10 Ways to Fight Authoritarianism (Without Joining An Organization)

And 12 Groups You Can Join From Home

Ten ways people can fight authoritarianism (without joining an organization), and 13 groups you can join from home:

1. Stay Informed and Educate Others

• Learn about authoritarianism, its tactics, and its impact on society. Share credible news, books, articles, and documentaries with friends, family, and co-workers.

• Create a book club or reading circle on authoritarianism to build the knowledge of those who are close to you, recognizing that this can have a ripple effect of learning and inoculation against mis- and disinformation.

2. Speak Out Publicly

• Use social media platforms, blogs, or community forums to voice opposition to authoritarian policies and practices. Give a boost to others resisting authoritarianism on socials.

• Write letters to the editor in local newspapers or submit op-eds challenging authoritarian actions - emphasis on local.

3. Participate in Protests and Demonstrations

• Join local protests, marches, or rallies that resist authoritarian policies or defend democratic rights. Even small actions can have a large impact when done consistently.

• Organize or attend peaceful protests, even if they are small, to show solidarity with movements against authoritarianism that are rising around the corner and around the world.

4. Support Independent Media

• Subscribe to or donate to independent, trustworthy media outlets that report on authoritarianism, and share your favorite sources with friends, family, and colleagues.

• Resist misinformation and challenge propaganda by fact-checking news. Pause before reposting or repeating stories and memes and ask yourself, is this just gee whiz shocking or rage-inducing, or actually useful to people?

5. Hold Elected Officials Accountable

• Contact local, state, and national representatives to express concerns about authoritarian actions or policies. Encourage others in your community to do the same. Even if you just call in to a recorded message, elected leaders track the number of people who respond, and the positions they take.

• Attend town hall meetings and demand accountability on issues related to civil rights, press freedom, and democratic governance. Show up and be a witness or give testimony.

6. Organize Small-Scale Community Actions

• Start or join small action groups in your community to discuss ways to resist authoritarianism. These groups can focus on monitoring local government actions, planning protests, sharing information, engaging in mutual aid, organizing parties and social events to keep people connected to one another, and much more. Communities with strong social capital are more resistant to mis- and disinformation and demonizing conspiracy theories and memes.

• Engage in actions like distributing flyers, creating posters, or organizing street theater to raise awareness about authoritarianism. The cultural landscape does a lot to shape the way we understand who we are in the world. Shape it through your actions, make it beautiful, and keep it inspiring!

7. Defend Vulnerable Communities

• Stand in solidarity with marginalized or vulnerable groups targeted by authoritarian policies. This could include joining mutual aid networks or providing legal, financial, or social support.

• Speak up when you witness discrimination, harassment, or violence against targeted groups.

8. Encourage Civic Participation

• Organize voter registration drives or provide information on how people can vote and participate in elections, ensuring that as many people as possible are engaged in the democratic process, keeping in mind that the authoritarians are a minority of Americans who are relying on threats and violence to push the majority out of democratic decision-making in order to win “legitimately” in elections.

• Educate people on the importance of local elections, which often get less attention but are crucial for maintaining democratic governance at the grassroots level where it often matters most in our day-to-day lives.

9. Engage in Digital Activism

• Use social media to share resources, amplify calls to action, and engage with digital movements that challenge authoritarianism. Join or create online petitions, and pressure leaders via social media campaigns.

• Host virtual events such as webinars or online workshops to educate people about authoritarianism and encourage them to take action.

10. Support Legal Resistance

• Connect with local lawyers, civil rights groups, or public defenders to support legal challenges to authoritarian laws and policies. Offer time, donations, or logistical support.

• Learn about your legal rights and share that information with others, ensuring your community is prepared to push back against violations of civil liberties.

While taking action without an organization is critically important, joining a group magnifies your impact by coordinating what you do with what millions of others are doing at the same time.

Here are some organizations that are breaking down the isolation of people living in areas where there are no organizations to join, and activating those for whom joining is not possible or just not their thing:

1. Indivisible

• Mission: Indivisible focuses on grassroots organizing to resist authoritarianism and promote progressive values, including democracy, voting rights, and civil liberties.

• Digital Action: Indivisible uses digital tools like email campaigns, online petitions, and virtual phone banking to mobilize people across the U.S. They provide action toolkits, host virtual town halls, and organize digital advocacy efforts targeting elected officials.

2. MoveOn

• Mission: MoveOn is a progressive political action organization that works to mobilize people around issues such as democracy, justice, and equality.

