Resources for Dealing with Post-Election Grief

Like many folks, we continue to process the various presidential actions Trump took during his first day of office. The White House’s website lists 46 items, including executive orders, memoranda, and proclamations related to his intention to militarize the U.S.-Mexico border, to restore the pace and scale of fossil fuel extraction and energy production, to end birthright citizenship outlined in the 14th Amendment, to pardon Jan. 6 insurrectionists, to create federal definitions of “women” and “girls” as females and “men” and “boys” as males, defining male and female as biological, binary, and immutable, and to terminate all DEI, accessibility, and environmental justice offices and positions across the federal government, just to name a few. Constitutionally, the President can’t create laws, but the position does have broad authority to direct how the federal agencies enforce the law.

While it remains to be seen what the approval, rollout, and implementation of any of these will look like, we want to reiterate that no matter what happens, we will find ways to show up for the community through mutual aid, peer support, and innovative care practices. Political flashpoints like this have amplified issues that impact us directly, stirring up a range of emotions that can be challenging and anxiety-inducing to hold and sit with. To support you during this time, we’ve curated a selection of resources to help you navigate the post-election period with resilience, self-compassion, and community support.

A group of four young people with varying skin tones stand closely together, embracing each other. They have confident and affectionate expressions as they look directly at the camera.

Dear Trans Kids, You Don’t Need the Government’s Permission to Exist

In this op-ed, Raquel Willis offers advice to trans kids on resisting discriminatory times and calls on the strength and resolve of trans trailblazers throughout history. Read the article here: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/dear-trans-kids-raquel-willis

Erin Reed, a young light-skinned trans woman with long dark hair parted in the middle, stands facing the camera with a neutral expression. She wears a black blouse and is in a softly green-lit room. Behind her, a desk holds a plant, and butterfly artwork decorates the wall.

Steps For Transgender People Preparing For Federal Crackdowns Under Trump

Journalist and trans rights activist Erin Reed provides guidance for trans people on steps to take in preparation for anticipated restrictions and legal challenges under Trump’s re-election. Reed’s article covers actions like updating identification documents, obtaining passports with correct gender markers, securing medication supplies, and exploring relocation options to safer areas. Read the article here: erininthemorning.com/p/steps-for-transgender-people-preparing

A person holds a small bouquet of flowers in front of a concrete wall, wearing a grey sweater. Behind them is a collage of black-and-white photographs interspersed with pink and teal shapes, creating a contrast between soft florals and sharp lines. The person's face is obscured, inviting interpretation of their feelings. The composition combines a sense of hope and peace, represented by the flowers, with conflict and chaos symbolized by the background images. The scene feels both unsettling and thought-provoking.

How to survive the apocalypse (again)

This article by non-binary trans woman Kai Cheng Thom dives into ways to cope and build resilience through community, self-care, and connection. Whether you’re looking for tips on managing stress, tools for self-care, or stories that reflect our shared struggles, this piece offers insight and support for trans folks who know how hard it can be: xtramagazine.com/health/survive-mental-health-homophobia-transphobia-268850

A colorful, abstract floral design background with the words “FOLX” and “We are here for you” in white text. The background is a mix of pinks, purples and blues.

Mental Health and Coping Tools by FOLX

FOLX put together a roundup of coping strategies, mental health services, and tips for managing election-related anxiety: folxhealth.com/library/mental-health-toolkit-resources-to-take-care-of-yourself

Illustration of a person with purple hair holding a red star close to their chest, wearing a yellow sweater. The background is a deep blue, adding contrast to the warm colors of their clothing and the star.

Finding Support & Building Community After the 2024 Elections: A Guide for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth

To help support LGBTQIA2S+ young people process the outcome of the election, as well as find support and build community, The Trevor Project has a number of tips to consider and explore: thetrevorproject.org/blog/finding-support-building-community-after-the-2024-elections

A person of color with a nose ring is holding a necklace with a symbol on it. The text "How to survive the election. Jade Barber" is on a yellow background and the text "Drummond St Services Queerspace" is at the bottom of the image.

