If Benjamin Franklin were alive today, he might trade his quill for a group chat and tell us, “We must all hang together, or we will surely all hang separately.” In a time when the news is as ubiquitous as spam messages, that advice rings less like an old maxim and more like a survival plan for the heart.
1. The Avelo Airlines Boycott: When Community Pressure Takes Flight
Grassroots activism is not a vapid buzzword; it’s a power that can bring down even the most unforeseen targets. Consider the recent Avelo Airlines debacle. The airline, which was once the sweetheart of regional airports, became the target after it inked a deal to run deportation flights for ICE. That was followed by a wave of protests, boycotts, and innovative advocacy Billboards, for instance, with the message, “Does your vacation support their deportation? Just say AvelNO!” and coordinated efforts at airports nationwide. Avelo’s official statement? The closure of its West Coast operations was “strictly a business decision.” But as Matthew Boulay of the Stop Avelo Coalition summarized, “They got themselves into financial trouble and took the (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) contract out of desperation.”
It was a deal with the devil morally bankrupt and now it’s blowing up in its face, because customers don’t want to fly Avelo. Passenger loads plummeted, and even as the company attempted to ride out the backlash, the message was clear: grassroots organizing can strike where it hurts, directly at the bottom line.
2. ICE Protests: Persistence Pays Off. The saga doesn’t end with Avelo.
Across the country, citizens are standing up to ICE’s tactics, often facing down legal threats and intimidation. In Los Angeles, grand juries refused to indict protestors, a testament to the power of collective resistance and public scrutiny. As one organizer noted, “We’ll just get louder.” This isn’t just about making noise; it’s about making change. Grassroots activism feeds on solidarity, flexibility, and a refusal to give up and that’s precisely what’s occurring.
3. Trump’s Approval Ratings: Reading Between the Numbers
While the news cycle is always happy to latch onto a poll, the story is actually in the numbers. Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 37%, with a stunning 58% disapproval his lowest so far this term. Even among white Americans, net favorability has dipped into the red. On individual issues, the disparities are even more dramatic: disapproval of Trump’s policies toward immigration, Iran, Israel-Hamas, and tariffs leads approval by double-digit percentages. The message? The so-called “MAGA base” is outgunned almost two to one by those who strongly disapprove.
As one observer noted, “Making him unpopular undermines him and enables the Rs to rebel.” This information isn’t trivia, it’s a guide to midterm tactics and a reminder that public opinion is a force to be reckoned with.
4. From Anger to Action: Here’s How to Get Trained Up and Take It to the Streets
Training, Legal Strategy, and Indivisible. Feeling angry and not sure where to direct that anger? Organizations like Indivisible are stepping up with training programs, legal resources, and actionable steps for civic engagement. Their goal? “We’re training one million Americans to stop Trump’s power grab.” Whether it’s learning how to lobby your representatives, joining local coalitions, or mastering the art of peaceful protest, these resources are designed to turn concern into impact.
Grassroots movements work when they have strategic capacity, relational power, and narrative framing and that’s precisely what these organizations are showing.
5. Emotional Resilience: The Unsung Superpower of Activism Let’s get real: activism is emotionally draining.
The never-ending flow of political coverage, the disappointments, the glacial pace of progress it’s enough to make anyone reach for a heavy blanket and not emerge. But this is the trick: emotional resilience isn’t merely a luxury; it’s necessary for long-term activism. “Having the ability to manage responses to stressful situations and regulate the stress experience when it does arise are acquired skills,” explained Lynn Bufka, Ph.D., of the APA. Mindfulness, gratitude, and healthy boundary-setting with media are not only self-care but movement-maintaining strategies.
Mindfulness classes have even enabled politicians to reconnect in ways that transcend party lines, demonstrating that emotional control is as important as any protest banner.
6. Fostering Solidarity Within Communities: The Adhesive That Binds Movements Together.
Grassroots power isn’t simply about quantity it’s about bonding. As Rich Logis, Leave MAGA’s founder, explained, “One of the main reasons it was so hard to leave was because MAGA is a community.”. Departure from MAGA is a new community for exes, or those considering exing. Without a new community to turn to, the majority of people will never exit MAGA, even if they recognize that they must. Community is the cure for loneliness and despair.
Whether an in-person advocacy group, a book group, or an online forum, these communities offer the support, accountability, and happiness that sustain activists over time.
7. Conscious Media Use: Incorporating Information Without Burning Out.
Political nervousness exists and it’s catching. Research has indicated that more than half of Americans say staying up-to-date is stressful. Barbara F. O’Connor’s advice isn’t to tune out, but to be thoughtful. Establish boundaries around news and social media, look for inspiring stories, and accept that it’s all right to take a step back when you’re feeling drained. “If you attempt cold turkey, your imagination of what is going on gets worse than what is going on,” advises psychologist Steven Stosny.
Healthy media routines can keep you connected without leaving you dazed. Grassroots activism is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s driven by connection, powered by resilience, and made strong by the simple act of showing up together. The obstacles are real, but so is the strength of ordinary people to create the future, one action, one conversation, and one community at a time.
