” Food & Water Watch has a comprehensive resource for mobilizing community opposition to these sprawling, water-chugging, electricity hogging, emissions-spewing, noise-polluting supercenters that are powering the rise of anti-worker AI technology and the private surveillance state.
Participate in National Voter Registration Day
The Trump administration, in league with the Supreme Court, continues to diminish voting rights. Help make the midterms “too big to rig” by celebrating National Voter Registration Day, a “civic holiday dedicated to celebrating our democracy,” on September 15. The NVRD website offers resources on understanding your ballot and encouraging your community members to exercise their voting rights. A handy tool can help you register in your state.
Turn the South Blue
Join Run for Something and YALLvote on September 15 for a virtual learning session on transforming the South from red to blue. You’ll hear from state representatives, community members, and pro-democracy leaders including Amanda Litman and Amanda Nelson on topics ranging from running for office to activating your digital community.
Oppose Exorbitant Visa Fees
The Trump administration is again attempting to turn visas for high-skilled workers into a racket, proposing to charge $100,000 for each H1-B visa applicant. A federal judge previously struck down a Trump executive order imposing a similar exorbitant charge as an illegal tax. But Trump is now seeking to enact this fee through a regulation. The public can comment on the proposed rule — which would affect the availability of skilled workers in fields from healthcare and advanced research to programming and tech. Speak out through September 24.
Preserve the ‘Roadless Rule’
The Trump administration is attempting — again — to open pristine stands of federal forest to logging and development roads. The Department of Agriculture recently announced it is attempting to rescind a landmark 2001 “Roadless Rule” that protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest from resource exploitation.
The administration is dressing up this giveaway to logging and mining companies as a way to reduce wildfire risk. However, according to the Center for Western Priorities, the move would actually “degrade drinking water, fragment wildlife habitat, and increase the Forest Service’s $10 billion road maintenance backlog.” You can comment on the proposed regulation through September 21.
Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It
The “November” midterms actually begin as early as September in some states, with early voting set to start in just weeks. Opportunities differ by jurisdiction, so check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early, whether in-person at an early voting center, or by mail. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar. Check your voting details at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot.
Click here to find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life — from contacting your elected officials, to ensuring your right to vote, to supporting public-interest journalism.
