By Johnny Silvercloud - 95 Percent1, CC BY-SA 2.0
By Duncan Pike
The presidency of Donald Trump has finally come to an end.
As president, Trump badly damaged basic democratic values, violated the human rights of the most marginalized people, vandalized the environment, and provided inspiration to the most hateful, authoritarian forces in countries around the world, Canada very much included. (This list is not exhaustive.)
For anyone who cares about social justice, democracy, and racial equity, the end of his time in power is cause for relief, but not for complacency.
Trump was defeated because millions of people worked non-stop for years to knock on doors, connect with their neighbours, register voters, and build real power at the grassroots level.
If the progressive movement is going to win the kind of extraordinary change that the times demand, this grassroots work must not only continue but dramatically expand. If not, Trump could be a prelude to something much worse and more dangerous.
We know that we are not immune in Canada to the forces that brought Trump to power, and that led thousands to storm the U.S. Capitol weeks ago in an attempt to overturn the election.
Building the grassroots power that we need in Canada to fight back against these forces requires transformative organizing, and that takes leadership, training, and infrastructure.
We work every day to equip people with the skills they need to build lasting power. We need supporters like you to grow this movement. Make a donation today to invest in the organizers working to win a more just society and to deepen democracy in every corner of our country
Listen to this feedback we got from a new activist we worked with in the U.S.:
Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to Springfield Illinois capital building where I met state legislatures and senators to advocate for policies and bills in regards to reproductive health, fair taxes, updating sex education and implementing a LGBTQIA+ curriculum in Illinois.
Your class made me feel confident in talking to these senators and legislators and taught me how to approach them with our own personal stories to create change.
To build a decent, just future for all of us, we will need millions more to gain that same confidence and become bold leaders. Will you invest in this work with a donation today?
Duncan is Communications Lead at ICL.
