I’ve spoken with several people about the futility of this moment in the U.S. That it’s overwhelmingly painful and leaves us feeling rage, depression, frustration, and helplessness. Today let’s talk about a few things to help combat that.

Information is key.

Being well informed is critical to understanding where our attention is required. There are concerns about how that information will be available in the weeks and years ahead, though, so let’s talk about finding reliable sources.

Check out this chart on mainstream media bias. While there’s concern about what stories don’t make it to mainstream I still recommend checking multiple sources, including those opposite your own views.

You’ll also want to search out international news outlets as they may cover stories that U.S. based networks do not. Here are some news sources to consider.

reuters.com – based out of London

BBC.com – based in the UK

The Economist – a British weekly newspaper

France24 – a French perspective on global affairs

The Hindu – reporting out of India

NYU Library: International Newspapers and News Sources

C-SPAN – watch government hearings and other events directly

Cultivate local community.

Twitter (now X) and TikTok provided real time online community that shared information about current day events. They made it possible to instantly report natural disasters, police brutality, missing people, legislation affecting communities — anything, really, and for a while organizations scrambled to moderate or suppress that information. As online community becomes more regulated it would be smart to connect locally if you’re interested in activist work. Here are just a few suggestions to start your search:

Amnesty International Local Group  (There is a Virtual Action Network option available.)

GLSEN  (Chapters located in 30 states.)

SURJ – Showing Up for Racial Justice  (There are 95 chapters and affliates.)

Honestly you should google “local social justice groups” to find what’s close to you. Cross check your results to find reputable organizations.

Radical self care.

Please don’t think of this recommendation as frou-frou spa days. You don’t need money or extravagance to exercise self care. It can mean setting aside even 15 minutes for deep breathing, playing that game on your phone, or stepping outside to feel the sun on your face. Do you have a whole day off work? Give yourself space to do whatever it is that makes your mind rest. We’re playing the long game here and that requires time to periodically step back and reset.

Are you one of my readers outside the United States? We need you too! Speak up about what you’re seeing here. Share information, talk about the big picture we may be missing, include your thoughts as someone outside the American bubble. Lots of organizations can use online volunteers and would be grateful for the help. Shining a light on things means people aren’t allowed to move in darkness.

These are challenging times, but if Black organizations had given up in America when things got hard where would we be? Find an area you’re passionate about and focus in to see how you can support change.

Please add your own suggestions in the comments. Sending all my positive thoughts your way today.