7 Powerful Ways People Have Come Together

Comprised of millions of women, children, and men, and stretching all around the globe, the Women's March came just one day into the Trump administration. The poetic justice of such timing speaks for itself, and it remains to be seen if any subsequent outcry will reach the sheer numbers that distinguished the 2017 Women's March. But for innumerable humans the world over, this first demonstration of solidarity against some of the rhetoric and policies supported by the current president functioned as a kind of launching pad for healing and empowerment.

Spontaneous demonstrations are sometimes the best kind, and the thousands of protesters who flocked with homemade signs to airports across the country in response to Trump's travel ban were the epitome of grassroots resistance.

The above photo from Chicago went viral due to its capacity to inspire unity, which stands in stark contrast to much of Trump's language about immigrants in general, and Muslim immigrants in particular.

New York City is home to roughly 80,000 Yemeni immigrants, over 2,000 of whom turned out in Brooklyn's Borough Hall after Trump signed his initial executive order barring the entry of travelers from Yemen. (The order has since been blocked, and Trump has sworn to issue another.)

The peaceful gathering was marked by a profusion of American flags, signaling their support for the country most of them now call home.

According to Religion News Service, "More than 800 U.S. congregations have joined the sanctuary movement — a promise by churches, synagogues and now, mosques, to shield undocumented immigrants from deportation and other government actions..." And unfortunately, it's not a strictly symbolic gesture. On Feb. 15, Jeannette Vizguerra became the first known immigrant to seek refuge in a Colorado church out of fear of being deported.

The presidency of Trump has coincided (probably not coincidentally) with a rise in solidarity between Jewish and Muslim Americans. And that's as powerful a display as any of the unique divisiveness of Trump's policies and rhetoric. It's not a regular feature of any government to have the person at the helm making remarks viewed by many as both anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim.

The Indivisible movement started out in Austin, Texas as a conversation between married couple Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg about how to navigate a Trump as POTUS world. In just a few short months, their brainchild has grown into a national movement with 7,000 affiliates. If you're looking to find the best ways to resist against Trump and his policies, the Indivisible online guide is quickly becoming every anti-Trumper's go-to handbook.

The amount of money flowing to the A.C.L.U. in the era of President Trump is enormous. Just one full day after he tried to put a ban on travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries, donations hit $24 million. To put that in perspective, online donations to the A.C.L.U. in 2015 were just $3.5 million. The A.C.L.U. has also experienced a huge jump in members, with 150,00 - 200,000 joining the organization since Trump's election.

As these seven examples illustrate, there is a great range of opposition to President Trump. Protesters are joining up around the Indivisible guidelines to advocate for policy goals such as keeping healthcare, Muslims and Jews have joined up to push back against bigotry in all its iterations, religious institutions are together decrying deportation, not to mention women getting together on an international scale the day after Trump's election. It's been four weeks marked by protests, which just goes to show the power of a motivated and involved public.