It's the day after Election Day and chances are you have a lot of feelings about who did/didn't get elected. Even if you didn't vote, you're bound to see the Election results on social media.

Often times folks will vote and then leave it at that, but it's important to continue to be active in your community and to know the ways that elected official impact our daily lives. Here is a list of 10 ways you can get involved after the elections:

*I come from the perspective of someone who lives in a diverse metro area but I tried to include ways that folks can get involved online incase in-person activities don't work for you.
*I linked a ton of resources on this list, so be sure to click on the bold words for more info.


1. Research who was elected. What are their stances on the issues that are most important for you? Do they align with your beliefs? Hold them accountable. Regardless of your beliefs on voting, those folks will be making decisions that affect our lives and those around us. If we want to organize against them, it's important to know what their beliefs are and the ways that they uphold those beliefs.

2. Connect with local grassroots orgs who support the issues you are most passionate about. Figure out what their work looks like post-election. Find out how you can get involved. Something as simple as following their page on Facebook will allow you to get notifications of when they hold events. But reach out to them directly and check out their website. Also, be sure to hold them accountable. If you're really passionate about, say, ending homelessness, know what local initiatives are being done. If there aren't any or if you find problems within those initiatives, let those orgs know. Just because they have the title of a non-profit does not prevent them from upholding systems of oppression.


3. The power of a city council really varies but it's important to know what your city council does and how their decisions impact you. Attend your local City Council meetings. If you look at your local city website, you should be able to find info on meeting dates, times and locations as well as old agendas and meeting notes.

4. Public School Boards affect the daily lives of families in your area. Attend your local School Board meetings. Read through their past agendas - what issues do they seem to care about the most? What issues do you want them to prioritize? Connect with organizers and community members who are doing education justice work in your area. Know the demographics of your local schools and how their programs, funding and policies may be negatively impacting students.


5. In case you haven't heard, the earth is a ticking time bomb. Native communities have been doing environmental justice work for centuries, so reach out to a local Native-run organization. Research what issues they're working on and find out how you can get involved. Learn the ways that you can make small changes in your daily life.

6. Take the time to process the ways that you might be perpetuating oppression. If you're white, Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack is a good resource on white privilege. If you're a non-Black PoC (Person of Color), check your anti-Blackness. If you're non-Native, research the land that you're on and what communities have been displaced. Learn about ableism and how your language affects those around you. Learn about the ways that disability communities are ignored. Research how the queer community in your area has been affected by discriminatory policies.


7. Hate crimes have been increasing after elections. What communities are targeted the most in your community? What groups and orgs support those communities? Reach out and find ways to support. Hold your racist family and friends accountable.

8. Hold a community meeting. Get folks together to discuss the issues that affect your community and to brainstorm ways that you can make a change as a collective. Being intentional about creating such a space is really important, especially in the time immediately after elections because people are more likely to want to get involved. Don't know how to put together a meeting? Here are some tips.


9. Read! There are so many amazing books with important information about the systems that affect our everyday lives. Find an issue you've heard of but don't quite understand and do some research. Check out some books at your local library or support an independent bookstore. Teen Vogue and Everyday Feminism are great resources for finding topics. I'm currently doing a project called "Radical Reads Wednesday" on Instagram and Twitter, so check that out for book suggestions! You can find my posts on Twitter and Instagram under the #RadicalReadsWednesday hashtag.

10. Check out events at one of your local colleges or universities. Student organizers do a lot of work around civic engagement so there will likely be some events that you can attend to learn more. Student clubs (especially those labeled as"Cultural Clubs") will offer you opportunities and have plenty of resources. Plus, you don't have to be a student to attend club events.

**11. join the revolution**

There are plenty of other ways to get involved after election day, but I hope this got you thinking of some next steps that you can take. Click HERE for a Twitter thread about some ways others are getting/staying involved.

Did any of these resonate with you? What are some additional steps you're going to take to do more in your community?