• Digital Action: MoveOn frequently leads large-scale online petitions, mass email campaigns, and social media activism. Their platform allows individuals to launch their own petitions and actions, while MoveOn organizes national efforts to defend voting rights, fight corruption, and hold politicians accountable.

3. Common Cause

• Mission: Common Cause is dedicated to building a democracy that works for everyone, fighting for issues like voting rights, campaign finance reform, and government accountability.

• Digital Action: They engage people in digital activism by organizing online petitions, email campaigns, and phone banking to contact legislators. Common Cause also provides digital tools to help people monitor local elections and advocate for policies that protect democratic processes.

4. Democracy for America (DFA)

• Mission: DFA is committed to building a stronger, more inclusive democracy by supporting progressive candidates and causes.

• Digital Action: DFA engages in virtual organizing through webinars, digital trainings, and email blasts. They mobilize people around election protection, fighting voter suppression, and supporting progressive candidates through digital advocacy and fundraising efforts.

5. Center for Popular Democracy (CPD)

• Mission: CPD promotes equity, opportunity, and a robust democracy through grassroots organizing. They fight for a more inclusive democracy by focusing on voting rights, racial justice, and economic justice.

• Digital Action: CPD uses online organizing tools to mobilize communities for mass virtual campaigns, digital rallies, and social media advocacy. Their network coordinates large-scale virtual town halls and online petitions focused on protecting democratic freedoms.

6. Fair Fight Action

• Mission: Founded by Stacey Abrams, Fair Fight Action is committed to defending voting rights and combating voter suppression.

• Digital Action: Fair Fight Action organizes virtual voter registration drives, social media campaigns, and digital advocacy to push back against voter suppression. They provide digital toolkits to help individuals get involved in local and national efforts to protect elections and voting access.

7. Color of Change

• Mission: Color of Change focuses on racial justice, advocating for policies and actions that defend civil rights and ensure fair treatment of Black communities.

• Digital Action: Color of Change excels in digital activism through their online petitions, email campaigns, and social media advocacy. They have organized numerous digital campaigns to protect voting rights, reform criminal justice, and fight systemic racism in democratic institutions.

8. Stand Up America

• Mission: Stand Up America is dedicated to resisting authoritarianism and strengthening democracy by promoting voting rights, fighting corruption, and advocating for progressive policies.

• Digital Action: They engage in digital organizing through email alerts, social media campaigns, and online advocacy tools. Stand Up America also runs virtual phone banking and text-banking efforts to mobilize voters and pressure lawmakers on key issues like voting access and political accountability.

9. Public Citizen

• Mission: Public Citizen advocates for democracy, corporate accountability, and government transparency. They focus on issues such as campaign finance reform, lobbying, and protecting democratic processes.

• Digital Action: Public Citizen organizes online petitions, social media campaigns, and email actions to mobilize people on issues like fair elections, anti-corruption policies, and protecting democratic institutions from corporate influence.

10. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

• Mission: The Leadership Conference promotes and protects civil and human rights, with a focus on voting rights, racial justice, and democracy protection.

• Digital Action: They organize large-scale virtual actions, email campaigns, and social media mobilization to advocate for policies that protect voting rights and expand access to democracy, especially for marginalized communities.

11. Women's March Digital Defenders Program 

• Mission: Provide  individuals with the tools and knowledge needed to counter disinformation, combat hate speech, and advocate for progressive values online. 

• Digital Action: This program focuses on empowering people to fight back against extremist narratives and misinformation, particularly from alt-right and white supremacist groups, which are increasingly using the internet to spread hate and radicalize people to authoritarianism.

12. Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) 

• Mission: SURJ organizes people, particularly white communities, to engage in racial justice work and democracy promotion through both local and national campaigns, providing a platform for the leadership of local people, and aggregating efforts for state and national impact. 

• Digital Action: Participants can join remotely to take action on key issues, get engaged in digital training, virtual organizing, and coordinated campaigns, particularly targeting communities where transformative action can have national impact.

13. League of Women Voters/League in Action

• Mission: League In Action is a digital platform where those concerned about the future of democracy can directly connect and take action on issues impacting their communities.

• Digital Action:

  • Find and send letters at the League website to their elected officials on topics like voting rights, dark money, reproductive justice, and more;

  • Register for rallies, workshops, and other virtual and in-person events through the League;

  • Learn about important political topics;

  • Find upcoming elections; and more.