Last week we mourned. This week we get to work.

via Feminist Fight Club

Good afternoon, friends. The last six days have been a bit of a blur for many of us and while I'm still very much in mourning, I've spent the better part of the last week trying to focus on what I can control and how I can be better and more vigilant at fighting forward. I've also been coming to terms with my shock and naiveté.

I am sorry that it has taken THIS for me to TRULY wake up to how deep the racism, xenophobia and misogyny TRULY is in this country. But I am also glad to know I can find it in myself to be more outspoken than ever before and I hope you will join me. I hope there are those of you who have been reluctant to resist until now and I hope you will join me and millions of others as we work together to fight forward. 

I have had more conversations with friends and strangers in the past week than I ever have before and I will continue to face those who oppose me and what I stand for, head on. I will continue to "unite with my country" in ways that I feel TRULY UNITE us -- by standing up, by saying NO, by refusing to normalize a Trump presidency and all that in entails. 

Reposting this from Facebook in response to some of the DMs I'm getting about how I need to "accept who our country has elected as president." I was also told, and I quote, "to stop thinking about all the people out there and how I can help them and look at what I'm teaching my kids..." If it isn't clear, I AM teaching my kids to think about "all of the people out there." I am also teaching my children to SPEAK UP. To be brave. To reject racism, misogyny and the normalization of sexual assault. To reject bullies no matter WHO the bully is -- be it teacher, student, family member, president-elect of the United States... and I will continue to lead my children by example that to LOVE one's country is to fight for the equality of its people. Period.

A photo posted by Rebecca Woolf (@girlsgonechild) on Nov 12, 2016 at 10:48am PST

As a white woman, I will be listening, now more than ever, to the voices of people of color, specifically women who were united in their opposition of a Trump presidency more than any other constituency -- all of whom have the most to lose under this administration.

As a parent, I will be looking for stories I can tell and ways I can participate in dissent on behalf of my children's future. I will be making more phone calls to my representatives, participating in local politics and continuing to elevate youth voices in any way I can.

I realize that a Trump in office means I have to be even more vigilant when it comes to my opposition of rape culture and toxic masculinity. I also realize that standing up and fighting back is not exactly "brand safe," and for those who continue to threaten me with your readership, please know that my intent with this website was never to grow my audience so much as it was to build an inclusive community of women who support one another. That hasn't changed. If you would like to stay and participate in advancing the conversation, fantastic, but I will be very cautious from here on out in order to protect this space and those who participate in conversations here. Thank you for understanding.

Although Girls Gone Child will continue to represent who I am as a mother, I also want to focus on other women and their stories -- women of all races and cultures and religions who have very different stories and experiences than I do. Women who are first generation Americans, immigrants, refugees, storytellers, artists -- women artists, writers, small business-owners who I can promote here on GGC and beyond. (Please contact me at rebeccawoolf@gmail.com for more.) 

This election has caused me to reevaluate my place in this country and it has caused me to redefine who I am as an American as well as a content creator. I know I have work to do and I hope you will join me in normalizing dissent, standing strong, and fighting the good fight for the good of our country and each other. 

With that in mind, here are things you and I can do today:

1. Set up monthly donations with the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.  

I also urge you to support environmental organizations including The Sierra Club and Earthjustice. We also must now, more than ever, support NODAPL. (ED: Yesterday, I looked to Facebook for advice on which environmental agencies are most important to support. You can click here to see all of the responses.)

2. Find out who your congressperson is and get in the habit of making calls.

You can start by calling your congressperson to demand that Stephen Bannon, an anti-Semitic white nationalist has no business in the White House. (You can also sign this petition via the Southern Poverty Law Center.)

For those looking for a script to make phone calls easier, this one by Gen Mueller is fantastic. 

3. PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL PEACEFUL PROTEST

You can also make signs at home and host your own peaceful protest(s) with your families. We had friends (old and new) over last Friday and it felt really good to create dissent and spread love as a community. It also felt important to do so with our children. They will, after all, grow up under this administration and I feel it is paramount to include them in our conversations and action.

   photos by: Valeri Estrada (thank you, Valeri) 

4. Recognize that our work online is important but change can only be made if we logoff and get involved ON THE GROUND.

Get to know your government at a local level and make it a priority to show up to town hall meetings. Get involved in local non-profits that utilize your strengths.

5. BE VIGILANT

Over the next few weeks -- with the holidays fast approaching -- and the media normalizing Trump's win -- it's going to be VERY EASY to accept our current status quo. Surround yourself with people who won't let you. NORMALIZATION WILL NOT and CANNOT STAND.

6. MAKE ART

In times of upheaval, artists have always become our true voices of reason. My son wrote his first protest song last night and it gave me so much hope. Art has always been humanity's salve. Create, don't destroy. Invite your children to join you. Remember that NOW MORE THEN EVER, our kids are watching us -- they are watching how we resist -- they are learning how to lead. They are learning to take action. 

7. SUPPORT ARTISTS

Support female-made art -- that includes, television, cinema, fine art and books.

Support POC made content -- that also includes television, cinema, fine art and books.

Support artists who are making art that disrupts white, cis, patriarchal ideals.

8. SUPPORT ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES

This holiday season, show retailers who align with your ethics, specifically small, local businesses, many of whom donate portions of proceeds to non-profits who are also doing the work. (If this is you, please let me know so I can include you in future gift guides.) You can also BOYCOTT these Trump supporting businesses. 

9.  LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE + ORGANIZATIONS YOU ARE WORKING TO ASSIST

There has been a lot of controversy over safety pins these past few days. And to this I say: if wearing a safety pink means something positive to a person/people we're wearing it for -- great. If it doesn't, we need to listen and better understand why.  Our job is not to be passive, our job is to be ACTIVE IN DISMANTLING THE VERY CULTURE that has led people to wear safety pins in the first place.

10. ORGANIZE and STAY ACTIVE.  

Check out this list by ShiShi Rose on how to be a more affective organizer. This list of action by Mikki Halpin is also fantastic.

11. GET SOME REST 

You're going to need it.

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If you have anything to add, please do so below. Thank you in advance and big love.