It hasn’t been a full year since Donald Trump took office and already he has promoted racism and discrimination against minorities, threatened civil and constitutional rights, signed away the environment and our climate, and passed a tax plan that wildly favors the rich at the expense of the 99%.

A comeuppance is coming, and it's coming fast.

From Day 1, Trump's horrid administration created the impetus among millions to rise up and resist. First we saw the Women's March, then the city-paralyzing protests in response to the Muslim ban, followed by mass marches in the name of science, and against fascism, and for DACA, which continue to this day. The resistance list goes on.

The upshot, clearly, is that the Trump era has given rise to progressive people and organizations with big plans for 2018. In the LGBTQ community, forward thinking politicians like Danica Roem are coming to power, paving the way for transgender people to win state legislature. Braxton Winston, an activist protesting police brutality, became a city council member in Charlotte, NC. The tide, it feels safe to say, is turning.

Specifically, progressive political organizations have been gaining major ground as the new year gets underway. If you're feeling inspired after the second annual Women's March, which takes place across America and the world this weekend, here are five national groups you can get involved with that are already likely active in your area – or should be!
 

Run For Something

Run For Something recruits and supports people under 35 for the sole purpose of getting younger, progressive people into office. The group wants to see politicians who are as diverse as possible and passionate about reducing inequality, establishing healthcare for all, reforming the criminal justice system, supporting LGBTQ rights, and fighting for many other basic democratic principles that are currently under siege by Trump and the GOP.

If you're curious about public office and have an interest in political management, you'll be contacted to further discuss your goals and aspirations. Run For Something will also create network and training opportunities that better prepare you for running for elected office. For some candidates, the group will offer financial support as well as help from staff to power campaigns over the finish line.
 

Flippable

Flippable aims to combat Republican gerrymandering by determining winnable state races, then flipping that seat, district, or state blue. The group is attacking the Trump administration and GOP policies specifically at the state level, with the understanding that state policies can have some of the greatest impact on our day to day lives. Also fostering an inclusive government led by progressive concerns, Flippable focuses on everything from racial injustice and affordable healthcare to LGBT rights and climate change. Targeting state races, the group vows to make maximum use of its funds rather than spend wildly on national races that consume more time and dollars.
 

The Sister District Project

The Sister District Project has similar goals as Flippable: to fight Republican gerrymandering and take back power through local and district elections. The group seeks to turn ballots blue at the state level to eliminate red supermajorities, and works to make sure every American has equal representation – not just those with the money to buy it. Like other groups, this organization harnesses the power of volunteers, in this case connecting them to a local Sister District team in another state. In that capacity, you will work together to perform tasks like phone/text banking, getting donations, social media promotion, canvassing, and fundraising. If you’ve ever wanted to get involved with reversing the damage done by the current administration, Sister District is a great first step.
 

Indivisible

Indivisible deploys grassroots tactics to target your members of Congress, organizing locally to put continual pressure on senators and representatives at town halls and public events. With over 6,000 chapters established nationwide, the group succeeded in leading efforts to derail the GOP's Obamacare repeal, and has been relentless organizing grassroots campaigns that force members of Congress to confront the authoritarian, discriminatory and corrupt Trump agenda. With chapters set up all across the country, it shouldn’t be hard for you to join Indivisible, but if distance is an issue, you can register a group of your own along with other like-minded people, and raise the heat on your member of Congress through visits to their office and coordinated phone calls.
 

Ignite

Ignite encourages the political involvement of women and vows not to stop until there are equal numbers of women and men in office – in all political parties. Ignite chooses to focus not on individual issues but rather on the increased involvement of women in politics for an equal-gender, and therefore stronger, democracy. It is part of a wave of women's activism that has led to an enormous number of women running for office in 2018. Ignite seeks to inspire young women to get into politics so they can spark change that impacts the next generation. Women are encouraged to listen to all political opinions, even ones they don’t agree with, in order to form more educated opinions of their own. The rationale being that an equally gendered U.S. political process can restore basic human rights for everyone.

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