How To Survive the Election as a Trans Person

Written by Jade Barber for Queerspace

Written in Australia two years ago, this article offers timeless advice for trans people navigating the challenges of election cycles—advice that applies especially to the 2024 U.S. general election. It highlights how elections often amplify anti-trans rhetoric and policies, impacting trans communities’ mental health and safety. The article suggests strategies for protecting one’s well-being, like setting boundaries on political discussions, staying informed selectively, focusing on self-care, and connecting with supportive communities. By prioritizing personal resilience and choosing how and when to engage, trans people can protect themselves from the intense scrutiny and negativity that often accompany election periods.

TWLOHA’s Mental Health Toolkit

The resources in To Write Love on Her Arms’ Mental Health Toolkit offer valuable support for trans people facing the pressures of the 2024 U.S. general election. These resources emphasize coping strategies, self-care practices, and mental health tips that can help individuals manage stress, set boundaries, and seek community support during politically charged times. By providing guides on handling anxiety, grounding exercises, and connection to support networks, TWLOHA equips trans people with tools to navigate the heightened emotional impact that elections can bring.

Access the toolkit at twloha.com/mental-health-toolkit

The 2024 Elections and Beyond: Fortifying Ourselves, Our Organizations, and Our Ecosystems Toolkit

This toolkit from the Building Movement Project offers a series of frameworks and accompanying worksheets for individuals, organizations, and networks to:

  • Clarify values and identify roles that benefit the broader ecosystem
  • Gather the necessary analysis, partnerships, and tools from our movement “pantry”
  • Consider reasons why organizations may want to engage in rapid response efforts
  • Explore stances such as Defend, Disrupt, Demand, Document, Discuss, Design, and Deepen
  • Fortify our individual and organizational well-being for the months ahead
A poster with a purple and pink galaxy background. The text reads "Post-Election Live Embodiment Practice with Oscar & Prentis" The image features a headshot of Oscar on the left and a headshot of Prentis on the right. Prentis is standing and looking at the camera. Oscar is looking to the side. Both headshots are set into circles.

Recording of the Post-Election Live Embodiment Practice

On November 6, 2024, Prentis Hemphill, Alta Starr, and Óscar Trujillo of The Embodiment Institute (TEI) hosted this Post-Election Practice. Watch the recording here.

A graphic showing four ways to take action against injustice:

Protect People: This includes harm reduction and protecting targeted people.
Defend Civic Institutions: This means safeguarding democratic institutions, such as elections, the EPA, and more.
Disrupt and Disobey: This includes strategizing acts of civil disobedience and protest to oppose policies.
Build Alternatives: This involves creating parallel institutions, alternative party platforms, and new cultural ways of life.
The graphic includes icons for each of the ways to take action.

10 ways to be prepared and grounded now that Trump has won

The key to taking effective action in a Trump world is to avoid perpetuating the autocrat’s goals of fear, isolation, exhaustion and disorientation. Continue reading: wagingnonviolence.org/2024/11/10-things-to-do-if-trump-wins

The image shows a stencil applied on a surface, with the pink spray paint filling in the stencil, creating the words "Solidarity Not Charity". The stencil is partially obscuring the words. The background is a mix of different colored surfaces.

How To Start A Mutual Aid Program

Big Door Brigade is a website that provides resources for organizing community-based mutual aid efforts. It offers guidance, tools, and examples for building systems of solidarity and support outside traditional charity or government assistance, focusing on community resilience and self-reliance. Visit bigdoorbrigade.com

A photo of a group of young protestors raising their fists in front of a police force.

How To Start A Copwatch

This PDF provides everything you need to know to start a copwatch for your action or community. Copwatching is a form of direct action in which autonomous, loosely affiliated groups set out to observe and document police activity as a way of preventing police misconduct and brutality. Download from workersdefensealliance.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/HOWTOCOPWATCH.pdf

Recent