Small protests are the way to go

According to the BBC, “those engaging a threshold of 3.5% of the population have never failed to bring about change.” Now imagine if that peaceful protest was on every block of a city, not just in a central place downtown or in a park.

Here’s what you need to get started:

• a cause, pick one that’s personal to you like protecting kids from ICE, or defending the rights of Trans people to live, or simply defending the constitution under which we all live.

• a list, text your friends and ask them to join you in your cause.

• some signs or other visual element, if you are an artist — now’s the time to go wild; if you are funny, this is your time to shine. But the best sign I ever saw was drawn by a young girl and it read, “ICE = poop.” You can use ChatGPT or other AI to design for you, or if you have a better eye use Canva. You can send it to your local print shop to be printed for a nominal fee, or talk to them and ask if they will donate the printing to the cause. But it doesn’t have to cost anything: use anything you have available — pens, markers, tape, cardboard boxes, paper, recycling, your backpack...

• stay on public property, pick a busy intersection — extra points if the intersection intersects with your cause (example: you are protesting to pick kids and you are across from the school during drop-off), spread your team across all 4 (or more!) corners to get people heading different directions. Hold your sign up high and smile. Say hi to everyone who walks by and if they want to talk about your cause then get to work, it’s paying off.

• most of all — stay peaceful