Nine Ways South Floridians Can Resist Trump's Fascist Bigotry

As the shock of Hillary Clinton's defeat settles in, it's easy to feel powerless and hopeless. Though her supporters weren't able to keep Trump's backers from showing up to the polls in record numbers, it's crucial not to surrender just yet.

Right now, we're in mourning. We're scared. We worry about the safety of our families, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and classmates — especially those who are immigrants, people of color, Muslims, gay, survivors of sexual assault, disabled, and poor. We worry about our environment, climate change, and sea-level rise.

As white supremacists celebrate Trump's win, it's more important than ever that as a community we continue to resist hate and ignorance. Here are nine ways you can resist Trump's fascist bigotry in South Florida:
1. Come together, heal as a community, and fight back.
Before we can literally tear down Trump's wall, we have to cope with our grief. It's important that we don't bottle up these frustrations. Different groups in South Florida will offer safe spaces to allow people to vent, cry, scream, and ultimately heal, like Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bomb's Resist to Exist event, EmpressU's postelection healing space, SOUL Sisters Leadership Collective's restorative healing circle for black femmes, and the New Florida Majority and Miami Workers Center's healing space.

Students are walking out of their classrooms. Crowds in New York, Portland, Columbus, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, and Madison are taking over the streets. Some are getting arrested. They're waving signs that read "Not My President" and chanting "We reject the President-elect." Marches took place over the weekend in Miami and Palm Beach.
2. Help the Islamic Center of Boca Raton rebuild the Fort Pierce mosque.
Back in July, the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections caved to Islamophobic complaints when she removed the Islamic Center of Boca Raton as a polling place this election. To put that in perspective, there are more than 90 churches and synagogues registered as polling places in the county. Since Trump's win, the media is already reporting Islamophobic rhetoric and attacks on women wearing hijabs. To show solidarity with the local Muslim community, consider donating to their campaign to rebuild the Fort Pierce mosque burned down the night before the Eid prayer.

3. Document the effects of sea-level rise.
It will never make sense that Florida — a state that has the most to lose as a result of climate change — decided to elect a president who doesn't believe it exists. He seriously says global warming was "created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive." Our governor, who might be destined for Trump's cabinet, has banned the term "climate change." Of course, South Floridians know this isn't true.

4. Attend the Transgender Day of Remembrance at the Pride Center.
In the wake of Trump's presidential win, there have been eight unconfirmed suicides by transgender youths. Vandals in other parts of the country are already burning rainbow flags. Regardless of your gender or sexual orientation, it's crucial to show your support and solidarity for this marginalized community. The Transgender Day of Remembrance will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, November 20, at the Pride Center located at 2040 N. Dixie Hwy., Wilton Manors.
5. Donate to campaigns fighting against and raising awareness about police brutality.
Donald Trump was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, one of the largest police unions in the country. The group has a long, sordid history of defending officers' excessive use of force, especially toward people of color. Closer to home, you can fight back by donating to a Broward activist who was allegedly beaten and tased at least five times at the Broward County jail in February. This person now claims to suffer from nerve damage, flashbacks, and panic attacks. In West Palm Beach, two social-justice lawyers are accepting donations to convert a historic, abandoned black hospital into a memorial for police shooting victims.
6. Share food with people who might be food-insecure.
For years, city officials have essentially outlawed food-sharing with homeless folks. Activists (including then-90-year-old Arnold Abbott) have even been arrested for refusing to stop. Many food-insecure people in the community rely on these activists. Though Obama's administration oversaw the largest growth in federal spending to reduce inequality since the 1960s, President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican majorities will surely try to undo this. Get involved: Food Not Bombs shares vegan and vegetarian food the first Wednesday of the month in Sistrunk and every Friday at Stranahan Park. All Saints Catholic Mission in Oakland Park hosts a daily feeding.

7. Help further the #FemmeAgenda in South Florida.
We've all heard Donald Trump brag about grabbing women by the pussy. He continually makes lewd, inappropriate comments about women. So do some of his supporters. But most alarming is how much control that orange-faced baboon has over women. During his term, he's pledged to nominate prolife justices, ban abortions after 20 weeks regardless of fetal anomalies or risk to the mother, defund Planned Parenthood, and make the Hyde Amendment law (which would essentially deny low-income women access to abortion services). Planned Parenthood is accepting donations, and the Miami Workers Center is hosting a brainstorming meeting to plan a longterm vision for a #femmagenda at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 15, at 745 NW 54th St. in Miami.

8. Rally against the Sabal Trail Pipeline.
As the Obama administration moved to slow down the North Dakota Access Pipeline, Donald Trump promised to speed up the government's approval of similar energy infrastructure projects. Activists will rally at 8 a.m. Tuesday, November 15, at the Army Corps of Engineers office at 4400 PGA Blvd., Suite 203. They will be calling on the Army Corps to revoke the permits for the Dakota Access Pipeline. To prevent the construction of the Sabal Trail Pipeline slicing through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, join activists in "guerrilla tweeting" government officials at 9 p.m. Tuesday, November 15. Follow @StopSabalTrail.

9. Shop at black-owned businesses this holiday season
White supremacists are coming out in waves to show their support for Donald Trump. Instead, as a community we should show our backing for Roots Collective, a group harnessing support to stop the oppression of South Florida's black communities. After witnessing developers gentrify swaths of land in predominantly black communities, Dream Defender activists created a network of black-owned businesses. Roots Collective is hosting a Black Marketplace 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, November 12, at the Arcola Lakes Library in Miami.