As students at an academically rigorous, liberal institution in rural Iowa, it can feel hard to be an activist. How do we get involved when the nearest city is an hour away? Are there blue organizations in the red state? Where do we find the time or energy? This guide will answer those questions.
Take care of each other.
Fascism feeds on division, hyper-individualism and desperation. It’s deconstructed by cohesion, community and hope. We must take care of each other to maintain a social support system, which serves as a foundation for movement. Make sure your friends are drinking water, eating properly, and not scrolling into the abyss. Use your skills and resources to help each other, whether it’s time, money, writing, cooking or driving. Be there for each other emotionally and socially too — the rants, the tears, the laughter and the fun.
Stay informed.
We cannot act if we do not know what we are acting against. Use reputable social media sources such as Democracy Now, Aaron Parnas and The Daily Show to stay informed about critical updates without having to wade through endless headlines, and easily share key pieces of information that will impact daily life or are immediately actionable. Post on your story, text friends, or share by word of mouth. But this is not an excuse to doom scroll. Limit yourself to twenty or thirty minutes a day on political social media. Bombarding yourself with headlines and violent videos will only lead to information overwhelm, exhaustion and burnout. A lot is happening, but remember, fascism thrives when we feel helpless. Information is power, and keeping each other informed helps build social cohesion by promoting a shared understanding of what is occurring.
Know your rights.
The United States is on the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist for narrowed civic freedoms, so it’s more important than ever to exercise your constitutional rights. However, if you are engaging in protests, social media activism, or other forms of anti-fascism, keep your positionality in mind and recognize that your rights may not always be respected. If you are able and willing to take the risk, here are a few rights to keep in mind. You have the right to record activities in public spaces, refuse military personnel entrance to private spaces — including classrooms and dorms — and receive an attorney if you are arrested. You have the right to remain silent. Never answer questions or provide information to any supposed government actor. You should carry an ILRC red card, which contains information on how to respond to ICE. These are available at the Office for International Student Affairs or can be printed from the ILRC website.
Leverage your money.
Donate to grassroots organizations and boycott mega corporations. Local organizations in need of donations include Emma Goldman Clinic, CoSI and Elevated Access. Providing donations will enable them to carry out their lifesaving missions. Simultaneously, it is necessary to divest your funds from the corporate economy, which significantly funds the current administration. Corporations to boycott include Target, Amazon, Walmart, Disney, Netflix and Google. If you cannot entirely divest from these entities, whether due to economic, geographical or personal reasons, simply limit your spending as much as possible. For example, avoid purchasing unnecessary items from corporate stores and share streaming service logins with several other people. Life hack: if Netflix says you’re “not in the Netflix home,” close the app, turn your device on airplane mode, reopen the app and turn off airplane mode. Any amount of money makes a difference when resisting mega corporations.
People power.
There are activist movements that need your people power. Escucha Mi Voz Iowa needs people to accompany migrant families, protest at ICE facilities and organize deportation defense. These are critical actions that physically protect migrants’ lives across the state. Additionally, nationwide protests for No Kings, one of the largest anti-fascist movements, will take place on Oct. 18, 2025. The protest in Grinnell will begin at Central Park at 10 a.m. and also include a voter information fair and food drive. Other nearby protests are in Newton, Pella and Des Moines. Show up, show out and show fascists that democracy will always win.
Go forth, Grinnellians.
