No Kings was awesome, but how can we keep the momentum alive?
A few thoughts about basic activism and how we can build on what No Kings accomplished last weekend
This is what I saw when I stood at the lectern in front of Ruston’s City Hall on Saturday at Lincoln Parish’s No Kings rally.
If you’re new to Louisiana or unfamiliar with the politics of north Louisiana, I’m here to tell you that seeing more than 300 people show up for an anti-Trump demonstration in Ruston is pretty amazing. If you’d told me that 100 people were there, I’d have been impressed.
But three times that many? Wow. Something is happening in America.
Across Louisiana and all 50 states, millions of people joined protests against Trump’s authoritarian rule. Data journalist G. Elliot Morris, who helped gather verifiable data on event attendance, stated on his Substack that “Saturday’s events are very likely the biggest single-day protest since 1970, surpassing even the 2017 Women’s March demonstrations against Trump.”
As for just how many people showed up, Morris wrote, “Our median estimate is that 5.2 million people participated in a No Kings Day demonstration somewhere in the country on Saturday, with an upper bound of 8.2 million people. We provide an ‘estimate’ and not a “count” because we are making predictions of turnout in protest sites where official records are still missing.”
The immediate impact of these events must not be underestimated. Please don’t give in to the cynicism of a few people on our side who scoff at those who showed up. It’s not helpful, and it’s not accurate. These events are significant.
For one thing, the No Kings rallies and other protests are helping change the story about the opposition to Trump, which he and his supporters spent days trying to shape. They called it a “hate America rally” and claimed the events would turn violent. They aimed to scare or intimidate people into staying away.
That didn’t work. The national coverage depicted the rallies as large and mostly peaceful, undermining the “chaos” stereotype.
Trump and the White House noticed, and they allowed us to see them sweat. It was enough to make Trump deny being a “king.” He also posted a disgusting AI video on his social media that mocked the protesters. Don’t watch it unless you have a strong stomach, but it’s a video of him piloting an airplane, wearing a crown, and dumping human or animal excrement on the crowds of protesters.
If you attended one of these events or watched them closely, you’re probably still feeling energized. Being around so many like-minded people who are working to rescue our democracy from a mad tyrant can be a powerful experience. But soon, reality sets in. Life intervenes, and we lose some of that momentum.
So, this post is for those who don’t want that to happen. It’s for those of us who aim not just to keep our enthusiasm for the fight but to elevate it. This is for those who view last Saturday’s event not as a victory lap — which it definitely wasn’t — but as a starting point for a marathon.
Toward the end of my remarks in Ruston, which you can watch at this link, I told the group what I thought the next steps were. It’s essentially what I’ve been saying on this Substack for more than a year.
So, what do we do next? Where do we go when we leave this place?
Between now and the 2026 midterms, here’s our job:
We must tell the truth, relentlessly. We must find ways to tell our friends and neighbors that the threat to us isn’t abstract. It’s our premiums. Our local hospitals. Your kid’s pediatric cardiologist and the research they rely on.
We have to share stories like Caleb’s and the Cornell baby-heart pump everywhere. [Watch the video for that story.] And we have to make Trump and the Republicans explain why their war on diversity outranks a toddler’s heartbeat.
We must not be afraid to use our social media or our email lists to spread the news that we think our friends and family need to see. I think you’d be surprised to know just how little some of your friends know about what’s going on.
We tend to think everyone is as informed as we are. They’re just not. So, let’s use the respect we’ve earned and the reputation we have for telling the truth to let people know what’s going on and where we stand.
Your courage can be contagious. You want other people to join you in your activism? Then, they need to see what you’re doing.We must organize like a majority —because we are one. Register voters. Defend school boards from book-ban bullies. Show up at town hall meetings and ask whether our representatives and senators will back the subsidies that keep families insured and the research that keeps kids alive.
We must protect the referees. Support your local news. Support watchdogs who enforce ethics rules and campaign laws.
Autocrats fear sunlight; let’s keep shining the light on them.
And we have to keep writing letters and making phone calls. I promise you, they make a difference. If you don’t believe me, just consider what it means to John Kennedy or Mike Johnson if you never call their office. When we don’t force them to hear us, we risk giving them our tacit approval.
And we have to vote and get others to vote with us. Authoritarians count on fatigue. They want you and me to be exhausted.
That was my brief advice. However, I want to add to that because this forum lets us explore this question more thoroughly than a quick rally speech allows.
Here’s what you and I can do today:
Save your senators’ and representatives’ numbers and put a calendar reminder to call/message every Tuesday. (You can find all those numbers at this link.)
Teach a three-sentence script to a friend. Here’s my name + zip; here’s the action I want; here’s why it matters to my family.
Write one thank-you to a local or state official who did the right thing last week. Positive reinforcement is fuel.
Write on your calendar one recurring hour (same time each week) to pro-democracy work.
Here’s what you and I could do this week:
Text + two calls. Text three friends who went with you: “I’m staying in this. Will you do two things with me this week?”
