There will be many issues and or candidates in the upcoming Presendential, Senant, and Congressional races November 2020 that will make you concerned maybe even angry. Issues that will make you want to stand up and be heard. We get it, that is why we built this website and community. If you want to be heard and make a difference then PROTEST! It will take a little time and effort but, just do it. A great article from the Huffington Post (see below) can help you make it happen.

1. Round up the Band of Merry Men/Women

Before anything can actually happen, a team is required to make it happen. If you know you’re going to be in it for the long haul, choose your players wisely — visionaries, strategists, researchers, planners, project managers, administrators, and diplomatic negotiators. You need a good mix of skills to sustain months, or even years, of campaigning.

2. Set the Agenda

No pilot takes off into wild blue yonder without a flight path and destination. This is a no-brainer, but when everyone’s hot under the collar and not thinking clearly, things may simply happen for the sake of happening. The organizers need to take the time to gather and calmly plan the message, strategy, and actions to be taken. Be clear on the desired outcome. Everything that happens next depends on this crucial step.

3. Organizing the Protest March

Mobilizing a large group of people is sometimes easy, as in the case of the delightful Trump. So many people despise him so the crowds just came.

In other instances, people may not be aware of your cause or be moved to do anything about it. Spread the word through mass emails, distribute flyers, get a buzz going on social media, and never underestimate the power of word of mouth. When people are passionate about something, they talk about it and push others to join.

Then there’s the law. Find out what is required to legally hold a demonstration in your area and get the necessary permission. Now you’re good to go.

4. Get Creative with Your Message

You’ve got to hand it to some protestors; they do come up with some brilliant posters. Some make us laugh, some are straight-forward while others are cleverly “punny”, and some are hard-hitting and bitingly sarcastic. Your aim is to grab attention — a dull poster equals a dull result. Need some inspiration on how to design an awesome protest poster? I love the witty ones in this article.

Posters aren’t the only way to spread the message in a way that gets people’s attention. Satirical cartoonists are geniuses at this game and political cartoons have been driving the point home with humor for centuries.

5. Gain the Support of Influencers

The best way to give your protest campaign a boost is get some influential people to back it. Struggling to get the crowds to your protest? Watch them flock when a big name is making a big noise about it.

Get some sponsors on board. Sponsors not only provide financial backing, but with their big media budgets you’ll gain plenty of media airtime to broadcast to a wider audience.

Support from influencers and major brands give your protest some credibility. Plus the publicity is embarrassing for those you are protesting against.

6. Blow Your Horn

Chances are, if you’ve promoted the heck out of your upcoming protest march the media already know about it and plan to cover it. However, invite them anyway.

At the event, make sure to document it — take plenty of photos and videos. You’ll need this for post-event promotion. Send it to the media (there will be those who can’t make it to your march), bloggers, and plaster it all over social media.

7. Keep the Momentum Going After the March

So the march went well and everyone is heady with exhilaration. You and the band of merry men/women pulled it off with great success. Thumbs up — that’s great. But that’s not where it ends. Unless your protest is targeting a specific one-off issue like expressing disdain at the use of animals in the circus that’s coming to town, protest marches and rallies aren’t enough. If nothing follows it, then your efforts are futile.

The protest march is but one weapon in your arsenal. Activism aims to change policy, actions, and injustice through a variety of activities such as picketing, publicity stunts, lobbying and petitioning, creative cultural resistance, and civil disobedience in the form of either passive resistance or aggressive agitation until the goal is met.

Credit:
HUFFINGTON POST
Deevra Norling, Contributor