Activism feels like a big word. It carries weight, like some overwhelming concept that only the smartest, most dedicated people engaged in doing something important would understand. When we look at activism from the outside, we see the people at the front of marches, the ones leading chants, giving speeches, or getting arrested for their cause. It’s easy to think, “But I’m not some super smart, super dedicated person trying to center myself or change the world. I’m just a member of a community. I don’t even know where to start.”

The truth is, activism isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room or the person with all the answers. It’s about community. It’s about recognizing the power we have when we act together. The most effective movements aren’t just built on the people you see in the headlines, they rely on the unseen, the network of individuals doing the daily, unglamorous work that makes change possible.
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Activism sustains me. It nourishes me and exhausts me. It connects me to a community and reminds me that hope is not lost. In moments of political crisis, it is easy to feel powerless, but activism has taught me that collective action is the antidote to despair. The recent political climate has left many of us reeling. In the first few weeks of the new administration, we have seen a dizzying number of distressing and dangerous executive orders, most of which directly impact marginalized communities. The weight of it all is enough to crush anyone’s spirit, but history has shown us that movements like ours thrive in moments of adversity. We are not alone, and the future has not yet been written.

Activism is not just marching in the streets, it is organizing, educating, and building networks of support. A good friend told me recently, “Not everybody can be out in the streets; somebody has to be home with the number for attorneys and bail fund information.” While protests are a visible demonstration of resistance, activism happens in countless ways. It happens in phone calls to representatives, in voter education efforts, in mutual aid networks that ensure our communities have food, housing, and healthcare. It happens in conversations that challenge harmful narratives and in the solidarity we build across movements.

Grassroots organizing has shaped my activism. When I first started engaging politically, I believed voting was my primary tool for change. But over time, I realized many people around me weren’t voting, not because they didn’t care, but because they lacked access, information, or support. So I started helping friends register, researching ballot measures, and even driving people to the polls. What started as a personal commitment became part of the larger voter mobilization effort. Through this experience I learned that I do not have to be part of an organization to engage with my community and effect change.

Mutual aid has also been a cornerstone of my activism. Long before I had the language for it, I saw firsthand how communities come together to take care of each other when systems fail. Connecting people with food, housing, and transportation isn’t charity, it’s a form of resistance against structures that leave us vulnerable. In difficult times, mutual aid reminds us that our survival is tied to each other. Working together is the only way to get through this moment and continue to thrive as  communities and individuals.

The importance of solidarity has never been more clear. Across the country, institutions and grassroots organizations are prepared to protect vulnerable communities. One Colorado’s LGBTQIA+ Lobby Day recently brought over 400 queer Coloradans together to advocate for policy change. Organizations like One Colorado are expanding efforts to transform narratives and uplift trans voices. The fight is far from over, and we are not fighting alone.

As we face uncertain times, we must recognize fear, division and rage as the tactics being used against us. It would be easy to respond in kind, but we cannot fight back using the same tools designed to oppress us. Instead, we must fight with joy, hope, and love. By building strong, effective communities based on mutual support and respect, we resist the forces that seek to divide us.

Activism is not just about resisting oppression, it is about creating the future we want to live in. Every conversation, every act of solidarity, every effort to uplift and protect each other brings us closer to a more just world. The road ahead is uncertain, it’s being torn apart as we make our way forward, but one thing will always be true, our collective power is stronger than their hate and fear.