Then call both U.S. senators and your House member about one issue the rallies highlighted (shutdown, healthcare cuts, immigration overreach).
Commit to public square action. Post one photo from your rally with a sentence about why you showed up. Use the #NoKings tag that many organizers and outlets use so local media sees it. For some, this is about taking the next step in your activism by saying, “See, this is where I stand.” For others, it’s about helping people in your circle find the courage to follow your lead.
Join a local hub. Choose a home base, like a local Indivisible chapter, ACLU/state affiliate, or a neighborhood progressive group, so you don’t act alone. Attend one meeting, even if it’s on Zoom.
Here’s what we can do next week:
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Keep it to 200-250 words discussing how a national issue impacts your community. For example, consider how Medicaid cuts might affect people in your parish or how the nearest rural hospital might be impacted.
Write a similar pointed Facebook post about that issue. Next, copy the text from that Facebook post into an email and send it to all your friends and family who might be interested in what you want to share. Or send them the hyperlink to the letter when it appears in the paper.
Here’s what we can do by next month:
Create a buddy system. Pair up with two others from your city’s or area’s No Kings rally. Agree on a regular weekly action hours, such as calls, letters, postcards, sit-ins, protests, etc.
Remember: Movements thrive on routine, not adrenaline.
Create a quick-response list. Set up a shared message thread for 10-15 neighbors, friends, or family members willing to show up on 24–48 hours’ notice for events like school board/city council/legislative committee votes, courthouse press events, or meetings with Congress members or local legislators. One person can post the time and place, and everyone else replies with a “yes” or “can’t make it this time.”
What am I missing? Please consider sharing your thoughts and tips for activism in the comments section. What’s worked for you and your friends?
The principles behind all this are simple and worth keeping in mind over the coming weeks and months. Thanks to a progressive friend on the Northshore for sharing the following with me.
Be strategic and creative
Research thoroughly: Understand your issue inside and out to prevent misinformation and to develop effective strategies.
Tell compelling stories: Humanize issues by sharing stories and personal experiences, which can help people connect with your cause on an emotional level.
Use your unique skills: Think about how your passions—like art, fashion, or technology—can be used to advance your cause.
Engage politically: Remember that for lasting change, sometimes direct engagement with the political process is necessary.
Stay persistent and take care of yourself
Know your rights: Educate yourself on your legal rights to protest and exercise free speech to ensure you are protected.
Persist through failure: Recognize that activism is a long-term effort with inevitable setbacks and use them as motivation to keep going.
Practice self-care: Avoid burnout by taking care of your mental and emotional health. This is crucial for long-term effectiveness.
Stay connected: Maintain a diverse social circle that includes both activist and non-activist friends to stay grounded and connected to the wider world.
Some resources for activists
Finally, my Northsore friend also shared some excellent resources (in order from best and most relevant to those that are less so but still contain valuable insights):
“How to Find Joy in Activism” by Andee Tagle and Mansee Khurana, Life Kit on NPR, June 10, 2022:
https://www.npr.org/2022/06/02/1102617337/how-to-do-activism-and-avoid-burnout
“Find Your Role in Activism: 17 Ways to Take Action” by Customized Behavioral Healthcare, February 6, 2025:
https://customizedbehavioralhealthcare.com/links/f/find-your-role-in-activism-17-ways-to-take-action
“Grassroots Activism: How You Can Take Action” from the League of Women Voters:
https://www.lwv.org/blog/grassroots-activism-how-you-can-take-action
“Stand up and be counted: six ways to protest that will make your voice heard” by The Guardian, January 15, 2025:
“Activist Archetype Quiz” by Alice Walker:
https://www.omkariwilliams.com/find-your-activist-archetype
“8 Tips for Accomplishable Activism” by Beth Ann Downey, November 1, 2021:
https://drexel.edu/news/archive/2021/november/8-tips-for-accomplishable-activism
“10 Concrete Things You Can Do to Resist Trump II” by Robert Reich, January 23, 2025:
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/10-ways-to-resist-trump
“People are Constantly Asking me what I Can do Between Now and the 2026 Midterm” by Robert Reich, Facebook Posted Video:
“Tips for Preparedness, Peaceful Protesting, and Safety” by Human Rights Campaign:
https://www.hrc.org/resources/tips-for-preparedness-peaceful-protesting-and-safety
“Staying Safe: Protective Strategies for Activists” by the Commons Social Change Library:
https://commonslibrary.org/staying-safe-protective-strategies-for-activists/
“Civil Resistance and the 3.5% Rule” by the Commons Social Change Library:
https://commonslibrary.org/chenoweth-3-5percent-rule/
“Tools for Activists” by National Coalition Against Censorship:
https://ncac.org/resource/tools-for-activists
“How to Become an Everyday Activist” by Everyday Activism Network:
https://www.everydayactivismnetwork.org/archive/how-to-be-an-everyday-activist
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Thanks, Bob, for driving to Ruston to speak. Sorry Barbara and I weren’t able to hear it in person. But we were at the Hammond rally. However, we did watch your inspiring speech. 👍