No Kings 3: Not a moment, a movement

Have current events got you wanting to do something? Do you find yourself saying things like “It’s time for a nationwide general strike already!” or “We need another, even bigger No Kings march, and we need it now!”

Good news: The next No Kings march is this month! Come join us and please help spread the word.

But also, we get it! We are living in a big moment, and it’s only natural to look for a similarly big solution.

The thing is, the solution doesn’t necessarily demand one big action; instead, many smaller actions can add up to a big action. We call that, and the people doing those things, a movement.

“Organize” by Bill Dobbs; variations used by every labor and political movement ever since

To quote activist Andre Henry:

Don't get mad at me for saying this, but we were never going to beat fascism with a day-long strike. There are no shortcuts to freedom here. [...]

It doesn't matter how many people you mobilize if they can't stay mobilized for long. Victory doesn't come from volume or passion or even being right. The real question is, do we have the means to resist for as long as it takes? [...]

We keep on calling for the largest actions possible without the infrastructure to sustain them. We have to build that power first by strengthening the real bonds in our communities offline. [...]

A new world is possible. It doesn't have to be this way. – Andre Henry

(Emphasis ours.)

We need to build power and we need to show power. Big mass marches like No Kings help show power—but they can also be a means to build power. And that’s where you come in.

The third No Kings mass mobilization is scheduled for Saturday, March 28. If you’re not already an active member of a resistance or other civic-engagement group, this one is for you.

As framed by Blair Imani (of Smarter in Seconds) and organizer Leslie Mac:

LM: A march is a group of protestors walking from one location to another, sometimes spontaneously and other times along a predetermined route. Marches apply pressure by taking up space, but may be symbolic if not connected to a broader strategy.

BI: Marches typically impact traffic, shut down roads, and force people to be confronted by the reality of what’s happening. 

So let’s talk about that broader strategy. The“No Kings” movement means that we exercise our economic and political power, engage with electeds, and build community.

If you’ve shown up to protests like No Kings or our weekly Trump Regime Takedown—congrats, you’re a part of the No Kings movement! If you’ve voted with intention to elect change-makers, that’s also part of the movement. If you’ve participated in a boycott, that’s part of the movement. If you’ve called your senators about the DHS funding bill, that’s part of the movement. And if you’ve helped a neighbor with an errand, that’s mutual aid, which is also part of the movement.

If any of those things sounds like something you might like to do, go for it!

Each ICE/CBP “surge” has highlighted the importance of actions big and small in resisting fascism. When people like you take these actions, that helps build our movement and strengthen our democracy and our communities. There are things you can do to help, even if these actions don't look like “activism” or “politics.”

And the more you get to know and build relationships with people in your community, the more you’ll be able to bring other people in, all of them to participate in their own ways.

To restore and improve our democracy will demand a lot of civic strength. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

In our newsletter we publish actions and events for folks in San Francisco to join, but we also understand that the first step into activism can be really intimidating. So we’ve made a kind of “action advent” to count us down to No Kings 3 on March 28. In it, you will find daily No Kings-aligned actions intended to take 5–15 minutes each. You can keep track of your progress (on your device only), share actions with friends or on social media, and ideally form a daily habit that helps strengthen your community ties and civic muscle.

It doesn’t all come down to you. But we need you, because we need as many people taking action as possible. You can help, and we’re grateful for everything you do.